Bonjour!
We’ve all heard the adage that Style Never Goes Out of Fashion. Well, no one personifies this idea more than a French woman. From Bridget Bardot to Audrey Toutou, French women have achieved global notoriety in areas of fashion, femininity, and a true French chic style.
This idea of style seems to have been handed down from generation to generation among French women. Although modern French women do their best to create their own signature look, most tend to follow the classic elements of style, ones that make her look seem effortlessly chic, effortlessly French.
To illustrate this idea of the classic French chic style, take a look at this trés chic video produced by VideoJug. Here you will get a first-hand account of fashion and style from a French woman herself…
So, as you can see, in order to achieve the French chic style you need to…
- Start with the Basics – Buy classic, timeless pieces of clothing, particularly in black, and then add to them with jewelry, scarves, shoes, etc
- Wear dresses – According to our throaty French friend “they are your best friend”.
- Choose style over comfort – It’s better to be a little uncomfortable for the sake of style. This means you may need to wear a size too small or wear heels that are higher than you’re used to.
- Accessorize – Master the art of wearing long chunky beads as well as tying a scarf in several ways.
- Use Make-up – But keep it subtle. A bit of blush, a bit of mascara, a bit of lipstick, and a lot of passion is what you need.
- Create the Image – A French woman is feminine, confident, graceful, and elegant. Everything you wear and do should reflect this.
However, I highly suggest you do not include cigarettes as part of your image or style. To me, that just screams Amy Winehouse, more than an eyeliner/eyeshadow combination any day.
Ciao!
Wearing clothes a size too small is chic?! Nothing is as unflattering to a woman as clothes that are too small. This woman (who IS she??) seems to exemplify one version of French style (waifish, silly) that I would not want to imitate. There are plenty of powerful French women who embody genuine, timeless style (Catherine Deneuve, Mireille Guiliano, Juliette Binoche) without resorting to the mincing, giggling, hair-twirling obnoxiousness in this video.
Hy Reid, I think you miss understood what she said. She said a half a size too small, referring to shoe size. Unless you live somewhere that sells clothes in half-sizes, as far as I know that’s not how the sizing system works in America. lol I agree with you though, wearing a size too small on most people is not flattering, though most women are guilty of wearing a half size off at one point when it comes to shoes. Just thought I’d let you know!
Hi Holly – I am definitely guilty of wearing too small and too big shoes, especially when they are super fun and the right price.
I love the video! Very cute.
The older I get the more I realize Tip 5 is right on the money. I love playing in make-up, but less really is more.
I also like Tip 2. I’m toying with the idea of buying 7 or so cute dresses this upcoming summer and letting them be my summer wardrobe.
Hello Reid. Thanks for your comment. You are very right in suggesting that some French women (just like American women) can over exemplify what it means to be French or American. When you take any style or image to the extreme, this style may backfire, making you look just plain silly. However, I think it’s fair to say that wanting to bring the French chic style into your life is a choice (thank goodness for that) and if you or anyone else feels this image is a little over the top, then you can easily choose not to adopt it.
Hello Again Phyllis! I’m glad you found the post and video fun. That’s really all it was meant to be. As for the tips – I don’t try hard enough to wear dresses – mostly because I tend to feel uncomfortable in them after a few hours. But my husband is all for it of course! I’m definitely getting into the “accessories” though!
Jennifer: Thanks for your reply. I love your blog, by the way. Since I’m not a regular commenter, my remark might have seemed quite harsh and I apologize for the tone. Mostly I enjoy your posts, but the woman in that video completely set me off. Ick.