dress me like one of your french girls
new wave cinema, personal style, and vanquishing winter madness
Oh boy this is a long one! Make sure to view it in the app to get in all the nooks and crannies of this piece. I’d hate for you to miss anything in your inbox. xo Julianna
There’s nothing more romantic than a rainy Sunday morning, unless it’s a morning where you have somewhere to be. Then it’s a cruel performance you’ve been roped into that forces you out of your bed and into something practical. As a lover of the impractical I find winter hard to dress for, particularly a wet winter like we’ve been having in New York. It’s been ruining my mood and even worse, ruining my sense of style. I’ve out of cute ways to make it down the sidewalk without soaking my socks.
I had plans on this rainy Sunday in question. My roommate and I had tickets to the brunch showing of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, a French New Wave film that seemed to match the weather report. The movie theater near me has curated the perfect catalogue for weekend viewings, and we had been indulging in a few old classics. Last month they showed North by Northwest with the incomparable Cary Grant. There’s something intoxicating about these older movies. I don’t just mean Cary Grant in those little Ray-Bans either.
Honestly though, I understand the hype around the classic leading men. Cary Grant is such a winning one. He looks incredibly good in a suit (something I don’t normally care about) and can play for laughs while still looking so beautiful you feel the need to smile back at him (something I absolutely do). His co-stars are always score high on the hot-and-funny scale too. Besides that, and what really draws me to them, they dress sublimely.
Take Audrey Hepburn’s character in Charade: The film opens with a shot of the French Alps before swinging to Hepburn in a cocoon-like ensemble complete with massive sunglasses and a forkful of salad. If you haven’t seen this look in Charade; you may have seen it in season four of Emily in Paris where Lily Collins pays homage.
The big difference here is Hepburn’s wardrobe was designed personally by Hubert de Givenchy. Emily’s ensemble is custom as well. Not Givenchy, she’s not quite at that level of SponCon, but crafted by EIP costume designer Marilyn Fitoussi. The series has loads of these nods to starlets of yore, and it’s clear Audrey Hepburn is a huge inspiration when dressing Lily Collins.
It’s not a new feeling, this wish to embody the glamour of the Golden Age of Hollywood, but it’s hard not to wish these ladies had an LTK.
I especially felt this watching The Umbrellas of Cherbourg in my rain-soaked jacket and brown corduroys. I had dressed to protect myself from the slush and sit slumped in the dark comfort of the cinema. It felt normal in my apartment and utterly ridiculous in the candy-coated lens of Jacques Demy.
A feeling of panic set in. How can I become this movie? What shampoo are these women using to look so shiny and sculpted? Is that a Sezane Gaspard Cardigan I see? The colorful knits and funky wallpaper carried throughout the film might just be the source material for every cool girl French brand I’ve ever drooled over.
Could French girl je ne sais quoi really be that easy? Is it a formula to be replicated? While I’m aware that the white and waifish nature of its mascots plays a major role in it, there is something to be said for elevated and saturated basics.
I’ve been poking my head out from my soft spring color palette in recent years. The unexpected red theory has made its way into my home decor, and I’m taking style inspiration from punchy palettes like those of dahanadcr and francescaperks. In the world of cinema every decision, even the smaller ones like what toothbrush sits on the bathroom sink, are a direct line to character. In the world of fashion the tiny details matter too. We all heard Meryl Streep when she lectured us on cerulean, right?
I am not a 1960s ingenue, but would I feel like it if I started dressing like one?
In my slouch toward personal style I’ve tried a few aesthetics on for size. If you’re searching the internet for outfits, you’re almost forced to assign one to your hunt. The glasses you’re looking for are Office Siren. The dress you’ve been wanting for Summer is filed under Cottagecore. In reality most of us don’t fit under one SEO optimized label. I typically describe my style as feminine, colorful, and eclectic. In an attempt to personify it further I’ve called it ‘American farm girl goes to Copenhagen’. Traditional shapes, structured basics, but with a winky little twist.
For a long time I would only pin a fashion look on Pinterest if the person had a similar body type to me. I wagered, somewhat logically, that I would only buy something if it flattered me, and it would be useless to pin all these pictures of girls who are so skinny they look good in anything.
In actuality this cut my sense of style at the root. I had exiled myself to some world without imagination or fantasy. The best part about fashion is the fantasy. My favorite part about anything is the fantasy. I also hate the notion that seeing is believing. That’s a very unimaginative sentiment. If I don’t see someone who looks exactly like me in the outfit then I should try it on, not pretend it doesn’t exist.
While the forecast continues to look bleak in New York (they’re saying it’s colder than Alaska next week?) I’ve been finding little ways to rebel against the blahs. I have my bright red scarf I can envelope my face in. I have a blush pink bonnet stitched with care by a friend. I will armor myself in my loudest knits and kick this dull winter to the curb.
I left the movie and went home for a quick change as I had plans at a Parisian cafe themed dog birthday party later (yes read that whole sentence back) with a suggested dress code of pink and red. Before Umbrellas it felt like too great a task for my feeble February brain. Post Umbrellas I was ready to tackle my closet with a whole new lease on life.
I pulled a pink gingham dress from my summer wardrobe and layered it with a cream knit cardigan; completing the look with floral high socks and my burgundy Mary Jane shoes. I was way too cold to be showing this much calf, but I didn’t give a shit. I ventured out with a black umbrella to protect the pink bow in my hair. The cold was cold, but the walk was short and I warmed quickly in the apartment. I felt like a different person than I had an hour before.
I felt a bit like a secret agent at this party. Nobody knew I was secretly implementing my new outfit formula for looking like a Jacques Demy character: Bold and colorful always. Clean lines, classic style. Hair off face unless crying into pillow.
It goes in a long list of outfit formulas I’ve crafted over the years. I get random spurts of inspiration and add things hastily to my notes app. Sometimes they’re specific, like wear this top with that skirt more often. Sometimes they’re a general list of wants.
June 23rd, 2023 at 12:34 PM
textures to look for
breezy cotton and linen especially skirts and dresses
lace paneling
elevated construction = points of interest i.e. pleating, unique hem, etc.
soft cotton tees
mesh long sleeve tops for layering
feminine detailing that can be hardened with accessories (leather blazer, chunky boots, layered jewelry)
You have to learn to study yourself like this, like a visiting anthropologist, to make any sense of what you actually like and use. I am the things I like and use. The books I read can shape the music I listen to can shape the movies I watch can shape the clothes I wear. I am my own art director, and I refuse to view myself in any lens that isn’t technicolor.
Shop this article and more French Girl vibes here.
xo Julianna
not me owning three out of the five things in the pink/red collage hahaha! Love that color combo! Need to add some polka dots to my wardrobe now!
I've also spending my weekends with classic movies and a recent watch of What a Way to Go (1964) has me fully immersed in the fantasy of fashion!