French chic……..can you create it?

When I worked in Paris a French colleague told me that if you didn’t start with good beautiful underwear your look would never be right.

It doesn't even need to be tailored, sophisticated or expensive. It seems to me they can still look elegant in the cool, scruffy sense with pumps.
It's a sort of less is more way of dressing.

I was told once they spend a lot on a outfit and wear it and wear it! I heard that too.

It’s the same with the French food,too. So lovely but often very simple. Served well and matched perfectly with sauces.

It’s just knowing how to put things together. A scarf, and belt
and a good hair cut are a must and at least one blazer in your wardrobe. It can be copied by anyone who has money or if you’ve got a good eye.

Style, some people have it and some don’t and it helps if you’re a size 8/10/12 or a size 6 like Victoria Beckham.

I think that is true Joseanne. The good clothes are very very expensive and I can never find the middle range that is in the UK. I was cut off from White Stuff / Joules / Seasalt by Covid and ended up shopping at H and M here. I used to buy stuff at M and S when in the UK, but it seemed to have all gone a bit strange on my visit in the spring. Happily the charity shops still delivered some nice Jaeger.

It's the same with their children's clothes. I'm going back to France next week and have a list of items to buy for DGD's 9th birthday. They don’t seem to have silly things written on them in France or loads of sparkly stuff.

I have a lovely collection of silk scarves, which I used to try and co-ordinate with my outfits. I remember the first time I casually tried wearing one, aged about 14, my mum’s friend sympathetically asked me if I had a sore throat! That put me off being trendy for a while.

Well if to acquire French Chic a light tan is required then there is no hope for me with my natural skin tone being “day old corpse” and the summer “me” is pretty much the same with a few 3D freckles added. Perhaps it is my distant Irish Heritage Chic?

Nightsky
From being an adult I’ve never been without a blazer. I bought my first camel coat ( second hand) in the 60s I’ve never been without one.
With a good white tea shirt/ shirt polo neck jumper, good chinos and loafers to go with the above you can go anywhere.

I just can’t get over any women of fairly average height (is Victoria Beckham short?) and having had children; being a size 6. Do they not eat?

Having lived in various part of France I only ever witnessed true French Chic in certain arrondissements in Paris, that effortless look and je ne sais quoi air comes with a hefty price tag. It was always noticeable in the south too which Parisians had decamped for the month of August to escape the city. Not only are they very figure conscious regarding diet but their wealth affords them expensive beauty treatments, the best of hairdressers and choice of clothing and accessories. Not a look attainable on a budget? but fabulous to see in my book anyway. There are various pins on Pintrest to follow for a French Chic look too.

Granmarderby10

I just can’t get over any women of fairly average height (is Victoria Beckham short?) and having had children; being a size 6. Do they not eat?

Yes, lots of fish and vegetables.

MerylStreep I so agree with you - I love a navy blazer, preferably in good material (barathea wool or wool crepe). It smartens up any outfit and a blazer, jeans and white tee or navy/white striped tee is my favourite casual outfit. I wear it with loafers and always a leather bag (never plastic!). I would rather have 1 decent leather bag than several plastic ones.

MerylStreep

Nightsky
From being an adult I’ve never been without a blazer. I bought my first camel coat ( second hand) in the 60s I’ve never been without one.
With a good white tea shirt/ shirt polo neck jumper, good chinos and loafers to go with the above you can go anywhere.

I favour a similar look Meryl A selection of crisp white shirts are a basic in my wardrobe to coordinate with various trousers, jackets, loafers or trainers. I also have a selection of costume statement necklaces to complete the look I like. The classic camel coat I bought in the seventies is still as good as new. ?

MerylStreep

Nightsky
From being an adult I’ve never been without a blazer. I bought my first camel coat ( second hand) in the 60s I’ve never been without one.
With a good white tea shirt/ shirt polo neck jumper, good chinos and loafers to go with the above you can go anywhere.

Agree.

I have the most beautiful camel coat bought in Paris about 25 years ago. I choose it with the help of a friend who lived in France for several years. I can’t wear it as it has enormous shoulder pads which were very popular at that time but don’t look right now and being 25 years older it wouldn’t look right on me. I can’t bring myself to get rid of it?.

Such a shame not to be able to wear your beautiful coat Nightsky, could a good tailor/seamstress not make some adjustments to the shoulders? I have lovely jackets I bought in the 80’s, same problem and keep meaning to find someone to reconstruct the shoulders. ? Seems such a waste to just have them hanging there if I can find a solution.

I think a little classic dressing goes a long way. Accessory wise, less is more. French style can be very predictable and narrow, who wants to wear mainly navy blue or black all the time? I've heard that fashion and culture wise, it's Paris and the French desert though there have been efforts to improve this.

nanna8

It’s the same with the French food,too. So lovely but often very simple. Served well and matched perfectly with sauces.

Don't come to rural France nana8 you would be quite shocked by the menus and service in many local restaurants.

When I was a teenager I read in Honey magazine that French women spent a lot of money on their accessories - shoes and handbags - and looked after them.

Does anyone remember Galeries Lafayette in Regent Street. It became Hamleys but don't know if it still is. That was a very chic store.

I do think that the blazer, chinos, loafers and white or striped top is a very easy look to achieve and so some people try to be different.

One of my daughters in law an Englishwoman buys most of her clothes from a charity shop and she always looks natural, unostentatious , and modestly uncluttered. She knows what shapes of garments suit her. I have never seen her wearing garish prints.

There was a French lady being interviewed on a news programme the other day. Can’t remember what the subject was. Dark hair cut in a bob. Very little make up apart from lipstick. Plain top and I think she was wearing jeans. But she looked so chic.

There used to be a huge difference between provincial and Parisienne French ladies .
I far preferred the more down to earth provincial types .
But in Pau !
Where they from - Paris ?
But -
I know from my French friends that they are sometimes amused and actually appalled by the standard British woman's gung ho attitude to diet , exercise and clothes .

They are usually taught by their mothers from an early age -
to concentrate on eating healthy meals savouring each mouthful and not snacking watching the telly as we tend to do .

Fast food chains are looked down on .

We Brits tend to hold back when we see a family member or friend gaining weight - they certainly don't !
Fresh fruit , salad and vegetables are important .

They also have a few perfected dishes in their repertoire .
I was surprised at just how limited a standard Frenchwoman's expertise was .
If having a dinner party - desserts would be bought .

I noticed that they don't talk about diets especially in mixed company.
If they diet -they usually go to a doctor and the whole thing is extremely discrete .

They also plan their wardrobe choosing pieces to augment what they already have .
Expensive items are treasured .

I can't imagine them going to Primark and buying a lot of cheap throwaway stuff .

They also take great care of their clothes -ironing , repairing and dry cleaning them .

I think that control is the keyword .

I was told that I eat too much and too quickly , that I buy too many cheap clothes , which I don't look after !
I was reprimanded for not pressing a dress and cleaning my shoes prior to going out .

And they don't hold back on making comments about your hair either !

But a huge compliment - that I am an accomplished /adventurous cook and here's the sting - for a Brit !

I agree Esmay, there are some delicious meals, but it all gets very boring and samey. We live in Normandy and much as I love veal / pork / chicken with cream, apples and cider I don't want it every time I go out. Locally we can get French cuisine, pizza and kebabs. There are a growing number of little huts in car parks where you can get automatic pizzas. They have a kebab pizza and a burger pizza. ?
I think French cuisine needs to take a long hard look at itself and be a bit more open to outside influences.
So when people say what do I like least about living in France I say the fashion and the cuisine. ???

Esmay Pau is one of the most affluent,cosmopolitan French cities I have visited.