French Clothing Styles
Women the world over envy the effortless chic of les femmes francaises. Some cultures esteem physical beauty and elaborate makeup and hair, but with the French it is all about the clothes and carriage. In fact, they have a phrase that praises physically unattractive women who dress impeccably and carry themselves with the air of sophistication: "jolie-laide." Translated directly, it means "pretty-ugly." This focus on the qualities of the "jolie-laide" woman encapsulates the French way of thinking and their fascination with simplicity, quality, refinement and sophistication in their clothing styles.
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Homage to the Past
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In a bow to the royal and noble classes of France's past, French clothing styles are typically refined, elegant and tend toward the conservative. Although they have evolved to become thoroughly modern, the tradition of being well-dressed and "dressed-up" is still honored. For example, casual wear such as workout shorts or sweat pants is reserved strictly for the gym (not for shopping trips or errands) and are very rarely ever seen on the streets of Paris. Jeans are acceptable, but the French pair their casual denim with classic heels, loafers, ballet flats or boots.
Keep It Simple
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"The more time I spent with French femmes, the more I realized they don't spend the inordinate amount of time grooming that American women do," writes Anya Strzemien in the Huffington Post. Her article "What We Can Learn From French Women" leads us to the next aspect of French clothing style--simplicity. She claims the French style is "more natural, more nonchalantly gorgeous."
Far from the logo'd, "bling'd out" designs seen on many runways in their capital--if you see a woman covered in Christian Dior logos, a crazy mix of bold colors and prints or outrageous sparkles and embellishment, chances are that she is not French--instead you will see pieces that are classic in color, shape and construction. The French style is elegant and simple, and stylish French women have a wardrobe full of high-quality staples.
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Basically Good
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That leads us to another-and extremely important--aspect of French clothing styles: quality. French clothing is known the world over for its high quality. The French designers may start many trends on the catwalk, but on the sidewalk you are more likely to see cashmere sweaters, high-quality leather heels and shoes, fine wool trousers and handbags of exceptional workmanship than you are to see the latest trend of the week.
"French girls invest in the basics," says Mechele Pellebon, a writer for "On Dressing Well." Pellebon continued, saying that women should have a dozen solid, high-quality wardrobe pieces that are able to carry her from day to evening. "A French woman uses this one perfectly reliable style secret to remain well dressed and appropriate from birth to death, and every fashionable stop in between," she concluded.
Designs That Are Timeless
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For many French women, those basic wardrobe pieces all sport designer labels. Paris, in particular, is known for a couture-dress style. In the center of the city especially, designer clothing or designer-inspired pieces (for the French femme with a slightly smaller pocketbook) are the norm, and they are accented with beautiful accessories. Designs from the famous Chanel boutiques are classic and frequently seen in cafes and sidewalks around Paris. Those Chanel boots on the elegant woman in the restaurant across the way might just be a decade old, too, as a very large aspect of French style is to purchase timeless pieces that have the potential of lasting a lifetime.
Neutral Is Always in Season
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Chic and seasonless, neutrals are also a large part of the French style. Again, reflecting the practicality of French femmes, neutrals do not go in-and-out of fashion as, for example, a neon pink or harvest gold might. Colors, as trends, are typically reserved for accessories--a scarf, purse or even shoes.
See It for Yourself
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Click to visit one of the many websites that feature Paris street style in photos. Some are updated daily.
Links to French Street Style:
fashion.elle.com/blog/paris_style/
focusonstyle.com/In-Focus/Fashion/french-chic-style
streetpeeper.com/cities/paris?type=street_peep
luckymag.com/style/streetstyle/2009/04/paris
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