Just think it's interesting when you see threads but also newspaper articles etc about the "French" look and specifically the Parisian look - a kind of understated elegant style, I get it.
But honestly, having lived in France for a decade now (in six cities in different regions) I really think this is a bit of a misplaced myth, in the same way that in France in some crowds there can be a bit of glamourising around "le gentleman so British". Sure, when you're in london you may very occasionally see some really dapper looking men wearing those big beige overcoats (what are they called by the way? The big flappy things they wear over suits? Like a kind of trench coat?).
But by and large whenever I go back to the UK I genuinely find British women dress better, with more snap, in outfits that have more interest. What I've learnt from my time here is that the whole understated elegance thing doesnt necessarily stem from wanting to look effortless, it's actually about not wanting to stand out from the crowd. I remember a friend asking me if I thought her shoes were too "m'as tu vu" (flashy). They just weren't black. In fact you barely ever see coats here that arent black, grey, or beige. Teenagers basically look no different from their parents. Fashion doesnt really happen at all. I think in the 10 years I've been here nothing has really changed, its still jeans, delicate trainers, a Longchamp handbag and a trench, just like Mum. Maybe the jeans got slightly wider lately; that's all.
It always seems to me theres some fabulous styled women in the UK, "even" outside London. I see "even" because outside of Paris, in the French "provinces" thing start to go downhill quite rapidly IMO.
So why does the French thing continue to inspire? I honestly think in the UK you are freer to experiment, you have more choice, and people by and large look pretty rocking. Maybe the trend for heavy makeup could be toned down a bit, also the fillers trend (from what I'm reading) in the UK is a bit shocking.