EVERYDAY LESSON FOR FASHION

 

 

Olivia Palermo gets it right every time!

 

There’s something so universally compelling about the style of French women that it’s only natural to assume it to be an innate national characteristic bestowed on every French female, and not a product of carefully considered personal, sartorial and social choices. And it’s evolution from Jeanne Moreau and Catherine Deneuve in the 50s to the modern style of Charlotte Gainsburg and Marion Cotillard (and Moreau and Deneuve encore) is all the proof we need.

“As a French person, it’s not always easy to see what other cultures think of us,” says Caroline Phely, a Parisian expat and co-owner of Canon Blanc, a French boutique in Toronto’s Queen West neighbourhood. “But I would say that one important thing that particularly all women say to their daughters—I’ve heard it from my mother and many times from other women—is that the way you dress is very important in every aspect of your life.” This includes what you wear to work and all off-duty ventures, she explains.

We asked Phely for her insight on the reason behind the allure of the French woman—and how to capture her look right here at home.

French women style: Don your Sunday best—everyday

The concept of wearing your Sunday best is a 24/7 mantra in France. “It’s very important to always not only be dressed appropriately, but to have your hair done and your makeup on— but not too much,” says Phely. “The saying that all women tell their daughters is that ‘you always have to be dressed up because when you go out onto the streets, you never know who you are going to meet’.” And this stranger casting a watchful eye on your all-pink outfit could be a potential suitor or employer—or worse, that always-stylish friend whom you don’t want to spot you in sweatpants.


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