French chic……..can you create it?

I think it's a myth/con that French women all look chic, because most of them look quite ordinary - especially once away from Paris. Whereas Italian women, of all ages, always look fantastic, in a subtle way, whatever part of the country you're in.

Hi Sago - I agree .
I love Pau .
My observation was and is - it's not Paris !

And to be honest , I agree with Mamie ot can be a bit boring and samey !

Much as I admire French chic - I think that I'll always have very British habits .

Lots of affluent, elegant French ladies in my Breton seaside resort too, (Dinard). The irony is though that it is the British they admire in terms of style - architecture, beach huts etc! There is even a British film festival next month!
I have a French friend who used to rave about Laura Ashley!

There are two effortlessly chic French women that I know. The elder is 78, very slim and often wears knee length shorts with a top. She can get away with it. The other is in her late 60s, also slim and tall so she has long legs. Whenever I see her she always looks good. She wears a lot blue. I think that slim is the operative word here.

Changing the subject slightly, we have several mini music festivals in the region during the summer, mostly classical. When chatting with a friend who asked if we were going to any concerts I responded that I much preferred twentieth century contemporary "classical"music. Her response was that the music I wanted to hear was far too modern and not understood and that I would have to be in Paris or another large city.

CurlyWhirly
I love wool crepe. The blazer I have now was bought in what is known as a pre loved clothes shop. It’s cashmere ?

I remember being in a school hall during the Higher prelims one year. The 15/16/17 year-old girls were all wearing scarves round their necks that year, and a lot of them looked a bit flung-together. There was one girl from a French family who had on a perfectly ordinary scarf and looked the epitome of chic. It was impossible to see what she had done that the other girls hadn't! You've either got it or you haven't, it seems to me.

Callistemon21

Was she Michelle Dubois, Witzend?

?
I think she was probably from Paris, anyway. About half of us were placed with families in Paris*, the rest out in the French sticks somewhere - I can’t remember where.

*Including me, def. not in one of the smart arrondisements though. Even then la mere (pls imagine grave accent) was endlessly moaning about ‘les Algeriens!’ of whom there were many locally.

I agree that fashion and style are pretty non existant in the country French local population (spent 15 years there) however even in my small town I see more women who have got it right than I do on my trips to the UK.
When any big horse racing event takes place the parade of dresses are scary. In winter the main fashion seems to be a fleece, a pair of elasticated trousers or leggings and horrible footwear. Sorry if that offends, anything better than that looks chic to me

mayisay

I think it's a myth/con that French women all look chic, because most of them look quite ordinary - especially once away from Paris. Whereas Italian women, of all ages, always look fantastic, in a subtle way, whatever part of the country you're in.

I agree, but I think it’s because most Italian people are naturally attractive, they tend to have lovely hair and skin.
What elegant people of both sexes seem to have is deportment, it’s the way they hold themselves that sets them apart rather than what they wear (although in Paris some women do wear lovely clothes too, they don’t look as if they ever do normal things like housework, they wouldn’t be seen dead in the ancient fleece I’m wearing today for example)

I did an exchange with a French girl from Paris and her wardrobe was all in dark navy, a blue-ish red, and white. Oh, and she had very well cut hair in a long bob with a fringe. We were 13.

I was encouraged by a compliment paid me by a French lady in Poitiers who said of my jacket that it was "tres jolie"! I don't think I am svelte enough to achieve French chic but I do believe it is possible. Definitely "less is more" - I have finally taken that on board and shudder at some of the outfits I used to wear. I don't think you necessarily have to spend a lot to achieve it either.

Yes you can achieve it. I was Asturias and helped people do it. Join Pinterest and create a board, search French chic and millions of examples will come up, start experimenting. Anything can be learned I promise you.

I would agree with 99% of what you all say.
So much so that some years ago Paw and I were due to visit an old childhood friend of his (French) who is now also a Comte and I was intimidated beyond belief at how chic his wife la Comtesse would be.
I was hugely relieved to meet a very homely woman, easily a size 20, could not have been nicer and not at all “soignée”or chic. Fiendishly competent though, she had organised a family meal for over 25,( bringing in caterers, but even so ) this was at their country house, a “Manoir” in Normandy as opposed to their Paris flat or (would you believe) ruined castle in the village which bears their name in the south of France.
But on the whole - yes, Frenchwomen have a style few of us come close to (present company excepted!)

Younger son lived in Paris for a while. He reckons French women live in cupboards and spend all their money on clothes!

Some people just have it and some don’t no matter how hard they try.
Personally I lost interest in “style” years ago - as long as I feel OK and am warm/cool enough that’s OK.
Aspiring to be elegantly chic when you’re a bit of a dumpling is crazy.
Looking down on people as to how they chose to dress is very shallow and judgemental. Dress to be yourself.

All I need now is a matching pair of socks…

In this part of rural France most people buy their clothes at the local markets and seem to wear any random top and bottom that happen to be there -no attention as to whether the colours or designs go together at all.
My friend who lived in Paris always wore lined skirts - In the 60/70s these were easily available in most places in U.K. too and as with curtains a lining makes a garment hang much better.

I think that you have to eat little and push about the dessert so no chance!

Personally I find the whole French ‘effortlessly chic’ myth to be just that- a myth! I have visited France often, often for fairly long periods, and find that the average French woman is not unlike her British counterpart. The wealthy, particularly in Paris, are of course better dressed, as happens in most parts of the world. They can afford the best designers, personal shoppers/stylists. Some of these much vaunted looks I find unimaginative and a little boring tbh; great I suppose if you are slender and attractive and can afford a good hairdresser! I personally like to have a little fun with my clothes- boho, one minute, classic the next, for example. I wonder if these stylish French ladies do the same or are they pressured into trying to constantly keep up that ‘French chic’ mystique!

My French teacher once told me that, especially in Paris, women would choose perfume over food. I’ve never forgotten that!

Al I can say is that even their super(hyper)markets have some clothes that are elegantly beyond our High Street stores.

The most recent purchase - light linen blouson and fine cotton loose trousers with an ankle gather. How much? - less than 50 Euros. Understated greyish/green.

Another item, bought 10 or more years ago, a long, dark grey light wool tunic that has been endlessly machine washed and still looks good,

There are other items but don't want to bore your ladies.

Rarely see an overweight woman in France and they also groom themselves well. Also, less is more.

Beesh your French teacher may have said this, but I do not believe her. She was probably talking about a small proporion of the haute bourgeosie. The average Parisian you see in the supermarkets or outside Paris, everywhere has more sense.

Apart ffrom that I am with Amalegra and all the others that are saying that French chic is bunkum. It is limited to the upper managerial and professional town dweller, almost entirely in Paris, and goes no further.

Parisians may think Paris is France, but to the other 50-60 million French people, half of them female, know better.

I think some people just have "it", no matter what they wear or how much time they put in to their look.

An aunt of mine had "it".
Her home, her whole self just reflected something that it's impossible to put into words.

Imagine a lot is down to being v slim, expensive makeup and quality well made clothes ( may not be new but classy)

My aunt looked as if she had smoked and drank too much, (she had) and was very thin.
She just exuded "it".

I believe that what we call 'French chic' is really the way French women hold themselves - their 'port de tête', as the French put it. No matter what they're wearing many French women carry themselves with an internal confidence and self-assurance. That is what gives them a certain 'class'...or chic.
I disagree that you have to have money in order to be chic, neither do you have to be slim, some plumper women here being very chic!