Sunday, February 27, 2011

Secrets of Style: French Chic



If you need some real-life French inspiration, take a few minutes to play this video. French women are born with it. The rest of us need a little assistance.

Cue Marjorie...

21 comments:

  1. I love this video, but how I wish suffering for beauty wasn't a style maxim. I'll tell you, after a day in high heels, my je ne sais quoi is more "agonized and limping" than "graceful and stylish." marjorie's advice is good, but I think I'll save my heels and too small clothes for special occasions and work on finding elegant flats to compliment my correct size dresses. :)

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  2. Hmmmm I'm not able to play the video, when I click on it all that happens is an enhanced photo showing!

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  3. Love the video - Love her last point about elegance, being a woman. All very true points. Thank you very much for sharing. :)

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  4. I bookmarked that video some time ago, wrote down her tips, and like to watch it from time to time. I think a lot of her advice is on point. I don't agree, however, that one should wear anything a half-size too small or too high. If you can't maneuver your way through the day without being in pain, then you'll never be at ease or look comfortable, and you've undermined the whole exercise. But she's right that being a little bit more dressed up is less comfortable than rolling out of your house in pajamas, and that sort of "suffering" is the right thing to do.

    xoxo --
    Marsi

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  5. I have this bookmarked as well and discovered it last year sometime...she is so sweet...I'd love to see more videos like this...please post more if you find them Fiona and thank you for sharing!

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  6. KBG, I didn't like this at first either. But when I listened to the video a few times I took it to mean 'buy the fitting size top rather than the looser one' or choosing a nicer shoe over a more comfortable one. I can sort of see what she's saying.

    Nanne, perhaps go to videojug.com and search for 'french chic' and see if you can play it. It's worth persevering I think.

    Stephanie, thanks for the intro.

    Shannon, yes, the last point sums it all up beautifully.

    Marsi, I loved the bit about 'if you want to be comfortable, stay in bed'. It just seemed logical to her.

    Leslie, I certainly will. I'm not hiding any gems, I promise.

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  7. Great video. I'm not sure that I agree with everything she says, but some points were worth taking down.

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  8. I loved her last line about everything you do should be elegant and beautiful because you are woman...lovely. I didn't agree with the suffering for fashion --I think she is too young to appreciate how that can take a toll on the body. And then there is her cigarette--yuck. Otherwise I really liked this video and how it compliments all my French Chic reading. Thanks for sharing it! xxBliss

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  9. ooo...Thanks for the link. I LOVED the video! I also don't agree 100% with the pain thing...but she does have a point...there is such a thing as too comfortable...like looking sloppy or looking like you're in your PJs. I'm a "pear"-shape...so baggy pants...although comfy...make me feel HUGE and un-chic!

    I also love how she says that eyeshadow with eyeliner screams too much effort! I LOVE that...and the passion...and blush! I admire her...b/c she basically epitomizes what she's describing...the way she looks and behaves is so sexy/confident/effortless/chic/French. ;)

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  10. Interesting video; I don't think the "Tips" are exclusively French.
    In the Caribbean culture women mostly wear skirt and dresses. They dress up more than anyone I know in France. Hats are worn dialy. The women go to the beauty salon at least three times weekly.
    Sensuality is their food for life and passion makes them sing.
    The video was fun for me to watch especially for the fact that I live in Paris and have lived in the Caribbean too. No one in their right mind would wear a shoe a size too small - why? When one can also look elegant wearing the correct size shoes....

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  11. Thanks to my sister I have worked out how to resize the embedded video and put it on this post. Much better than a link.

    Vanessa, very good advice to carry through life - take the information you like and discard the rest.

    Bliss, clearly we are older and wiser when it comes to suffering for fashion! I don't like the cigarette either. It looks all French and cool in the video, but we really know it is stinky and gross. I'm happy that smoking seems to be coming an uncool thing to do. I too love her last lines.

    Ani, I think you've got it how she meant regards comfort/style. At least that's how I took it. I have noted the eyeliner/eyeshadow thing too.

    Fashion, Art, I adore your observations (and experience being one) of Caribbean women. If anyone could do a better job at a Secrets of Style video it would be you, my dear. Perhaps you will tuck it away as a future project?

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  12. I am in love with this video right now. It seems "simple elegance" is the name of the game these days with most of my favorite blogs! Your tutorial was fantastic and the commentator "walks the walk" it appears!

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  13. Buy comfortable pretty shoes, it's better if you also want to be elegant when you reach the age of 50 and quit the smoking please, its better for the skin and lungs.
    The part about basics in black and acting ladylike is OK.
    Mink

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  14. She makes great points here, French women just seem to ooze natural elegance and grace and the rest of us just have to learn it. Hopefully I can make it one day! I love the tips about make up and I really agree, I just have bad habit of putting a cake on my face when I don't feel very pretty.
    With the being comfortable issue, I take it as that you shouldn't go out in joggers or sweatpants and you should always try to look elegant and not like a tramp :)

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  15. I'm enjoying the video, thank you for it.

    I agree with most of it.

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  16. This video is c'est magnifique! Thanks for sharing!! I will have to try out some of these style ideas when I dress for work in the morning! Thanks again!!
    ~Christina ;-)

    http://christinaville.wordpress.com/

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  17. What a fun video although the smoking is a bit too French for me.

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  18. There's something about fashion and cigarettes that gets me. I know, it's terrible.

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  19. Doesn't she mention in the video that discomfort is okay to be chic? Coco Chanel said the exact opposite. I'll listen to Chanel.

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  20. Love this video! What's her name! She needs her own channel:)

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Merci for your comment. Wishing you a chic day!

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