It is no secret that I am an unapologetic, stinky cheese loving, social program advocating, cafe-hoping Francophile. But perhaps the one thing I love most about la France is the confident, inimitably stylish way French women dress and carry themselves...the men aren't hard to look at either! Since I was a young teenager visiting France in the Summers (mom would always need a break from a month long visit at grandma's house in the Austrian countryside), I have always observed that famous je ne sais quoi and yearned to capture its essence.
Lesson # 1 - Do not try to imitate anyone else's style. Be a unique, independent individual rather than a carbon copy of another person. I'm confused. Doesn't that contradict the entire goal here?
Needless to say, I have been on a mini-crusade to uncover the secrets of the effortlessly chic Parisian since I was fifteen, for this mysterious French woman just will not speak! On my quest I have read several oh so fascinating books on the French Joie de Vivre (a reading list I plan to share with you bientot), and my latest find is Parisian Chic by Ines de la Fressange.
As a long time fan of this international style icon, I knew I had to get my hands on that book the moment I heard of its existence. A quick, simple read, Ines's vivacious, free-spirited personality shines through every page. Not only is the book fun to read, it also offers some great insights and tips into Parisian chic and how to make it your own. There are lots of simple rules of thumb to follow but that's not to say that rules can't broken (but of course!). And at the end of the day the biggest piece of advice remains to be yourself rather than conform. It's time to accept that our best plan of action is to let our personality guide how we present our self. Have fun, love the body we've been given and don't take anything too seriously - not your outfit, home, dinner party, lover or self.
Here are some of my favorite pieces of advice from the book, a la Ines. A great guide for every young woman, ages 15 to 55. For more juicy insider tips on the secrets of French ooh la la and va va voom, make Parisian Chic part of our permanent collection.
"Teaming a vintage It Bag with a basic cashmere sweater takes more flair than slavishly copying the latest runway styles."
"[The Parisian's] wardrobe is a clever mix of cheap and affordable buys, holiday purchases, and a handful of luxury pieces. Impossible to tell if her jeans or denim jacket are from Gap, Notify, H&M, or Hermes."
"Her definition of luxury? A brand that guarantees good taste, rather than an all-too obvious price tag."
"Every Parisian learns the rules of the art of shopping: if you keep a clear head faced with such an abundance of choice, you'll keep a wardrobe free of things you'll never wear."
"Split your budget into two. Use half for quality basics, and half for impulse buys that will brighten your wardrobe."
 |
| Photo of Ines Courtesy of the Sartorialist |
Tip: Forget Frommer's, Fodor's and Lonely Planet, this book also doubles as a wonderful city guide to the favorite shops, restaurants and sites of local Parisians!
No comments:
Post a Comment