And so says Vogue...

This small piece in Vogue struck me because it pertains a lot to my earlier post about wearing stockings when the weather gets colder.

"When temperatures drop, bare legs take cover against the chill. For those sorry to see summer go, stockings ease the transition from warm-weather to winter dressing, helping style setters like Agyness Deyn prolong the season for shorts. Designers also applied a bit of magical thinking to legs with tights so bold in pattern and texture as to be considered a must-have accessory. Prints pop against solids; hence Georgia May Jagger's lacy stockings paired with a mustard frock and Eugenia Gonzalez's python and azure dress combination" (Vogue, December 2009 Issue)

Don't mess with Texas, France.

Gregoire Merlin

I was always jealous of my American friends who were from Texas any time we introduced ourselves to French people. The conversations would go something like this:

French person: "Where are you from?"

Me:"Philadelphia"

French Person:"Hmm.."(wheels turning) "Is that near Orlando?"

Me:"No its' in the northeast."

French Person: "Ahh..And you? Where are you from?"

Texas friend: "Im from Texas."

French Person: Texas?! Oh I love Texas! I love the cowboys and the boots and the music! But I don't like George Bush." This became habitual.

All things aside, I really started to notice a certain Western influence in their style. Women wore cowgirl boots regularly, I saw vests over plaid tops, and Levi jeans. I'm not sure if this necessarily captures all Western dress, I myself don't know a lot about that style, but I did notice a distinct Western flair to some of the clothing in France. They can hate our presidents and our conservative politics, but for some reason they have an unexplained fondness for all things Texas. I think this article really explains it well: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/world/europe/06mirande.html

Back to the Fur

So fur is as big in France as it is in the US. Women aren't necessarily wearing full fur coats, they're sporting the fur vest as an accessory. I posted some pictures below with boots that match.

Screw pants, who needs them?

Whether going to class or out for the night, think again about sporting your favorite pair of jeans. French women often wear stockings or leggings instead. "But I feel so naked when I do this," you might say. That's ok. It all has to do with what you put on top. I often saw women wearing over-sized shirts as dresses, or super long knit sweaters like the one in the picture. This look is all about building off of your sad excuse for pants, and layering/accessorizing enough to distract this factor. If you like vintage style, this is a great way to sport your cardigan, or fur vest, or billowy blouse. Be creative with this look, because there's a lot you can do.

Heels, heels, heels

When you travel to France, what kind of heels should you wear? This may sound like a silly question because heels are heels, right? Apparently not. I packed my suitcase full of stilettos thinking that I would make the perfect French woman à la mode. But as always, darned France proved me wrong. They seem to wear a thicker heel, one that resembles those worn in the 40s. Aside from France, I noticed this fashion in London too, which is ironic because I had to borrow my friend's heels for a 40s costume that she had bought in London. So I suffered 5 months of sunken stilettos caught between the cobblestone cracks, while the other French women walked freely about without trouble. This may or may not have set me apart as an American.

The French Tan

Regarding Jessica's question about the French and tanning, I'm going to address this issue. I feel like French people approach tanning from a middle ground, stuck between let's say America on one end (tanning in the winter) and China on the other (using parasols). I never saw tanning beds in Grenoble per say, though I had heard there was one, located somewhere in a hidden corner of the city. (Whether or not this was true we never found out). But I remember that as soon as the nip of winter ceased, my French sister tanned herself every sunny day. Back at school, everyone told the same stories about their French sisters. Even my host dad asked me one day if I was going to put my bikini on like Tiphaine, but I kind of stared blankly and said I didn't understand. So i think that tanned skin is definitely stylish in France, but noting the apparent lack of tanning beds in Grenoble, I don't thing they have taken it to the the level of America quite yet.

Unlikely pair

Try this look for the fall: wear stockings with shorts. I saw a lot of women sporting this style in the spring, but it can be adopted for any season. I had never thought to wear stockings with shorts before, but it's a really useful look, particularly because you can wear shorts when it's cold! Pretty much any shoe works with it--heels, boots, flats...This is a simple but classy way to keep wearing those daisy dukes long after you've put them away for the summer.

Fur goodness sake

I've been spotting fur back on the scene this fall. Well, certainly not in Oakland, but in fashion magazines, style sites, and blogs. I think this look is interesting, because it sets an outfit apart and denotes confidence. Would I wear it to class? Probably not. The style is sweeping France also, as I am told by my french friend in Nantes. I have yet to find examples of this trend on French sites or blogs yet, though I will keep searching. I did come across a blog from ELLE, however, that tracks street style in Paris. Hopefully I will spot something furry soon.

French Men Part Deux

I am going back to my post about French men. I found these photos on my french sister's facebook and hope that she never reads my blog since I sifted through 300 pictures to find them. The bottom one makes me laugh because I assume that every french man has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth with shaggy black hair. The other shows a better variety. I noticed that every guy in the picture is wearing a collared shirt. I don't know if American men realize how much girls value collared shirts. They really class up an outfit, even if it is just paired with jeans. I know when I see guys on the street wearing collared shirts I silently thank them for their effort with a slight nod. I had an ex-boyfriend tell me that he didn't dress up because he said that guys only dress well to get girls. And to this I say precisely. A man who dresses well already has one foot in the door. But I hope that somewhere out there guys may toss aside the gym shorts for khakis and t-shirts for button downs because they value their appearance. I think this concept impressed me the most about men in France.