French chic……..can you create it?

The last time I stayed in a French (Paris) hotel for work, dinner was lamb and three vegetables. All three veg were potatoes, nothing green whatsoever. Posh hotel too.

I think it helps that many French ladies are short and petite. It is hard to be tall and large and look chic.

I think it is a myth... but then I'm French

I think you're right Joseanne there are at least two things which we Brits do rather well - beach huts and custard.

When in Brittany many years ago DH and I very much admired the window display in a lovely shop which sold home accessories. We looked at the sign for future reference and it was called, Le Style Anglais which surprised us - so we've got something right.

There ya go! Interpreting "elegance" as dressed up to the nines!! It's not, choosing to be very casual doesn't mean dirty , unkempt or damaged clothing! If something needs mending , mend it or chuck it! Washed out scruffy has no mitigation cheap clothing can be well maintained and hair washed and shiny, costs nil. Being slovenly seems to be achieved and well accepted in UK! And the comments aimed at french woman not eating and being a slave to diets sounds like a form of jealousy? It's not true but is bandied about like a defensive insult why?

I think they are born with it...sighs. I prefer my bohemian Italian linen style. You have to dress to suit your personality I think.

Kandinsky

I prefer the Brighton hippy look, or ageing rock chick - easier to achieve ?

Me too, I’m too messy, I mean Bohemian, for understated elegance. It’s not something I’m going to be able to achieve now. ?

I observed as an exchange student in 70s that french women are ,one the whole, less beautiful and somewhat , shall I say erring on the side of quirky looking in comparison to Brits. I also noticed how they were/are extremely comfortable with their "look" or appearance whatever it is, no self consciousness and frankly no snide comments from others either, specially men! In France women are celebrated for being women!all shapes sizes colouring etc all beautiful in the eyes of the French male. I conclude that our lack of confidence brought on by unfounded criticisms from birth as to what we SHOULD look like has destroyed any natural celebration of womanhood in Britain. Consequently the trend to look younger/thinner/fashionable (whether it's appropriate or not) is endemic. I look at most women of all ages as I go about in UK and see untidy , unsuitable, completely inept examples of appearance everywhere! In Britain more is more, from the idea of dressing etc for an event involves wearing as much badly applied makeup we can to squeezing in awful cheap (looking) outfits that I'd cheerfully chuck in a skip! If I get any comments on my appearance it's either " you look done up , going somewhere special?" If I look remotely coordinated/ or " blimey , who's died?" If I dress discreetly in dark colours! We suffer from an inverted snobbery around " classy" appearance. And rude insulting critiques from frankly those who need to gaze into their own mirrors! French have it naturally? They do - appreciation of women that is!

Oh, I know they can be very hormonal, but I didn't know about the menopausal bit!
Send her my best wishes, please.

Great post. I follow a few blogs regarding this subject and I think they all say the same - quality and cut of clothing, look less "made up", a little jewellery and use colour sparingly. One of the articles I remember was, funnily enough, from a British women who went to live in Paris with her husband - she said that despite having a fairly expensive wardrobe, she could never pull off the Paris Chic. The one thing she mentioned, and which she found was her starter for ten, was that French Ladies do not wear unmatched underwear (I am sure someone will tell me this is untrue ) She said that, unlike our beloved M&S and other such like stores, you very rarely buy packs of knickers, for example - they usually buy underwear in matching sets and have many of them in their wardrobe. It got me thinking about my own underwear - I had definitely got into the habit of 'comfy' underwear - big knickers in skin colour only, (my buckets I call them), t-shirt bras in white and also skin colour and that's about it. I then started to look for 'sets' of underwear and was shocked at how hard it is to find them - you can find a lovely bra and then have to search for the panties on another page. I ended up in a well know lingerie shop and spent a fortune on underwear, the theory being that if you start with the basics then work outwards, you whole demeanour changes and I think that is right. I am now obsessed with my undies matching (ha ha I know - just in case I get run over , but I do find I make a little more effort with my outwear and makeup if underneath is of a good quality and it makes me feel good about myself. The surprise is that they are just as comfortable to wear as my 'comfy' but boring underwear. Crazy I know but it works for me. I also don't wear much colour and have never been able to get away with big chunky jewellery (think Bet Lynch) so have always been minimal in that respect. Not sure if this helps anyone at all, but a different perspective from just not being able to pull of Paris Chic (and I'm not sure if I have yet) - but perhaps we need to make a little more effort and then we can Happy Days

Thanks MissAdventure. Strangely, i was just telling a neighbor, Wiggy doesn't seem too well. She's very quiet this last few days. And off her food a bit. She hasn't laid any eggs this year, so I think she's having a bird menopause..

Talking of which, how is Wiggy?

I'm less chic, more chicken shaped really. ?

People who have it look good in a dustbin bag, I think.

My late mother could do it, always well turned out and chic, me? Scrub up okay ish when necessary, but am a jeans and tee shirt gal, oh and don't forget the wellies and trainers!!!?

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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

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.