She Makes It Look Easy

French women look great zipping around the city on scooters in wedge sandals and scarves. They know it.

Oui - French women are effortlessly stylish. Never too casual. Never sloppy. Rarely overdone. Always working the personal style. Right now they are wearing beautiful leather knee high boots or rose petal soft suede ankle boots with airy summer dresses. Elegant ballet flats with knee length slim skirts. Colorful chunky necklaces. Sandals in heavy metal colors of gold, silver, and bronze. No oversized anything.

Women over 40 are the most fabulous. They're rocking graphic tees with flat front slacks or slim boot cut jeans and Chanel-influenced jackets. Skirts are worn above the knee but never as high as mid-thigh. They're wearing floaty layers of mocha silk or pewter linen on the warmest days with bare legs and 4" wedges or flat-as-a-crepe sandals in primary colors. Sporting sharp edged designer eyeglasses in hot colors like raspberry red, crabgrass green or white.

And, as with the French men, no basketball sneakers for casual wear. No sweatsuits. No clothing that make them look like old draperies or armchairs. There are always a couple of eye catching pieces of jewelry and something that accentuates their femininity: a jacket pulled snug around the waist with a wide belt or a neckline that showcases sexy shoulders and collarbones.

French women do not leave the house without makeup. I'm not talking about layering it on Kabuki-style, just mascara and eyeliner, lipstick and a maybe hint of color on the cheekbones. No 80s-style eyeshadow sunsets on the eyelids, no harsh lipliner. Less is more. Hair is not overdone. You won't find crunchy overprocessed hair but will find lots of expensive color and cuts. I haven't seen a Hair Cuttery anywhere in Paris.

Leggings are worn as a first layer, not as slacks. Minis are worn two ways in summer - as a second or third layer over a tank top and capri length leggings, or as lightweight frock worn with barely there sandals.

Within a week I'll post pics of our guide for the Louvre and Versailles; she's the epitome of French style. I'll also post pics of an American that I met on the trip who left the States with a suitcase full of French style. She inspired me every day. In the meantime, pick up a copy of French Vogue and get inspired!

A bientot!