Month: October 2022
The French style, or rather the Parisian style, is known all over the world. Often imitated but never equalled, the Parisian style is much more than a clothing style, the French touch is an attitude!
The French woman is chic, elegant, a bit nonchalant… a kind of natural class!
For decades the French woman is a myth: Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Deneuve, Ines de la Fressange, Francoise Hardy… and the myth continues with simple and modern women: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Caroline de Maigret, Jeanne Damas, Audrey Tautou, Leila Bekhti, Soni Rolland and many others represent the icons of French style. And let’s not forget our favourite designers: Chanel, Dior, Lanvin, Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaultier, Céline…
“Less is more”, the Parisian woman wants to be beautiful but gives the impression that she has not made any effort. It’s the same for your make up and for your hair… Be natural but not neglected.
What makes a Parisienne so stylish?
1/ Master the Chic and Casual Look, in French “chic-décontracté”
Parisian women love to mix casual and dress-up pieces. Be chic while being comfortable. Mixing genres, a leather skirt with sneakers, a strict black dress with a blazer, dress pants with a tee shirt, jeans with pumps…
The casual chic look owes its success to its great capacity for customization and the fact that it is equally suitable for the office and during leisure time. If it was once unthinkable to go to work with blue jeans and sneakers, it has now become a standard in most sectors.
La Parisienne never goes out in total look, it is one of the basic rules. She mixes, assembles and associates designer clothes with H&M. This is also Parisian chic.
2/ Wear the « Masculin-Féminin » Look
The “Masculin-Féminin” or boyish look has become a must. Symbol of femininity and sophisticated casualness, this style gives a modern and glamorous look and that’s what we want!
Take a look in your man’s dressing room or go shopping in the men’s department and dare to wear a leather blazer with a nice dress, an oversized man’s shirt with jeans, smoking pants with a silk blouse … the possibilities are numerous.
Do not forget the accessories to feminize the outfit, handbag, a beautiful pair of earrings, a belt and this is the opportunity to wear your most beautiful lipstick!
3/ Jeans are fashion
Parisians all have one or more jeans in their wardrobe. Perfectly cut, elegant, relaxed, flattering and comfortable, this fashion piece will adapt perfectly to your style.
Pair it with a loose wool sweater, a patterned t-shirt or a masculine white shirt for a classic chic look!
4/ Invest in timeless pieces
The little black dress, the trench coat, well-cut jeans, simple and elegant handbag, la Parisienne invests in timeless pieces to be chic! Always!
And don’t forget one of the most iconic pieces of the Parisian wardrobe, the Marinière. Originally from Brittany, this striped top is most often worn casually, combined with jeans or casual pants.
As for the choice of the handbag, it can be large or small, of sober colour and raw material. The Parisian loves the bucket bag. The great fashion is to walk around with a small bag accompanied by a tote bag, on which will be printed a drawing or a claiming or funny quote.
5/ Choose neutral colours
Black, white, navy blue, grey. In Paris, you will not see many women wearing a lot of colours or anything too flashy. You can bring a few touches of colour with the accessories but it remains discreet. Do not wear more than 2 or 3 colours at the same time.
6/ Be sexy without being too sexy!
Parisians are known for their sex appeal, but they achieve it without showing too much skin. They don’t throw their sexuality in your face. The rule is not to show too much of your legs, cleavage at the same time. If you’re trying too obviously to look sexy, it’s usually less sexy, ironically. Too much cleavage is not common in Paris.
And the rule is: The shorter the skirt, the lower the heels 😊
7/ Follow the Parisian code
Gym clothes are for the gym!
8/ Wear white sneakers
Sneakers are essential for wandering around the capital. Whether it’s for climbing the beautiful alleys of Montmartre, shopping, strolling in the trendy Marais district or simply walking along the banks of the Seine, the white pair is essential, chic and comfortable, it illuminates any look.
9/ Small details are important
A typical Parisian look is often a minimalist, natural and effortless outfit: “less is more”. That’s why every accessory, timeless, is important. Hats, handbags and sunglasses are essential! (hats but not a berets, it’s a cliché, French people don’t wear beret!) They will provide you with the little detail that will make the beauty and charm of your everyday look a concentrate of trends and fun.
10/ Find your own style
Parisians have a strong sense of fashion style, and strong personalities as well! Even if Parisiennes love their basics and do not mind sharing them with half of the women in Paris, yet they also want to be unique and put a lot of effort into that.
French women like to take care of themselves. They use quality skincare products and visit the spa for facials or body treatments. They don’t wear a lot of makeup and prefer to enhance their natural beauty. The French also treat themselves to beautiful lingerie and luxury perfume as a way to practice self-care.
Do something for yourself every day that will make you happy.
French women also know that age has nothing to do with our style and that you can be as stylish at 60 as you were in your younger years. The secret is all about confidence in knowing who you are and wearing the appropriate clothes. French women know you can be chic no matter your age.
Try to look polished and refined. Do not run around in yoga pants all-day (it’s allowed if you are doing yoga) and wear what makes you confident and beautiful !
10 French Beauty Secrets from French Girls
1/ Adopt the “French Diet”
The first French beauty secret is that your diet heavily influences your skin’s beauty. French women know that eating healthy gives them glowing skin and shiny hair. That’s why they integrate whole foods and fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet as often as they can. You are what you eat! French women, in general, eat a pretty balanced diet, and in addition, limit their consumption of sugary foods. Thereby, this diet is providing all the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) that are not only good for the health but also for the skin.
2/ Leave your hair alone
First, avoid blow-drying your hair especially if you’re washing your hair every day. Simply wash your hair before bed and sleep on damp hair. You’ll get that naturally tousled texture and gorgeous body and shape when you wake up. Another tip is to use a dry shampoo to avoid washing your hair too often or to give volume to thin hair. Finally, stop using any hair product which contains silicone: it’s not a natural ingredient and its side effects are bad for the hair. Instead, you can find plenty of silicone-free shampoos and conditioners.
3/ Keep your Makeup Simple and Natural
It’s one of the key French beauty secrets if you’ve always wanted to look like a true Parisian girl. French women don’t rely on makeup but instead, they are using makeup just to enhance their natural features. French everyday makeup look isn’t over-sculpted or too transformative and needs to remain natural and minimalist. In France, makeup is really used to emphasize your natural beauty, rather than cover your entire face like a mask. The secret is to skip the foundation. Indeed, the coverage of the foundation is way too heavy. Instead, simply use a concealer where necessary (under the eyes, around the nose) or a lightweight tinted moisturizer. The goal of the French makeup is not to cover or to hide, but to highlight certain features.
4/ Wear a bold Red Lip
The secret to getting a bold French red lip is to find a colour that suits you and apply it with your finger to give it a more natural-looking application. It’s probably not something that we wear every day but most of the time for special days and nights out. When French women go for red lipstick, usually the complexion needs to remain very natural, which allows them to wear very intense and bold red lips.
5/ Take Skincare very seriously
French women take skincare very seriously, not only for great skin today but for great skin in the future. The French will always seek up for qualitative (maybe expensive) beauty products. They use to stick with what they know works instead of changing their skincare beauty routine every week. The French use sunscreens, balms, micellar waters, serums, and even dry oil to help take care of their skin. Basically, if you take care of your skin, your complexion will look amazing even without makeup.
6/ Pick a signature fragrance
For French women, perfume isn’t something you save for special occasions. Instead, spritzing perfume is usually part of the morning beauty routine. French women find a signature scent and stick with it for years. The tip is to spray a small amount behind the ears, on the back of your neck, and on the wrists.
7/ Treat Yourself
In France, it’s all about taking time for yourself to do things that you know will make you happy. For example, cooking a delicious meal, getting a facial, taking a long bath, or reading a book before bedtime. In addition, French women take the time for pampering, whether it’s just a relaxing bath at home, a massage, or a face mask. French women, in general, are obsessed with face masks and face massages that help to maintain a healthy glow and relieve facial stress. Don’t forget to treat yourself and that beauty is something that always should give you pleasure!
8/ Embrace Imperfections and wrinkles
The small gap in your smile (see beauty Vanessa Paradis for proof that beautiful doesn’t mean perfect), the natural wave in your hair, freckled skin, striking eyebrows, a tiny scar or a distinctive nose – these as signs of character and should be embraced without the traditional ideals of perfection. Accept the signs that you’ve lived and laughed. A wrinkle here? Who cares. Aging is perfectly normal in France and while women take steps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles using anti-aging creams, they rarely do anything too drastic.
9/ Use a milk cleanser
Use a milk cleanser – every French woman knows that bubbles only belong in her champagne (served on ice at the start of an evening – merci).
10/ Never look too perfect
Be polished but never look like you tried too hard or took too long. French beauty is all about avoiding looking too perfect. Note to self: Use makeup to seem more interesting instead of just more beautiful.
