French chic……..can you create it?

I never have intentionally set out to achieve French "Chic", and don't think the majority of them are very "chic",even in the cities I have visited. Certainly not in the country side.. Give me Italian style any day.

Joseanne

As a result of this thread I spent the morning scouring clothes shops over here and then did a bit of people watching from my table at lunchtime. What did I learn about French women's choice of clothes?

So, not many wear cardigans. If they do the younger women drape them off one shoulder, showing a strappy camisole underneath. More mature ladies clinch them in at the waist with a belt. I saw quite a lot of zip up cardigans, but very few with gaping buttons. Some jumpers had zips going diagonally which looked elegant.
Their trousers and jeans barely graze the ankles, they were all straight, not bootleg or wide.
Tweeds appears to be in the shops for the autumn and tartans too. Hang on a minute, didn't we, ie in Scotland, invent them?
The women had smaller busts than British women, and just to level up here the men had jackets, not fleeces, and wore smart shoes.

I quite enjoyed being an observer, and think I blended in ok with my blue jeans and Joules stripe top! The blonde hair and fair complexion gave me away though. ?? ??

Very interesting cardigan observation Joseanne, I’ve been looking for a zip up cardigan since I saw your post, but they seem to be as rare as hens teeth in the UK. I wonder why?

I have been a visitor of the South of France over 20 times, I class it as absolute favourite place on earth ( apart from where I live of course ) and it has ALWAYS held me in awe of how effortlessly chic the French woman are, astounding.

Surely, if someone sets out to create a look then it isn't effortless, so defeats the purpose?

My recipe for "chic" is clothes that fit properly, the right shoes. a good hair cut, make up that enhances rather than dominates and great posture. Once all that is in place, the ability to forget about it and just be relaxed and happy. It's not about nationality, it's about attitude. No, I don't always have it but just sometimes I feel I'm almost there!

I bought a zip up cardigan a couple of years ago but soon got fed up with it because the zip caused it to bulge when I sat down which was a very unflattering look.

A few years ago, in Puerto Banus, I spotted a lady of my age, wearing a plain white shirt, with bracelet length sleeves, slim, ankle length, carmel coloured chinos and flat pumps, finished off with a little jewellery. She looked so elegant, dressed in the simplest of outfits.

I'm still trying to achieve that look!

Marydoll

A few years ago, in Puerto Banus, I spotted a lady of my age, wearing a plain white shirt, with bracelet length sleeves, slim, ankle length, carmel coloured chinos and flat pumps, finished off with a little jewellery. She looked so elegant, dressed in the simplest of outfits.

I'm still trying to achieve that look!

I imagine in addition to the style of her clothes, she was probably slim, possibly tall and with good posture and well cut hair?

Milly47

Marydoll

A few years ago, in Puerto Banus, I spotted a lady of my age, wearing a plain white shirt, with bracelet length sleeves, slim, ankle length, carmel coloured chinos and flat pumps, finished off with a little jewellery. She looked so elegant, dressed in the simplest of outfits.

I'm still trying to achieve that look!

I imagine in addition to the style of her clothes, she was probably slim, possibly tall and with good posture and well cut hair?

Was it me?! ?

She was small like me, but did have well cut hair!

I have no chance of achieving taht look!

Actually, I have a photo of me in shorts and t shirt, sandals, trying to look taller, slimmer and mysterious in sunglasses, standing by one of the large yachts in Puerto Banus.
It wasn't my yacht.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-538176-4ac72f-027aa945a8c14ab6bc5dc680146f1ea7-mv2.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-358119-4ac72f-c9b43e97850b4a348d4349a680c5e19b-mv22.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-590381-4ac72f-db7deed1157d42c48205c21323eb9d25-mv22.jpg

Casdon these were the sort of cardis I meant. A label called Pause Café.

Oh, was that you, Calli, standing next to MY superyacht?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-320945-4ac72f-027aa945a8c14ab6bc5dc680146f1ea7-mv2.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-144560-4ac72f-c9b43e97850b4a348d4349a680c5e19b-mv22.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202209/medium-198513-4ac72f-db7deed1157d42c48205c21323eb9d25-mv22.jpg

Here

Joseanne

Casdon these were the sort of cardis I meant. A label called Pause Café.

You temptress! I'm now off to have a look!

I was very Marydoll

Why didn't you invite me on board for a G&T?
Perhaps I didn't look chic enough.

Calli, you looked so good, I was worried my verrrry rich boyfriend would fall for you! ?

Marydoll

Joseanne

Casdon these were the sort of cardis I meant. A label called Pause Café.

You temptress! I'm now off to have a look!

Try

www.pausecafe.fr/automne-hiver-2022?lang=en

They might be available in UK.

?
Was he Spanish?
I prefer a Frenchman myself

A smouldering Italian.

In my dreams

Joseanne, thanks!

Marydoll

A smouldering Italian.

--In my dreams--

A smouldering Italian proposed to me years ago.

When I was about 17 I sent my photo to my Italian pen friend who showed it to her brother. Next thing I knew I had a love letter, photos of a handsome Italian looking moody, protestations of undying love, an invitation to Napoli and a proposal of marriage.

Idiot!
?

Sorry, meandering.

I wasn't even chic.

Sago

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

How odd - I’ve just been re-reading The Last Chronicle of Barsetshire (Anthony Trollope) in which the son of a wealthy archdeacon says he’ll take his intended wife and go and live at Pau, because it’s cheap - after his father has threatened to cut off his income if he marries the daughter of an impoverished clergyman who’s been accused of theft.
That was set in around the 1860s though.

I will never forget…….one day whilst shopping in nearby Aix-en-Provence an Italian gentleman apologised for bumping in to me…looking down at me with smouldering eyes, sensuously saying, scusi, it was almost impossible to concentrate on what I was buying. Swoon!