Les Chaussures, le fromage, les baguettes, and les bisous. These may be four random words to some people, but to many girls across college campuses, they summarize exactly why everyone wants to be French.
The Parisian culture of shoes, cheese, bread and kisses has swept young girls across the nation into a style revolution.
As someone completely mesmerized by the Parisian quirk, I am constantly trying to achieve the effortless joie de vivre of the French woman. After consulting several sources and watching Funny Face a few too many times, I have gotten French fashion down to a science.
La Simplicité: The first rule of any French wardrobe is to be effortlessly chic and simple.
French women do not have 30 crop tops in varying Aztec prints (something we are all guilty of). Rather, French women hold a select few basics in muted colors. Black, navy, red and white are go-to color staples of their wardrobe. Each woman needs a casual dress, a formal dress, 2 sweaters, cigarette pants, a flared skirt, leggings and multiple basic shirts. The stripe is the only pattern truly allowed without any qualms.
Being French is about being so muted that you are stylish. No one tries too hard in Paris to be fashionable, they just are. On any day a striped boat shirt and black cigarette jean could have you looking like you belong in Vogue.
These essential items are great for any occasion but the true art of making the outfit your own is in choosing the accessories.
Les Accessories: French women know how to accessorize themselves. They choose to show the world who they are by what they decorate themselves with. Colored scarves, berets and bangles all transform an outfit and exemplify the real person behind the clothes. Besides scarves, outerwear can truly change an outfit.
Although French women remain conservative in the number of basics they own, they have no restraint when it comes to purchasing outerwear. A leather jacket, jean coat or oversized men’s blazer cinches an outfit into a runway look. This chic look, however, is empty without the most vital accessory of all; the purse.
The bag is everything in Paris. Due to this, the French woman will invest whatever amount into looking fabulous. The common choices seen sprawled around France are the Hermes Birkin, the Chanel 3.55, the Jackie O. and the Louis Vuitton Neverfull.
Naturally, since this is a college column, these bags are just not realistic. However, for a chic look, one can always walk into Aldo or Asos for a funky, affordable tote. These bags are an accessory and an organizer but, mostly, an inspiration.
Les Chaussures: Shoes are not candy to the French woman. She does not own every color heel to wear to her various date parties. Shoes are not gaudy spectacles but pieces of art.
Each woman owns ballet flats, black heels, boots and sandals. They are muted, tasteful and chic. To ruin a shoe with sparkle is a sin everywhere, but especially in Paris.
Le Coiffeur: Finally, the Parisian look is finished with hair and makeup. A well-maintained face is the key to being beautiful. Moisturizer, light mascara and a lipstick help perfect the “no-makeup makeup” that has taken over major runway shows.
Looking beautiful should be effortless and mostly call upon your natural self. Funky lipstick and basic nail polish colors keep an outfit fresh without losing your natural look.
Overall, the Parisian style is about being “effortlessly you.” While we all cannot be Audrey Hepburn, an A-line dress, leather jacket and pink lip liner can bring us from Hopkins students to les femmes de la mode!
