In grand ole Oprah style, I’ve decided to round out 2009 with another contest give-away. Plus, I’ll doff my “bachi” (French sailor hat) to a few of my favorite things in Paris!
Be the first Cheapo to correctly answer the New Wave film-related questions below, and we’ll give you a handsome catalog from the exposition, “Les Marins Font La Mode—Sailor Chic in Paris,” accompanied by one sporty Sephora striped travel bag!
Stars in stripes forever!
That fantastic exposition of Sailor Chic was presented earlier this year at the Musée de la Marine, located at place du Trocadéro. Whenever history, art, and fashion collide, Cheapos, I am there.
But who hasn’t been touched by the bold stripes of the traditional nautical shirts of Brittany (the coastal region where the French-striped top originated)? This look not only hooked appealingly rugged-types like Picasso, Hemingway, and Jean Paul Gaultier, but also lured Chanel, Rykiel, Schiaparelli, Jean Seberg, Brigitte Bardot, and Audrey Hepburn, just to name a few.
And it continues to captivate. Why, the very shirt that Audrey herself wore in the 1956 film “War and Peace” was recently put up for auction in London!
Beyond the sea!
Beyond the doubt, this French naval history museum is still worth a visit, even though the exhibit has closed. Dive deep into its vast collection of artifacts ranging from Napoleon’s gilded ceremonial barge (with all 24 oars still intact!), the Carmagnolle brothers’ diving suit (at 800 pounds, those brothers were heavy indeed), to toy boats that once belonged to the young Louis XV! (Museum hours are 10 AM to 6 PM. Closed on Tuesdays.)
Afterwards, head to the frip-frip-perie!
After your expedition to the museum, why not set out on a quest for the perfect striped shirt of your own? Described by Hemingway as, “very stiff and built for hard wear but softened by washings.”
In the Marais, you’ll find beaucoup de Breton stripes. Get your maritime on at the boutique King of Frip (short for “friperie,” a second-hand clothing shop) at 14 rue Vieille du Temple. Its wide aisles make it a favorite sweet spot of mine.
Though smaller, the Vintage Désir down the street at 32 rue des Rosiers also has bountiful goods. You’ll find the striped booty toward the front of the store, to the left—to the left.
Now, to the quiz:
Jean-Luc Godard’s classic “À bout de soufflé” (“Breathless”) was shot on-location in Paris. In the film, Jean Seberg’s character, a budding journalist named Patricia, wears a magnificent striped dress to a press conference at the old Paris-Orly Airport. Striving to make ends meet, Patricia also sells newspapers on the Champs Élysées.
1. Name the newspaper Patricia so charmingly hawks on the streets of Paris!
2. Also, give us the name of the French store where director Godard (Cheapo at heart) bought the striped dress featured in the scene.
The first Cheapo to answer both questions correctly wins the catalog from the Musée de la Marine’s exposition, “Les Marins Font La Mode—Sailor Chic in Paris,” and a compact spiffy Sephora striped travel bag, to boot! Please leave your answers in the comments box below.
Bonne Chance! Et Bonne Année, Cheapos!