parisian party

trous·seau, n. [French, from Old French, diminutive of trousse, bundle. See truss.] The possessions, such as clothing and linens, that a bride assembles for her marriage.

Back in the day, a young woman and her mother would start collecting and sewing items for her trousseau years before she was even engaged! They stored the items in a heavy hand-carved wooden wardrobe or trunk, and when it was complete, the trousseau contained everything that the girl owned- everything that she needed to start her new married life. Trousseaus could contain quilts, china, silverware, pillows or linens, in addition to clothing and lingerie. In Victorian times, it was even a la mode to host a “Trousseau Tea” the day before the wedding, where the brides family would invite people over and show off all of the items in the girls’ trousseau. Today’s trousseau contains gorgeous lingerie, luxurious toiletries, and fabulous going-away outfits, all packed up into beautiful luggage.

chantal thomass

Unfortunately, the charm of the bridal trousseau seems to have been lost on the average American bride, replaced by the frenzy of pre-wedding Gift Registries: shower registries, wedding registries, charity registries and (gasp!) honeymoon registries. Luckily, a few recent high-profile brides have put the bridal trousseau back into the spot-light. For instance, Mrs. Tom Cruise and this summers’ Lucky Seven bride, Madame Eva Longoria-Parker, both outfitted their trousseaus with items from Figleaves, and the latest Mrs. Trump (Melanie Knauss) apparently took a gang of editors from Vogue to Paris with her to shop for her trousseau.

If you’d like to make like Madame Le Donald and go on your own Parisian trousseau shopping spree, your first stop HAS to be the glamorous boudoir of Chantal Thomass at 211 Rue St Honoré. This shop is a paradise of intimate feminine goodies like bras, bustiers, stockings, and dressing gowns as well as froo-froo accessories like pink, lace-up umbrellas, and…black satin and lace hand-cuffs. Oh la laaaa!

fifi chachnil

Another queen of the intime is Fifi Chachnil. Since 1986, Fifi has been known for her gloriously feminine designs as well as her sense of humor and classic vintage style. Her lingerie is sold worldwide, but nothing beats a trip to one of her Parisian boutiques.

“Though’s in the know” know where to find the most famous French lingerie- they visit Sabbia Rosa at 73, rue des Sts-Pères. This tiny shop lives up to the hype and is a favorite of fashionistas like Madonna, Naomi Campbell and Catherine Deneuve.

annick goutal

One other major element of the modern bridal trousseau is fragrance- for your Parisian trousseau, peek your head into one of the Annick Goutal Boutiques and discover your new “signature scent”. Everything about these boutiques is feminine and flirty- and while you’re there, treat yourself to one of their Boudoir Treatments for the Face or Body (or both!)

For a more sleek, modern approach to finding your wedding fragrance, try visiting one of the boutiques of Frederic Malle, which showcase a handful of scents from the top “noses” in France. Enter one of their enclosed glass pods to sample the scents in a virgin environment, then have your finished perfume wrapped up in their signature red tissue paper and black box.

If you want to try your hand at creating your own lune de miel fragrance, sign up for an “Atelier du Parfumerie” at the world renowned Guerlain boutique on the Champs Elysees.

goyard

Once you have your trousseau together, you can’t just toss it into any old Samsonite! You still have a wedding to pay for, so don’t break the bank on nouveau LV, Hermes or Goyard. Instead, try scouting out Le Monde du Voyage in the Marche aux Puces at St-Ouen. This store has been specializing in vintage luggage for over 20 years, and will surely have the perfect valise to round out your Parisian bridal trousseau.