I Have Noticed the Following Here...

The French:

1.) really do say, "Ooh La La" and "Voila!"




2.) actually wear Pepe Jeans

3.) wear Carhartt!! It's the cool thing to do here, along with Levi's. (Carhartt, while better known for labor wear and usually seen at your fine Rodeo or Bull Riding event, is actually "streetwear" here! Think I'm kidding?? Go to http://www.carhartt-wip.com/ for proof. So many farmers would be disappointed...)
American Carhartt:

European Carhartt:


It's like the equivalent of wearing a Vans or DC shirt around here... so weird to see, especially when there aren't any tractors or fairs around!

4.) love Calvin Klein... in fact I think he only made it big in Europe... I don't know where else to buy him in America other than a Tj Maxx or Marshall's... I bet they'd be ecstatic at how affordable his stuff is at home. People wear CK leggings. Like, out in public. With CK printed all over them. I want to walk up to someone and say, "Do you wear that because it's American? Or because they say American's wear that? 'Cause we don't..." haha but I won't crush it for them, she's probably hot stuff here with those CK print leggings... Ew.



5.) love to smoke. Almost everyone does. Young, old, rich, poor... it's either the cool thing to do, or at 13 they're genuinely addicted... let's hope not.



6.) make out freely on the streets. You see at least 3 lovey dovey couples A DAY, if not full on make out sessions. That's 3 more than you see in America...which probably either relates to modesty, or the divorce rate in the states- either way, you see a lot more PDA here. So, the rumors are true.



(just a sidenote: they aren't young couples all the time. I've seen people 30+ showin' some love on the streets)

7.) REALLY walk around the city with baguettes sticking out in their purse/backpack while walking/riding on their bike/Vespa! I always get annoyed in movies when a baguette would be poking out of someone's bicycle basket... but it's real.



8.) mostly get around in a Vespa, motorcycle, scooter, or bike. The taxi's are usually really nice Mercedes. The drivers are certifiably insane. The parallel parkers can hardly be called 'good', but they can cram a 5ft car into a 5ft space in no time flat (I personally witnessed it happen- it only took him 2 taps to the car behind and 1 in the front to feel his way around in the space...poor cars)







I'll keep editing this until my trip is complete :)