I feel pretty

Marie Antoinette's bedroom at Petite Trianon

When I was in Paris over Thanksgiving week, I finally made it to Versailles and Petite Trianon (I have been to Paris two dozen times and had never gone, can you imagine?!). Petite Trianon became Marie Antoinette’s “simple” abode where she could escape the over-the-top ceremonial way of court life. Simple compared to Versailles it was.  But what left an indelible impression on me was how pretty much of it appeared, especially her bedroom with the floral-embroidered bed and upholstery.

Suddenly, I want pretty. Fresh pretty. Florals, delicate embroideries, dare I say it, pastels (thought I still have a deep aversion to most pinks except for deep almost-fuchsia shades).

d. Porthault towels

Not a lot of pretty. But a splash of pretty, here and there, now and again. Perhaps some Porthault hand-towels in the powder room.

While I was in Paris, I did buy a variation of the Vanessa Bruno dress below (now on sale at Net-a-Porter).

Vanessa Bruno

And am thinking how fun it would be to gift the women in the family, these Cire Trudon candles for Chrismas. (Trudon was the candle maker to Marie Antoinette.)

Cire Trudon

Anyone who read my last post on how I want to emulate the modern, stark (and mostly black) Parisian wardrobe, will think I’m either gone mad, or have no style barometer which I stick to. This isn’t the case. I will still dress in dark colors and wear mostly very modern designs, which is why this “pretty” notion, for me, is quite out on a limb. And I just want a hint of it. A flash of sweet amid my minimalist tendencies. I am a girl, after all.