Sezane blouse (similar)
Paige jeans (c/o Shopbop)
Christian Louboutin heels
Celine bag
Celine sunglasses
Etsy ring (similar)
CC Lifestyles earrings (c/o)
I haven’t quite wrapped my head around the fact that we aren’t in Paris anymore. We took three flights over twenty-six hours to get home, but after three months away, that almost didn’t seem long enough. The thing about living life as a habitual expat is that you’re constantly pressing the pause button on one life to restart another one. Our life in Paris is simple and uncluttered; it has to be. Apartments in the city of light are mostly microscopic compared to the North American standard. This year, we lived in three hundred square feet in the tenth arrondissement. That sounds small, but in reality, it was one of the largest places we’ve rented in Paris. There is no doubt that I still have too many shoes, but apart from clothes and accessories, I don’t have many things in France – I can get by happily without candles and a constant array of new notebooks I will likely never fill, two of my greatest weaknesses when we live in Canada. There is no doubt that my life was different in Vancouver, and will be different in Winnipeg, too. My ability to resist pretty things in Paris is borne of necessity, not discipline. We have begun to look for a new home and have discovered that we are likely to have three times as much living space here as we did in Europe. And we will do with that space what anyone does: fill it. Years of travelling back and forth have convinced me that all of the things – the new earrings, the lovely lipsticks, the art prints – that bring me temporary joy in my Canadian life do not actually make me happier in the long term. But we have paused our life in Paris for the time being, which means it is time for me to dedicate myself to embracing all of the things I love about North American life. (Shoe closets, plentiful Mexican food and yoga pants all come to mind.) I’m curious, because I’m always curious – have any of you lived as expats? If so, how did the transition back to your normal life look for you?
As you know, I’m the polar opposite of an expact. I’m hunkered down, settled and never leaving. Haha! However, Martin & I talk of buying a second home when he/we retire (which crazily enough is not that far away. Yikes) and are thinking we’d travel back and forth. So time will tell! But I’m excited to see how your life takes shape in Winnipeg… and I’d also like to add… I’m now officially craving Mexican food. Yum! 😉 As for your outfit? As always, obsessed, love your take on the fishnet trend + your blouse is one of my favourites! Happiest weekend Cee!! xo
http://www.girlandcloset.com
What a wonderful outfit! You look very chic and very pretty! I like the blouse. The bow detail is very cute :-*
Melanie / http://www.goldzeitblog.de
How the Seine has changed from last year to this. All those boat houses were floating over the drive and the cars were underwater, no boats could go under the ponts at this time last year. Paris was Raincoats and umbrellas and puddles and clouds.
Cee, I love the back of your top! It is so exquisite. I also love your fishnets with those jeans. Looks so good! Time flew by so fast Cee. It seems like you just arrived there. There’s a season for everything. You will return! This is just another part of your life story. Excited about you guys buying a home. That should be fun. Please continue taking us on your life journey.
http://www.averysweetblog.com/
I have never left CT, nor barely even the town I was raised in. I often wonder what my life could be if I were brave enough to leave, even for a little while. It is so true that you will always expand to the space you are in, when you have a little space you do with less, but it’s still full. A bigger space will still bring forth those limitations, sadly. You are right that little things like more shoes and clothes and candles and notebooks bring only a little joy, and eventually claustrophobia, yet it’s tough to break the cycle.
Chic on the Cheap