storm before the storm

Bonjour! I'm back from Paris and will be sharing my adventures all week. In case you are new, I won the Galeries Lafayette Fashion Capitals contest so they flew me to Paris to represent NY with ManRepeller & walk in their 2nd annual fashion show (I know, I know). First, I give you the day of the show....

Everyone got ready at the Palais Broungniart, which is this beautiful, massive building that used to be the Paris Stock Exchange.

Total madhouse with swarms of people as well as makeup and hair stations. The second I stepped inside I thought, "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"  Then I got really excited.

This is the VIP area where all of us got ready....doi. This man is apparently a super famous French hair stylist. He asked if we had any questions so I obviously asked if he could do anything with my hair, what would he do? He said he could do all sorts of things and that I have beautiful hair. It was a very diplomatic answer. 

Leandra freaking out. She doesn't like to wear makeup. Watching this exchange really tickled me.

Getting my makeup done. Man, I am pale nowadays. Thanks for nothing San Francisco!  I was trying to tell her she needed to bronze me up so I said things like "California," "tan," and you know, "beach." When that didn't work,  I pointed to bronzer.

Getting my hair did. "Not too big" and "natural" was my creative direction. Every time I curl my hair though I develop a Real Housewife of Orange County complex. It makes me feel really done up, which then makes me feel like I'm trying too hard, and I do not like to look like I'm trying too hard. I really do love the way it looks, I'm just not used to it on me quite yet.

I was totally happy with both makeup and hair! It's always nerve wrecking when someone you don't know is working on you, especially given language barriers, but was pleasantly surprised an epic meltdown on my end was not necessary.

I'll be back tomorrow with more!