French Style!

[Meg]

you thought so softie? When I was in Paris in February I was so unimpressed with the way people dressed. I was in la marais mostly and just thought that it was very normal and nothing really "special" about it.

 

[softgrey]

i was there too...i loved it...that's where my hotel was...
we also had great weather though and everyone was out and about sporting their best...so i got lucky...

 

[TheSweetest]

i, too, was put under the impression that French style was best and that no one can truly understand it except to be French. i have never seen with my own eyes if it's true, but i'd like to.

 

[LolitaLuxe]

Originally posted by adorevintage@Nov 18 2004, 08:00 PM
Another factor as to why we perceive the French as having more style, or being more fashionable, is because they have so much more confidence in their own personal style.

As my personal quote goes "Style is what you have, not what you buy" so you can purchase everything a French woman has in her wardrobe, but if you can't pull it off like she can, then what's the point?

[snapback]437748[/snapback]​

i completely agree. but overall, in paris i have always seen a lot of simplicity on the streets. in clubs, it can be a bit different, i have seen some strange looks, looks that are quite horrible ! but it was worn as if it was THE most elegant thing she owned, or as if it was nothing at all. that attiude i find i bit rare here. i dont think they are the most stylish, but i find the american hipster look to be quite un -stylish and that particular level of 'cheesiness' i dont see elsewhere. cherish yourself, values and style, that is what makes you stand out.dont try to be someone else.

 

[Meg]

gah, I wish there were more real hipsters around here! I despise faux hipster but I love the 'I don't give a damn' attitude which I think makes anyone attractive in what they wear

 

[prixi]

whatever they want.

 

[helena]

the ladies in the left bank are so stylish. around st germain. french women are so good at wearing classics but updated to give a respectful nod to the trend of the day (just to let you know that they know the score). However they almost never look like fashion victims or slavishly follow that dictats of fashion magazines. I think hey can be more open minded in how they dress - celebrity and copying celebrity) is less important. The whole Ugg craze never really caught on in France.

 

[geha]

AHHH been trying to get on Tfs for days but it wouldnt let me!
Thanks for all your replies. i agree with u all on the fashion.......
Im hooked on the european way of dressing because where i live everyones either dressing us as sienna (REALLY BADLY) or in trackies all the time!
So what do you guys reckon the main item of clothing for a french/european women are?
do we have any french/european people here?

ps thank you softgray for saying hello!

 

[runner]

Parisian chic in 10 easy steps

Ever wondered just why the French look so good? After her people-watching expedition to the style capital Hadley Freeman offers a DIY guide

Friday March 5, 2004
The Guardian




So, are the French still chic? It is a question that does niggle. Well, it occasionally niggles the French, because they have constructed their national identity around it (that, and smelly cheese, which might explain why they are so keen to defend the chic element). And it often niggles the rest of the world which, from time to time, has said unkind things about the cheese- eating surrender monkeys, and their much-vaunted sense of style.
Certainly Paris fashion week beats the bejesus out of everyone else (New York, too furry; London, too silly; Milan, too Footballers' Wives), but what of the French themselves? Stereotypes and gentle xenophobia aside, yes, they are a cut above the rest of us. From my exhaustive research into the matter - standing on a street corner in the city for two hours - I bring you the secrets behind Parisian chic. But remember, as Mulder and Scully told us all along, just because the truth is out does not guarantee you acceptance among the aliens.

1: Always wear sunglasses
A Parisienne without her big, chunky sunglasses would be like Chris Moyles without his team of flunkies - a sad and lost specimen, divested of the props against which to bounce her personality. Ditch any fears about what others will think - a true Parisienne would rarely bother with such worries (see 10). Sunglasses make even Johnny Halliday look cool (sort of) and cover up puffy eyes caused by too many Gauloises. But, please, no coloured lenses. These are only excusable if you are in Atomic Kitten and then only out of pity

2: Your bag should be no bigger than your dog
And your dog, obviously, is one of those yappy little things (currently being popularised by various American heiresses on TV, although you, of course, pay no attention to the Americans). They are perfect for sitting on your lap while you sit decorously in a cafe, sipping your cappuccino, arguing with Bernard-Henri Lévy about how the 21st-century soul has lost its passion. Or something.

Bags should be hand-held, quilted if you are over 50 (that's right, we are talking Chanel, and we are talking lots of) or plain for the younger ones. Absolutely no rucksacks - such slobbiness is reminiscent of French exchanges, which is one facet of the country that probably did not inspire you to exalt Gallic chic.

3: Coordination is a beautiful thing
An English woman sees a skirt with a big floral pattern and thinks, "How sweet! I'd love to have that pattern on my new sofa, but, in the interim, I'll wear it on my legs. Sod the fact that I've got nothing that goes with it." A French woman would not even notice the skirt. A French woman coordinates her entire outfits days in advance, ensuring her socks match her hairclip, which matches her top, which matches her coat. Frightening, yes. But, dammit, they do look better than Britons dressed in loose covers.

4: The effort is always worth it
That means no outfits for bad-hair days/fat days/can't-be-arsed days. The irony about those outfits is that they actually make you look worse: no matter how fat you feel, wearing a big kaftan is going to make you look 10 times bigger. So, instead, slip into your little cropped trousers and pair them with ballet pumps. Yes, you will probably feel so miserable that you may have to crawl into a loo and break a mirror but, hey, at least you look good.

5: Pancake or au naturel
If you are over 35, slap on the full face of makeup, including lippy, before even your husband sees you in the mornings; if you are under 35, just keep it plain, with lipgloss. As in so many areas of life, boys have it even easier. Theirs is a choice between the shabby, unshaven man who resembles an extra from Jean de Florette and who, perhaps, is an occasional friend of absinthe, and his more groomed, handsome-to-the-point-of-silliness counterpart, best epitomised by Mr Kylie Minogue, Olivier Martinez. Happily, for any boys after the true Parisian look, both make one look like a character in a Truffaut film.

6: Think helmet hair
Not only in shape (although you should definitely bear this in mind after you blow out the candles on your 50th birthday cake), but colour. Parisian ladies favour the solid block of colour, not the streaky-bacon look that Americans prefer, with highlights strewn about, party streamer-like.

This epitomises the differences between the two countries: both are equally high-maintenance and arrogant, but whereas one revels in its nature, the other denies it is so and gives off the impression of chic simplicity. Ultimately, both are just as fussy as an uptown Manhattanite with extensive food allergies and a fondness for Egyptian sheets with a threadcount of 240.

7: Men wear scarves
There must be some law about this in Paris. Of the 37 males I counted in 15 minutes, 35 were wearing scarves and the other two had polo necks. Maybe they all have mucky necks. Or maybe they are so Frrrrrrench and sexy that the women cannot control themselves and cover them in lovebites. Whatever, it is a most dashing look in a Charles Lindbergh kind of way. But, um, French, naturellement .

8: Gold
Silver? Pah! But gold? Ah, ma cherie, c'est bon! They are quite right. Wear too much silver and you resemble a rock star's 16-year-old Sloaney daughter, or a Hell's Angel, or both. Yes, a knuckle slathered in gold will bring back memories of Joan Collins, but may I just take this opportunity to say that Joan's style tips have heretofore been underrated? Look at how well she has done: a handsome young man called Percy, regularly featured in the Daily Mail as a "style icon" - what more could you want?

9: Fur! Glorious fur!
Even in the summer, you love your skins. Think mink, think fox - do not think hamster. And remember, the bulkier your coat, the better to push people out of the way (see 10).

10: Be rude as hell
Stereotypes aside, I think we can all agree that the French have, shall we say, a fluid concept of manners. So be sullen, pushy and never let the words excusez-moi pass your lips, except in a sarcastic tone. And why not? You look great and you damn well know it. Plus, of course, smiling causes wrinkles.

One last thought: yes, the French do look good, but at least our music is way cooler than their Eurocheese stuff, right? Enjoy Mysterious Girl at number one this weekend, everyone!

 

[Tuti*Fruiti]

I really must get to paris one of these days and find out what is so great about French fashion, (as I think the fash mags are average- my favourites are English).

Here on the Cote d'Azur the fashion sometimes (in fact nearly always) makes me cringe!

 

[helena]

I agree riviera style is bad! st tropez is just so trop its disgusting....in so many ways.

Thanks for that Runner - I saw this in th eguardian around Paris fashion week time - its by Jess Carter-Morley I think - she is a very funny fashion columnist at the Guardian - I read her every saturday - she tries desperately to get Britsh women to think about how they dress!!!! I think her observations here are probably accurate.

 

[fab_fifties_fille]

I recently went to Rouen in France for work experience...working in the fashion section of a department store...French women are very fond of there fur and anything that resembles an animal, and still do the whole coiffed hair thing...i personally believe there style is overated. In Paris however there are more stylish women, and yes all the men seem to wear pashmina-type scarves. The women can often look 'harsh' with all their makeup and their rather katherine hepburn style tailoring.
All the gold trimmings on evrything instead of silver always looks like a nod toward nautical fashion though...not so good.

 

[fab_fifties_fille]

I recently went to Rouen in France for work experience...working in the fashion section of a department store...French women are very fond of there fur and anything that resembles an animal, and still do the whole coiffed hair thing...i personally believe there style is overated. In Paris however there are more stylish women, and yes all the men seem to wear pashmina-type scarves. The women can often look 'harsh' with all their makeup and their rather katherine hepburn style tailoring.
All the gold trimmings on evrything instead of silver always looks like a nod toward nautical fashion though...not so good.

 

[fab_fifties_fille]

oops sorry...school computers...i got a bit annoyed

 

[gruveechik]

i think clothes made in Paris are just cut better/better quality... dollar for dollar.

In Canada i have a pig of a time trying to get anything to fit me - and i'm an average size.
In the US it may be a bit better.
But overall in N.America i find it's pretty much cookie-cutter fashion - you'll find the same thing everywhere.... yet more often than not - ill-fitting or difficult to find something that's relatively inexpensive and fits well.

Trundled through Sweden/Denmark/Germany/Paris/Spain/Holland over the past couple of years. The BEST clothes i found were in Paris - in that i just went into a store - put the thing on - whatever it was - and IT FIT PERFECTLY! It took a hell of a lot of searching through stores in the other countries to get good fitting clothes (less searching than in Canada mind you) but Paris... perfect!

 

[geha]

i kinda agree with gruveechick...everything in england seems to be mass produced. you wear one thing and as soon as your outside, youll see someone else wearing the same thing! And the sizeing is really wierd, in one shop your like a perfect 10 and then in the next your like a 14.
Im gonna have to start fiding some really cool boutiques to shop in!!!

That article was brill......but gold?

 

[foxinthesnow]

It doesn't hurt that most French women are tons thinner than most American women and British women.

 

[MulletProof]

that article is funny

 

[princesita]

I have a french friend who has an allergy for "brand new" stuff. She kinda prides herself for wearing old vintage shoes or bags, that really give her a distictive style.
In the beggining I just didn´t get it, but with time I learned that sometimes this american fever for changing all the time and always buying new items can wash away a very nice disctintive touch old and worn items can give.

 

[Fabienne]

I am French, and I live in the US. I am often complimented on the way I dress by colleagues and friends. When I am in France, I feel underdressed, as it is harder to find interesting clothes in the US and this is where I typically buy most of my clothes. I travel quite a bit for business, and am therefore able to somewhat diversify my wardrobe. What I have noticed is that the women around me don't usually think beyond the one garment. Great shoes, but... the skirt doesn't work with them. I think of a mood before I dress, or of the impression I want to give. I never go out without putting on perfume or jewelry. It's a whole, I create a persona, and it is healing.