Chic Shopping Paris (Paperback)

by Rebecca Perry Magniant (Author), Alison Harris (Photographer)
Key Phrases: Etienne Marcel Monday, Saint-Paul Tuesday, Rue du Bac Monday (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Well designed, lavishly illustrated, and conveniently pocket-size, Chic Shopping Paris skips the heavy hitters of the Avenue Montaigne in favor of following in the footsteps of real Parisian shoppers, who mix L’Eclaireur and Louboutin with Le Comptoir des Cotonniers and insider addresses like Dante & Maria, Philippe Roucou, and Louison—and she throws in a host of addresses for finding very French cadeaux, perfumes and objects for the home." --Style.com

"Chic Shopping Paris will guide you to some of the best stores in the City of Light. Don't expect to read only about department stores; there are lots of boutiques here. If you don't have a personal shopper, the book serves as a good substitute. And it's small enough to stash in your purse." --BonjourParis

"These cute little square books published on sturdy paper with rounded corners will fit effortlessly into your designer handbags. This is a book that will withstand numerous shopping excursions...Author Rebecca Perry Magniant is the quintessential 'American in Paris.' Married to a Parisian, she has made it her business to ferret out the boutiques of the well-heeled and the well-coiffed. Rather than guard these addresses as a 'top secret survival kit' for living in Paris, Magniant has put her legwork to good use...So, now it's time to slip on your comfortable Prada sandals for a trek through the various neighborhoods for a 'look-see' at Chic Shopping's preferred shops...Chic Shopping Paris will prove a useful jump-off point for serious shoppers. The addresses listed here will get you headed to the right neighborhoods and out of the tourist trap alleys i.e. Rue de Rivoli and Champs Elysees. It's especially useful if you're looking for specialty item such as gloves or handcrafted watchband straps, just to give two examples." --Parislogue


Praise for Rebecca Magniant:

"Sign up with Chic Shopping Paris to smoothly navigate the city's shopping scene." --Fodors.com

[Chic Shopping Paris] “...provides even the most seasoned shopper with interesting shopping itineraries, valuable product knowledge and in-store assistance to better enjoy the Paris shopping experience–whether you’re buying or just looking.” --Paris Notes

“...the guides at Chic Shopping Paris can help visitors find the finest table linens and most decadent chocolate in one afternoon.” --House & Garden

“Discover the secrets only Parisians know with the help of Chic Shopping Paris.” --Vogue Entertaining

“At 30-something, Rebecca Magniant——a bouncy 'American expat wife' and self-confessed 'shopaholic'——has turned her knack for unearthing 'fabulous boutiques and insider tips'...Chic Shopping Paris has been treating visitors to the City of Light to thematic tours, covering a variety of topics ranging from couture and antiques bargain hunting to epicurean expeditions." --Paris Voice

Product Description
The secret of dressing like a Parisian starts with les bonnes adresses: the coveted, seldom-shared addresses of the best shops. When author Rebecca Magniant moved to Paris five years ago, she made it her mission to find the best boutiques in the city–and that she did. When some of her finds impressed her impossibly chic belle mere (mother-in-law), she knew she was on to something. She went on to found Paris’s premiere shopping service, Chic Shopping Paris, and now reveals her prized list of boutiques whose offerings embody quintessential Parisian style.
 
Even as the world seems to be getting smaller, with everything imaginable available on the Internet, there remain some things that can only be found where they are designed and made–in France. Chic Shopping Paris contains the best, offering clothing, jewelry, lingerie, makeup, shoes, hats, art supplies, toys, stationery, and more–more than eighty venues in all. So let the contents of Magniant’s little black book inspire you to bring back a piece of Paris in your bag.

Some of the shops include
•Da Rosa, an épicerie that supplies luxury products to some of the biggest restaurateurs in town
•Blanc d’Ivorie, a shop specializing in gorgeous French linens and housewares that are all in white, gray, or beige tones
•Fabrice, a boutique selling over-the-top, chunky costume jewelry
•Karine Dupont, a young, fun designer of bags known primarily to insiders
•J. C. Martinez, whose amazing collection of antique prints is as good as anything at the famous Paris flea market
•Sabbia Rosa, a designer of gorgeous silk or satin lingerie who will make things to order

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Little Bookroom; illustrated edition edition (June 17, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189214557X
• ISBN-13: 978-1892145574
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #33,093 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #34 in	Books > Reference > Consumer Guides

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Need update, October 16, 2008

By	J. Wang (DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am in Paris now and before my trip I cannot help buying a couple of insiders' Paris books before coming here. The photos are nice and reviews are enticing, but I tried several shops in the 4th arr. and they are not working out well for me.
Carabosse (page 90) - the store is closed for good at this address.
Lobato (page 97) - shop is closed at 5pm. Display in the window showed very expensive (500-900 Euros)and not so unique shoes.
ba&sh - Simple and well-cut, but most are dark colors. I find a top selling over 3000 euros and don't think it worths the price tag.

It maybe a coincidence three of the four stores I went in the same neighborhood did not work out well, but I lost confidence in this after the experience.

If you want to find unique things without a big price tag, I don't think this book will help you very much. Just my two cents.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Field Guide to Parisian Shopping , June 20, 2008

By	T. Douglass (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The perfect book for exploring Paris via shopping! The book is divided by neighborhoods for easy reference. The descriptions are extremely helpful and the photographs could be postcards of Paris themselves. The small size of the book will fit into your purse for easy access. I read this on the subway before I went shopping and couldn't wait to start shopping.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Go to Paris Without this Book !!!! , June 19, 2008

By	Stephanie McDonald (Paris, France) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The best addresses and tips are in this little gem of a book. Things the average tourist or even seasoned shopper would be hard pressed to find on their own. I'm almost sad that "the secrets are out" !! I highly recommend this book before your trip to Paris and for a fun read in general.
Stephanie
PS I live in Paris and consider myself a 'shopaholic' and loved discovering some new addresses in this book.