If there’s anywhere I’d rather be right now, it’s France. Not necessarily Paris, although that would be smashing, but anywhere within the country. The calendar on my wall? Yeah, every month it shows me a new picture of a place in “The City of Lights” with a small blurb about it on the side. When my mom gave it to me for Chanukah I knew it was an evil torture maneuver. I love everything about French culture: the language, the food, the people, the country, the clothing…
As we all know, or at least should know, Saturday, July 14th, was Bastille Day. For those of you who don’t know what this is, think of it as the French version of July 4th. My family celebrated it by watching videos of Joseph Gordon-Levitt singing Jacques Brel’s “La Valse A Mille Temps.” What better way to acknowledge a country’s independence than by enjoying the beautiful face/voice/everything of JGL? In honor of this important historical day in France’s history, I thought it would be a nice gesture to praise some of the country’s mademoiselles and their fantastically French fashions.
Clémence Poésy
Signature look: romantic dress
Whenever I see Clémence I can only think of Fleur Delacour from the Harry Potter films. Fleur was a flirty, romantic character; therefore, it should only make sense that Clémence dresses the same way. With her, there’s no on-screen/off-screen confusion. Whether she’s wearing Valentino, Chanel, or Yves Saint Laurent, she never fails to look like a modern princess.
Léa Seydoux
Signature look: Prada
Maybe a brand isn’t technically a “look,” but after a long time of perusing the interwebz for pictures of the Les adieux à la reine (Farewell, My Queen in English) star, I could only find photos of her in Prada. Léa is rapidly gaining popularity and critical acclaim in both the dramatic world and the fashion world through her outstanding theatric performances and equally tasteful apparel decisions. Whether in a sultry red evening gown or a cute powder blue dress, she took the classic approach and matched her shoes to her clothes. Consistency is king. Or should I say queen?
Lou Doillon
Signature look: black and white
Black and white is a timeless pairing. Dalmatians wear it all the time. So do cows, and zebras too. Why not a French actress as well? Lou likes to keep things simple and fresh by combining beautifully constructed pieces into high-class unique ensembles. Her messy hair, long bangs, and perpetually fixed devil-may-care expression are the perfect—and really the only necessary—accessory.
Julia Restoin-Roitfeld
Signature look: black on black…on black
What does Julia Restoin-Roitfeld say when she goes to get dressed every morning? Back to black! Julia likes to dress noir in every way, shape, and form possible: leather, lace, chiffon…she’s done it all. The LBD has become the go-to sexy dress for most people since black is universally flattering, but Julia likes to kick it up a notch with some personal touches. Maybe it’s a sheer top one day and a leather-lace combo another. Leave it to Julia to turn the most basic color into an original outfit.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Signature look: feminine androgyny
To me, the epitome of “Parisian chic” is the locals’ uncanny ability to dress like guys and still look like the most badass chicks around. Charlotte Gainsbourg embodies that look completely. She could be going to a fashion show or to the Cannes Film Festival, but there’s a 95% chance you’ll see her wearing pants and a jacket. I’ve never seen anyone look so cool wearing jeans, a white t-shirt, and a denim jacket. Charlotte’s intentionally unkempt locks provide that certain je ne sais quoi; not quite rocker chic and not quite I-worked-really-hard-to-make-my-hair-look-like-this, but more of I’m-just-a-normal-gal-that-didn’t-really-feel-like-washing-my-hair-today.
Are you inspired yet? Do you wished you lived in France yet? Have you booked your flight yet? Let us know in the comments or tweet us (@everybodyisugly).
by Odelia Kaly
Images via Harpersbazaar.com and Vogue.com
