The French Aesthetic

From the days of Francoise Hardy and Catherine Deneuve in the 1960’s to current times with the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Lou Doillon and Clemence Poesy posing as modern day style icons, the French woman and her approach to dressing has always been a fascinating and inspiring matter. There is always something so chic, so refined and so effortless about the French style and the way these women carry themselves off and for ourselves, a desire to achieve this so called “Parisian” look regardless of how unattainable it may seem. Former model and face of Chanel turned business woman Ines De La Fressange has recently been promoting her newly published book “Parisian Chic: A Style Guide”, giving us an insight into the chic life of a “Parisian femme” and with an international market now after the book, it seems we all can’t get enough of French style but grasping the concept of the French style and creating it for yourself isn’t as simplistic as the French woman itself seems, in ways it is the impossible task.

For me, as much as I’d love to be able to interpret the French style, I find it too unattainable for it to ever be possible. As an impulse buyer who shamefully shops according to first instinct without contemplating whether my buys are sensible and appropriate in the long term as well as finding the temptation of trends far too strong to resist, the way in which a French Woman goes about creating a look and eventually a distinctive and distinguished style of her own is a foreign concept to me (no pun intended). With the French style, although it is often stereotyped to Breton stripes, Repetto pumps and berets, there seems to be many rules and they can have a vital impact on the way in which you are seen. The key to the French wardrobe is classic pieces, garments that you can look at in five years time and still feel a sense of contentment in wearing them rather than the intimidation and anxiety of repeating looks far too often and wearing a colour that is recognisably “so two seasons ago”. In ways, the French wardrobe is a collection of similar looks that at the same time represent consistency in style as opposed to perpetual and in a way boring, same-old ensembles.  Although fashion is constantly evolving, the French woman doesn’t let this effect her sense of style and good taste, instead the French woman represents neither contemporary fashion or fashion that is in favour but timeless style. Whether she be 23 or 50, she maintains that same look of refined sophistication and unattainable perfection and that is what makes the French style so admirable and influential.Take former Vogue Paris Editor-in-Chief Carine Roitfeld who in an interview recently said ”From a very early age, French women learn not to exaggerate. Yves Saint Laurent once said that the purpose of clothes is to make women more beautiful but that a coat must never attract more attention than the woman wearing it.” And maybe that is the myth of French style that we are all missing, that we dress for the satisfaction of others rather than for ourselves when in fact, behind all of these luxury labels, outlandish accessories and must-have items is the woman who makes the real difference and impact on a look. 
In my opinion, the Parisian woman is just like an illusion, too perfect to be a reality however regardless of whether it is possible to recreate the style in which these French women epitomise, I think we can still learn a lot from the French Woman. Whether it be preventing ourselves from impulse buys and instead investing in pieces that will satisfy us in the long-term, choosing consistent colours that form almost a uniform of complementary looks to our personal style or simply dressing with that self-assurance all French women seem to have, maybe we then too can have a little better appreciation and understanding of the French aesthetic.
By Kirstie Banks, La Fille Anglaise