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I've just got back from five days in Le Marais, and I've decided I want become Parisian, s'il vous plait.

911 replies

TossDaily · 01/11/2017 09:38

So there.

EVERYBODY looked fantastic. EVERYBODY. DP and I just sat open-mouthed in fascination. Whatever their age, they looked amazing.

So I'm sitting here on a diet, wearing an Isabel Marant jumper and frantically googling 'How to turn French.'

As far as I can tell, the rules are:

  1. Be thin, despite the fact you are walking down the street at 11am gnawing a cheese and ham baguette the length of your forearm.
  1. Have your hair the colour and texture of natural hair.
  1. Have the most amazing skin, despite the fact you have a permanent Gauloise on the go.
  1. Never get pissed and lairy, despite the fact you are having a glass of red wine with your lunch and it's Tuesday.
  1. Wear shoes you can walk in.
  1. Have an amazing coat.
  1. Know how to tie a scarf so it looks like you have slung it on and it's just choosing to snuggle up to you because you are SO FRICKING GORGEOUS.
  1. Have a pharmacy on every corner that is just an Aladdin's Cave of miraculous skincare delights for less than a tenner each.

Anyone else have any tips? Joking aside, I loved the style - the shops, ohmigod the shops! It was like I'd walked into my internet shopping history.

I could actually walk around in my biker jacket without feeling like a twat.

I want to be French. Aidez-moi.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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suchatiredbunny · 09/11/2017 20:48

Enid I’m long in the body/waist and it means that belted items don’t belt in the ‘right’ place and feel wrong (even dressing gowns are hard to find), swimsuits are often not long enough in the body for the top to be in the right place, and trousers are a right pain in the derriere because there’s not enough fabric for them to come high enough up the back so they sit far too low to look right or be comfy. I often buy pj bottoms a size or two bigger to get them big enough round my seat (as my mother would say. She has the opposite problem to me, she’s short in the waist so easily swamped by clothes).

I’ve really enjoyed following this thread, thanks for starting it OP

botemp · 09/11/2017 20:54

I've found some demonstrative pics for the above. This is all the same person (Charlotte Le Bon).

She's quite long waisted as visible in pic 1. Then in pic 2 you see a sad attempt at rectifying an unfortunate outfit. Despite the princess seaming and the added belt at a better point it isn't enough to draw the eye away from the end of the shirt which almost flounces out like a peplum and sits as the dominant horizontal line. The overall effect is that she looks very much bigger than she is and shorter. In the third pic she's wearing very voluminous high waisted trousers (which sit roughly like a medium waist which is fine), similar high neck line with a cropped jacket. In terms of fabric she's wearing about twice the amount as in the second pic but looks her size, a bit taller and her slim physique is emphasised. The weights of the fabric play into it as well but that denim silhouette really wouldn't have flattered her much more in a more supple fabric.

ClearEyesFullHearts · 10/11/2017 09:03

botemp do you work in fashion? I am agog at the breadth of your knowledge and the clarity of your examples.

You should start freelancing as a personal stylist.

Oh, and the red espadrilles on the detoujours website made my heart sing.

sirmione · 10/11/2017 11:54

Just back from a shop in my local(French) town. Saw a woman wearing a black cape, black leggings, mid-calf grey socks and sort of moccasin style lace up ankle boots. Not one of these items would I have looked at twice - but she looked properly amazing. I’m convinced a lot of all this is how you carry yourself & how you approach life generally - she had bags of confidence and was taking her time to sample things before she bought. She also had v red lipstick.....

Ididnthearanything · 10/11/2017 11:57

Waiting for an appointment here and have just read this utterly absorbing thread!

I am now fantasizing about having botemp as a personal shopperGrin. Sigh. Or should that be Le Sigh.

Nowt more to add really except embarrassing placemarking.

botemp · 10/11/2017 12:04

No, I don't work in fashion I'd kill to get the discounts they get but in a related field, though most don't see the connection. I'm an architect so on a daily basis I'm working with proportions, mass, volume, light and shadow play, materiality, and colour all in relation to the human form (not doing so would result in uninhabitable spaces) with a lot of foresight of where we as a society are headed. It's fashion on a larger scale with longer timelines in a sense.

Have a look at Castañer too (the espadrille of choice of many a Parisian). They're pricey but they often pop up after the summer on Showroomprive and other private sales sites, so if you buy them off season they can be very cheap.

prettybird · 10/11/2017 12:14

Just measured my inseam and waist-armpit. Inseam is c10" and waist-armpit us c13" - so my belief that I am long waisted was correct. Smile

That would also explain why I hate the current fashion for long rise trousers. Trying to find suitable high rise jeans is a nightmare! Shock

DistanceCall · 10/11/2017 12:46

Botemp, I agree with PPs - you really should start a blog. I think you already have a considerable number of potential (and very keen) readers here!

KimchiLaLa · 10/11/2017 13:02

Has anyone bought from DeToujours? I would like to but shipping to the UK is 16 euro so wondering if it's worth it...

SplatPancake · 10/11/2017 13:17

If anyone's after the look, but isn't precious about it being an actual Breton mariner's hat, I have a black hat here that I've just removed from charity shop bag that you are more than welcome to have:

It's a kangol wool spitfire in medium, and it's too big for my pinhead.

It's been worn literally twice for no longer than 15 minutes each time. Please message me - I'd rather give it to someone who's interested

SplatPancake · 10/11/2017 13:19

.... and agreeing with everyone's desire for Botemp's Blog Grin

sinceyouask · 10/11/2017 14:05

When my parents went to France once, they came back obsessed with the idea that I should want very much to look like 99% of the young women they'd seen. For months afterwards, every time they saw me eat anything, they'd pipe up with "there's a reason French women are so slim" or similar. My DM had brought me some sort of smock top affair back as a present but complained when I wore it as "it really doesn't look right on you".
When I went to France once, I very much enjoyed not being a pariah for smoking, and being somewhere with truly excellent bread and cheese. I also bought lovely boots, which don't rely on me losing 5 stone to look nice Grin

MismatchedCat · 10/11/2017 14:44

Agree with everyone - would love a Botemp blog!

EnidButton · 10/11/2017 16:35

Well after 20 minutes with a tape measure and some eyeliner I’m still not convinced my measurements are right but anyway, 11inch armpit to waist and 12inches waist to crotch. Which would make me slightly short waisted? But the waists on dresses are often an inch or so too high for me which I thought meant I was long waisted?

Sacré bleu!

Ignoring that, I’ve showered using French products, cleansed an moisturised face with 90% French products and I’m painting my nails a dark vampy red.

EnidButton · 10/11/2017 16:36

^ sorry, first bit of that was to bo. (Or anyone else who wants to spend an annoying 20mins measuring their bits.)

AuntyElle · 10/11/2017 16:55

I was just about to ask if you were an architect botemp! Amazing insight and info.

prettybird · 10/11/2017 18:20

Enid - don't know about you but I found the measurements easier to do in front of a full length mirror, which made it easier to measure from my natural waist over my stomach Blush down to my crotch and similarly from my natural waist to my armpit.

I'm fortunate that I do have a well defined natural waist Smile

NinonDeLenclos · 10/11/2017 19:46

DH is French, I've spent a lot of time in France in my life and we've recently returned from living in Paris.

While the best compliment I've had wrt style is that I 'dress like I'm French', but I wouldn't want to be French.

I agree with this:

I am part Frog, but my X chromosomes must be English because I find the self-control required for French womanliness exhausting. The social pressure is intense and women can never relax, especially in mixed company - god forbid that you might eat too much or make a joke and reveal yourself as trop mec (too laddish). And it's more than your life's worth to go to the corner shop at 7 am without full make up - one of your neighbours would call the authorities

This is why my sister, who worked in Paris for some years, decided against marrying a Frog and returned to the UK. She wanted to schlep to the tabac on the weekend in trackpants and no makeup and not be looked at askance. She got fed up of the running commentary on her appearance at work.

French women look great, they have the lowest BMIs in Europe (along with the Italians) but the pressure to be stylish and sexy is exhausting and constricting. France has one of the highest rates of anorexia in Europe and its mortality rate is twice that of the EU average. Which is why France is clamping down on underage and size zero models, and all models have to have a certifcate to show they're not dangerously underweight.

Style costs and this is where you start paying...

MartinRohdesBellybuttonFluff · 10/11/2017 20:16

Thank you TossDaily for starting, and all other pp's (especially botemp) for such a brilliant S&B thread. Only lurking but find this topic interesting as I've had a book on Paris Street Style for a year or so. The style is amazing but I don't know if I could copy it myself! No harm in dreaming though.

EnidButton · 10/11/2017 22:54

Pretty Thank you, Smile Yes I did it in front of a large floor mirror and my waist is very defined but brain isn’t operating at full capacity today so wasn’t sure it was right. The defined waist with bigger boobs and hips is what’s making me delve into measurements more. I find dressing casually a bit tricky sometimes. Everything seems to look more dressed up on me, like bo described. Great for occasions and going out clothes but daytime takes some thinking about. The French (or at least the ones we’re discussing), do seem to do casual cool very well.

bananafish81 · 10/11/2017 23:37

My Parisian colleagues actually dress very grungey rock chick, but they are mostly in their 20s, covered in tattoos and look super cool

I had a nosey round the shops and realised I semi fear colour, as the only things I was drawn to were essentially variations on what I already have in my wardrobe

My capsule wardrobe is almost exclusively monochrome and navy - drapey shirts and skinnies and leather leggings / skirts and cashmere/ wool sweaters and flats (pointy flat shoes or pointy flat ankle boots or stan Smiths) - the only bright colour I wear is red lippy.

I have two hot pink and purple cashmere sweaters that I just don't wear any more, as l find they feel almost garish on, and I'm drawn back to my blacks and greys

My trusty asymmetric all saints black wool coat is now out, as is my lovely mahoosive grey lambswool scarf - I'd like to have a couple more scarves to ring the changes, but all I end up being drawn to are grey wool / cashmere in slightly different shades of grey!

This is about the closest to colour I've actually been tempted by https://www.hush-uk.com/m/accessories2/accessories/scarves/piaascarfgreyyblack.htm

might have accidentally bought a lovely grey knitted long jumper / sweater dress in &otherstories today, justifying it on the basis that my existing Merino / cashmere light and dark grey sweaters are shortish and I didn't have a longer one, yes I am a grey jumper addict

fridgepants · 11/11/2017 14:33

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the user's request.

botemp · 11/11/2017 23:09

banana, it's a bit wishy washy, isn't it? Not saying you have to go all in on a loud colour but that's a bit neither colour, neither solid classic. Have you had a look at A.P.C. yet? Surely that's the natural home of your carefully selected capsule wardrobe. I do like a good grey scarf on black if it has enough volume, sometimes a detail with the fringing helps. A pattern is also a possibility, I have something very similar to the second pic and it works really well with monochrome outfits, especially black leather.

fridge, I'd be more prepared for Tokyo than Paris. They make the Parisians seem like nothing in comparison wrt to the low BMI, eating disorders, the smoking, the body shaming (staring, pointing, giggling, not unheard of), extremely repressive beauty standards, obligation of wearing makeup (it is considered impolite towards society as a whole in Japan if a woman doesn't wear it), etc. etc. They also have some very strange notions about Westerners, much the same as we have in reverse.

I hate to disappoint but I don't see a blog happening. Various reasons, for a good part of a year I've already been promising to comprise the information on the Fantastic Skincare threads (that I contribute to heavily) into a legible blog (though officially it's notablog blog, I see it as a place to have a good core of information that occasionally gets expanded on but is not a product pushing machine) instead of the stack of shared Google Docs as it is now. I'm being overly ambitious with it but I also am simply lacking the blocks of time necessary to get to it.

I'm also not a big fan of blogs as they are today, especially fashion blogs (never been a real follower of any, was an early adaptor of Instagram but left as soon as FB bought it and started getting their talons in to turn it into the monster that it is today, though there's a few really fun Insta accounts that I occasionally visit especially because they remind me of what it one as, one of dads on the school run with haphazzard outfits that get framed as streetsyle Insta stars and another of a French pastry chef who creates pastries inspired by his colourful shoe collection and photographs them together). My main issue is that it's not a conversation like on here, it's one person declaring something to others. The early days it was different, especially since a company was more likely to sue a blogger for defamation over a bad review to those posts no longer existing and blogger and brands firmly being in bed together. If I had simply made a blog post 'Going out tops for hourglasses this holiday season' as Adelica was interested in without actually conversing back and forth a bit it would have been a completely different lineup that wouldn't have been all that useful to her in the end (I suspect, even though she may end up like a Garden gnome now). When you set out broad to suit as many people as possible it waters it all down a bit IMO, hence why all bloggers tend to look very similar and wear much the same things.

Also, I'd be really shit at it. Travelled down to Antwerp today for the Antwerp Fashion Days which is a giant event to promote Belgian designers by a huge collective sample sale in various locations (lots of swanky warehouses, really fun). I bought some lovely things, but not once did I even contemplate to take pictures of all the lovely things and new designers I discovered to share here. If I remember I'll take some pics of my shiny new bits in natural light tomorrow. I may forget, or I may still be happy as a demented clem with them and overshare. Either or, just don't count on anything.

I've just got back from five days in Le Marais, and I've decided I want become Parisian, s'il vous plait.
I've just got back from five days in Le Marais, and I've decided I want become Parisian, s'il vous plait.
Intomyarms · 12/11/2017 00:17

I adore this thread (placemarking).

Intomyarms · 12/11/2017 00:43

This thread might be the perfect place to ask where one can get the perfect white (pure white), good quality sweatshirt - crew neck, not thick material but not thin material either, hip length, long sleeves so they can be pushed up to create that effortless casual yet chic look. Its a look I associate with French women in Summer wearing casually over shorts perhaps with a breton tshirt underneath (but in reality there isn't' anything under it and it is probably too warm for summer). Does anyone please know the look I am talking about?