Style reads - French style inspired...
Anyone else binge watch "Emily in Paris" lately? I loved it for so many reasons: it takes me back to the beauty of Paris, the light-hearted mindlessness of it, and - of course- the fashion!
Whenever I am about to work with a new client, I send a questionnaire to get a sense of their style needs, tastes, goals and challenges. A while back, a form came in that expressed a wish to have that "timeless French style. Pulled-together almost effortlessly, yet appropriately to tackle a wide range of activity throughout the day".
This isn't the first time this has been noted as an aspirational style, so I thought I would share two books from my own shelf that deconstruct this a little. Plus, I have a feeling French-inspired style may be on the radar of others who have recently watched the show...
When I was in Paris, the style just seemed so effortless (and chic!). But like anything, in order to master, you need to take some time to figure it out in order to make it second nature and, more importantly, your own.
Dress Like a Parisian - written by Alois Guinut
When I was in London a few years ago, I was so excited when I stumbled upon this in a prominent bookshop. Alois is a personal stylist in Paris and has a wonderful style blog "Dress Like A Parisian". When I was in Paris on our honeymoon, I had contacted Alois for a personal shopping experience. I wanted to shop the boutiques of Paris with a local and a pro. Unfortunately, Alois was going to be out of town, but set me up with one of her lovely colleagues, Diane, and I had such an incredible experience which I blogged about here.
Note: the bomber jacket I am wearing in this opening image is a gem I picked up on that Paris shopping excursion.
In this book, Alois teaches how to find your personal style through inspiration on how Parisian women dress. It serves as a guide to exploring your best colours and silhouettes, as well as how to dress for any occasion. Of course, some Paris style secrets are shared. I love that she rejects fashion "rules" and helps you embrace your own personal style with a twist of the Parisian. A very enjoyable and informative read! She's recently released a second book titled "Why French Women Wear Vintage" - it's currently on my reading list.
Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange with Sophie Gachet
It's probably no surprise that if you came to my home, you would find a shelf full of style books. This one is beautiful.
Ines is a model who has been said to be one of France's icons of chic. In this guide, she shares personal tips picked up from decades in the fashion industry. She offers ideas on how to dress like a Parisian, how to mix affordable basics with more higher quality items (which continues to be very modern and on trend) as well as how to accessorize. There is beautiful photography combined with her own personalized drawings. She also advises how to bring Parisian style into the home or office space. A great reference book you can easily read in sections or based on points of interest.
Side note: when I was on my shopping trip in Paris, Diane (my stylist) said I must visit the store Sandro (a Parisian brand). We do have Sandro here in Vancouver, but there was something so special about shopping there in Paris. It's my 50th birthday this week and I just purchased the dress below from Sandro (in the Winter Sale at Pacific Centre) - I was definitely inspired by the Emily in Paris fashion craze. I'll share a few pics of me wearing it soon. I am styling it with my mum's fabulous sequin belt from the '80s - excited to have a reason to wear something fun and French inspired!
How do you feel about French inspired fashion? Are you also dreaming of visiting Paris in the future?
