Gallic chic promotes self-respect in women and avoids throwaway fashion. But confidence is a harder ingredient to find.
Everyone is not sure what French female chic looks like, but they all agree that it can be annoying. It’s all about the perfect navy blazer with a subtle fringe that falls just right over your eyes. Others prefer a fitted skirt suit with a chignon, and Chanel No 5. It can be a pencil skirt, or worn-in white jeans with kitten heels, biker boots or a fitted skirt suit. Pretty much the only part that everyone can see eye-to-eye on is that the French-women-do-it-better vibe gets on one’s nerves.This is because the elusive French style of dressing isn’t about clothes at all. It’s all about confidence. This makes us feel defensive and insecure.
Lou Doillon, actor and singer from France, said that French style is characterized by a certain amount of arrogance. “French girls are very proud of themselves.” They don’t care what a magazine covers says about them.
Lindsey Tramuta is an American writer who has lived and worked in Paris for 15+ years, she says: “It’s the way pieces are worn and how they’re used that is most compelling.” What does she mean? Because you love it and it suits your style, you will wear blue even though pink is fashionable. You bring a level to attention to the details of dressing for the day. Just as you would when wrapping a birthday gift or making a Sunday roast. These are small things, but the important things in life are all the little things.
In the soon to return TV comedy-drama series, Emily in Paris, confidence is exactly what unites Emily with her boss Sylvie and friend Camille. It is what makes Emily’s pantomime Paris – pain au chocolat in one hand and Chanel 2.55 purse in other – so charming, but also frustrating. It’s Camille’s perfect, woke-up-like this hair. This is why you know Sylvie in her simple but well-tailored black dress would smell gorgeous. You choose a dress that flatters you and keeps you comfortable. It’s about enjoying style and not conforming to trends. French style is about remembering Carine’s wise words before you start looking for a new party dress to buy. The annoying thing about French style? They were correct all along.
