Cadmium, Chrome, Cobalt, and Viridian Green

The print of this fabric does look a bit like impressionist brushwork doesn't it? I love all the shades of green with the dabs of black, tan, and grey mixed in, it makes styling this dress easy when there are so may options for colors of accessories. Still, I was limited in how many accessory sets I could bring on my trip, so here the dress is styled just with basic black. At least I got to wear a beret in Paris without it looking too cliche (I hope!).

I always love visiting the Musée d'Orsay, but I have to admit, this time I was a little too worn out to properly enjoy it. Traveling across the Atlantic and the resulting messy sleep schedule and endless walking does tend to catch up with me rather quickly. It could also be because, though I love the museum's galleries of painting in the more realism based styles like symbolism and naturalism (and all of the Art Nouveau goodness), I am oddly not the biggest fan of impressionist painting. I mean, impressionism is nice, but I often find it just doesn't wow me. I am a rococo girl, give me Fragonard, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, Gainsborough. So when faced with gallery upon gallery of impressionist master works, I have something terrible to admit...I sat out much of them on a bench in favor of resting my screamingly sore feet. Yes, yes, I know, I'm a terrible uncultured human, but in my defense I had visited all these painting several times before! What a crazy position to be in, #privilege much? Sitting out the impressionists, what heresy!

So if you can find it in your heart to forgive me I would be much obliged. I wanted to save my strength for admiring all of the Art Nouveau, because art nouveau is much more my speed. I have this funny relationship with the d'Orsay too because I feel like every time I visit I discover new galleries that I somehow missed the time before. I should clarify that I stayed in Paris for five weeks or so in the summer of 2012 while taking some classes at the chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne and so I visited the d'Orsay first with my parents, then with my friend who came to visit with me, then again with another friend and her parents, again one last time by myself... all within those few weeks. So I always think I am rather familiar with the museum having visited several times, but every time I discover another room! This time it was the rooms beyond the grand white and gold salle des fêtes (the ballroom of the Hôtel d'Orsay part of the train station (the Orsay museum building was once a train station)) between the ballroom and the restaurant. I had no idea these galleries (salle 52 for those curious) existed and since they were full of more decorative arts I was super please to discover them! A surprise was a good way to wake up this weary traveler, but really what I needed was a restorative tea...

So it was good thing Laduree was our next stop. The Laduree on Run Bonaparte is just a 15 minute walk from the museum, so we headed over and had tea and pastries in their gorgeous little deep blue velvet tea room. Just the thing to restore me before we tried to find Deyrolle nearby, which was a most magical experience as I have detailed already. A busy day indeed and another great one, but goodness was I happy to spend the rest of the evening relaxing back at the air bnb!

It's strange how this trip already feels like it was so long ago and yet it has only been a month! Where does the time go? I've got a couple more Paris outfits to show you sometime, but I think for now we'll jump up to the present. I have been finishing up some new sewing projects I wish to share, and have tons more planned for the months ahead. I do wonder how I'll keep up with my sewing, making videos, the new pattern drafting series, and working at my new job, but right now it seems like an exciting challenge!

Dress: Made by me
Belt, Handbag, & Jewelry: Vintage
Hat: Target
Shoes: Royal Vintage Shoes