French women really know how to do accessories. While in some countries Girl Guides are learning how to tie knots in rope, I swear French girls are learning the many ways to tie a scarf and how it can be used to lend some style to your look.
Simple jewellery: An elegant pendant, pretty studded earrings or strands of pearls are often accessories of choice as they exude quiet confidence when compared to huge dangly earrings and excessive bling.
Scarves: There are myriad ways to dress up the outfit with a scarf knotted at the neck, draped across the shoulders, used to hold the hair back or tied around the waistband of jeans – there are so many ways to wear these silk squares. Check out this video for inspiration
Tights: French women love to wear tights. They will often be seen in black opaque tights or more quirky patterns to create interest to an outfit.
Red lipstick – Choose a shade that suits you and wear it when you want to be seen or be sexy! Choose blue-based reds for pale skin tones or orange-based reds for olive skin tones - there is a shade to suit everyone.
Remember, it’s the little accessories that dress up an otherwise fairly simple wardrobe. A good rule is to add them carefully but don’t add too many at once.
Francois Hardy et Jane Birkin
Investment pieces
Good fabrics make the difference between cheap style and chic style, but there’s no need to splurge on a designer price tag or ‘style du jour’ pieces.
Choosing Colour for Your Wardrobe
The grande dame of fashion Coco Chanel once wisely said, “"The best colour in the whole world is the one that looks good, on you!”
That said, French women often shop in neutrals so that everything in their wardrobe can be mixed together easily. You’ll often see them dressed in black, navy, cream, taupe and red.
You can’t go wrong, anywhere, anytime pieces that French women always have in their wardrobe include:
A classic trench will last you for years, as will a quality leather jacket.
LBD – The little black dress – it doesn’t have to be miniscule, you can leave that to the LA girls and body con Sydneysiders, but a classic black shift can be dressed up or down and accessorised to suit any occasion.
Crisp white shirt – Whether worn with tailored pants, a chic belt and a scarf knotted at the neck, paired with jeans, and accessorized with a scarf tied around the waist or teamed with a pencil skirt, some quirky patterned tights and high heels - a white shirt is always cool.
Black pencil skirt – A classic look – wear in summer with flat sandals, a singlet and a scarf and through to the cooler season with quirky tights, a poloneck sweater and a leather jacket. So versatile!
Tailored trousers – Whether they are designer drainpipes or culottes is up to your figure shape. Remember to wear what suits your body not what is the latest fashion. Skinny jeans do not work for everyone.
Comfortable flats – Heels might like wonderful while you are standing still, but for a woman on a mission a pair of comfortable and cute flats will take you from A to B much faster. No matter how lovely the heels, if a woman is in obvious pain wearing them the look is more laughable than graceful.
Clockwise, left to right:
Pencil Skirt from www.asos.com
M.A.C lipstick in Russian Red
Ezibuy Classic European Shirt $69.95
Blak Basic Twisted Singlet $39.95 from www.retailonsale.co.nz
Black Ruffled Mini Dress from www.asos.com
'I Love Billy' Suede flats $79.95 from www.royalt.co.nz
Tiger Print Scarf $29.95 from www.ezibuy.co.nz
French women love to eat, but don't let it ruin their chic
Interestingly, the French have less than an 11% obesity rate, whereas in New Zealand ours is around 25% - the second highest ranking in the world, beneath the United States (34% in 2006). The French love to eat – and they eat rich creamy foods, decadent chocolates, fine wines and yes, lots of bread. But the theory behind how they handle this foodie lifestyle without breaking the scales is because they know that food itself is not the enemy, gluttony is.
Below are some basic tips for enjoying your food – French style…
Swap a bar of chocolate for a small piece of high quality hand crafted dark chocolate and savour the flavour.
Eat more vegetables at every meal.
Eat at meal-times – not on the run, at your desk, or in front of the TV. Enjoy the meal as a time to relax and catch up with loved ones.
If you indulge one meal, compensate for that indulgence in the next.
Walk everywhere you can. (Remember the above note on wearing flats!)
The importance of skincare
It is said that there are more than 400 different anti-cellulite creams on the market in France. Coco Chanel once said, “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.” The French are passionate about skincare and they learn to take care of their skin from a young age. Spas and facials are considered more of a beauty ritual than a rare indulgence. Taking care of your skin does not only mean you look better in the long run, but you feel better every day. Treat your moisturising time as ‘you time’ and a chance to pamper yourself and enjoy the pleasures of smelling wonderful and having smooth skin. It should feel like a pleasure, not a pain.
