Bon Chic Bon Genre

        Although sightseeing is a huge part of visiting any foreign country, so is experiencing the culture and the people. And for many Parisians, fashion is the name of the game. It is for a good reason that Paris is one, if not the, major fashion capitols of the world. Luckily for us Americans who can only dream of such fashion, there is hope.

         The innate sense of chic fashion French women seem to embody is commonly dubbed as "Bon chic, bon genre", which roughly translates to "Good style, good attitude." (It is also where the designer BCBG got it's name!) Women seem to be able to combine any piece of clothing and make it just, well, work. So what is the secret of french girls? (I'll bet this is one secret Victoria doesn't have.) 

        In a 1980's Cosmopolitan article, Ellen Wallace writes that "Elegance is different than chic; elegance has to do with money, with leisure time, with upbringing, and education. The chic woman looks natural, not dressed up. Chic is not a matter of money. Chic means that, from head to toe, there is a sense of proportion.” She also says that the main difference between the way American women and French women dress is that when American get dressed up, it looks like they've made an effort. With French women, they get dressed up everyday, so that it becomes a natural, effortless habit. This is reflected in their style.


        According to Wallace, girls are taught by their mothers what works and what doesn't. They learn which colors work well together, which fabrics work well together, and which types of garment work with their body type. They then embellish their wardrobe with accessories to create an individual sense of style.


       Thanks to Ellen's article and Dead Fleurette, here are some basic French fashion tips:


Think Neutrals: Navy, Black, White, Cream, and Beige. Oh, and the occasional blue button-down and navy & white striped shirt are permissible. (This is going to be especially hard for me! I love color!)

Think Simplicity: The more, the less. Make an outfit pop with accessories, not with individual pieces of clothing. Avoid donning too many accessories, though.

Think Quality--Not Quantity: Try to buy classic pieces that will last at least 5 years of wear and tear. Don't try to follow current fashion trends. Buy only things that you love 100%. If you don't love it, it's a waste of money and closet space.

In keeping with my immersion as a Parisian, I am going to try to dress like one. Tonight, I peeked through my mom's closet and found some wonderful pieces to borrow for my trip! (Thank you, Mommy! Happy Mothers' Day!)

 A round-faced watch with a leather wristband. Très classique.

 A feminine grey blazer from Ann Taylor. Très chic.

 A black floral skirt that coordinates with a purple top she gave to me. Très femme.

 A brown floral skirt, although I'm not sure I'm bringing this yet.) Très jolie.

 Three scarves to accessorize my outfits. Très pratique.

 A pair of black ballet flats almost exactly like the one in this picture she got in Paris aved my Dad.  Très magnifique!

These items will definitely be in my suitcase, in addition to my dark wash skinny jeans, black and white basic tops, a pink floral scarf from New York & Company, a black jersey skirt that I can either dress up or dress down, black capris, a khaki skirt, a denim jacket, a dark brown leather cross-body bag for evenings, and a taupe-with-brown-accents messenger bag for everyday use for class. (I'm not sure if my sorority's knock-off Ray Ban sunglasses are on the list yet. Just kidding. While I love my sorority and the plastic sunglasses with our letters on them, I'm not sure Paris is the right place for them. I think I'll stick with ye old black "bug eyes" sunglasses. Be sure to look at my future pictures to see what creative combinations I come up with during the course of my stay! On my bucket shopping list for Paris: comfortable ballet flats a.k.a. "fun shoes" and a floral dress like the one Carey Mulligan wears in Paris in An Education. After all, that's what summer jobs are for, right?

         From what I've read, French fashion reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in her classic wardrobe and her innate ability to create outfits. Her performance in Funny Face (or any movie, song, or book involving Paris)makes me excited to see and experience Paris. Just over two weeks!

         Speaking of Audrey, like many American girls re-create the infamous breakfast scene in front of Tiffany's store windows (yes, I have done this), perhaps the next Hepburn reenactment should be that of her in a LBD (Little Black Dress) with a bouquet of colorful baloons on the streets of Paris. (What do you think, Clemmy Paris Ladies? Should this be on our liste de godet (Bucket List) pour Paris? Sorry, Michael. It's a girl thing. We might have to recruit you to buy baloons . . . or take a group jump shot with the baloons!) But seriously. How much fun would this be?!?!

So for a few weeks I can pretend to be a French fashionista while I meander around the streets of Paris, learning the way to a better fashion sense and finding the way to a better me.