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· August 24, 2007 9:46 PM by Blogger Colleen Shirazi
· August 24, 2007 9:58 PM by Blogger Colleen Shirazi
· August 12, 2007 1:51 PM by Blogger Colleen Shirazi
· August 12, 2007 2:14 PM by Blogger Audrey_H
· August 12, 2007 2:16 PM by Blogger Audrey_H
· August 12, 2007 8:12 PM by Blogger Dain
· August 12, 2007 11:02 PM by Blogger Colleen Shirazi
· August 13, 2007 9:02 AM by Blogger Audrey_H
· August 13, 2007 11:26 AM by Blogger cmm
· August 13, 2007 12:47 PM by Blogger Audrey_H

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The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog


What is Style? Basics (part 5)
Posted by Dain, Friday, August 24, 2007 6:52 PM (Eastern)

Here is work, here is play, both of which cost a bundle (especially play). Much of it can—and ought to be—integrated into everyday wear. There's no flippin' point in owning clothes that you don't wear, with some exceptions (I don't think that Rochas gown is quotidian material). I've split the clothes into categories for the sake of coherence, but if you're consistent about the style (clothing you love very much; I've tried to "make things work" on the premise that I "need" it, and I find the clothes tend to wear me, not the other way around), your wardrobe should be more or less fluid. One of the things that make the more important pieces blend seamlessly with each other is basics, which is a treasure hunt of a different kind. I don't want to pay $200 for a pair of jeans, or $80 for a t-shirt. Yet I want clothes that last, and aren't frumpy.

tees
Thank god for American Apparel, it is the perfect antidote to t-shirt bullshit (*cough* TheRowSplendidC&CCaliforniaJamesPerse *cough*). These are nice, reasonably priced (comparable to the GAP), and come in tons of colors. Plus, they favor normal-looking models, which is a sainted relief. This is all that a tee company ought to do, even if the owner likes to sleep with all his employees. Above: Unisex Sheer Jersey Short Sleeve Deep V-Neck ($18), 2x1 Rib Boy Beater Tank ($17), Sheer Jersey Long Sleeve T ($26).

pants
I don't mind buying cult jeans, but I bought mine long ago when a pair of Blue Cults were $125 and that was really startling because $60 was a much more normal price (though I found mine on resale for $50). Nowadays, $100 is the standard price, and the really nice ones are closer to $200. I'm glad I bought mine—the fit is fantastic, and they've lasted since I bought them (four years ago) without stretching its shape and only a little fading—but I don't relish the idea of paying $217 for J. Brand Joplin. I really like how this jean is styled (plus it's named after Janis, which is plain awesome), disarming in its simplicity. But, that is one really fucking expensive pair of jeans. Jeans are supposed to be... you know... utilitarian. Better are chinos in navy (I also have a pair in grey): they're just as durable as jeans, the dark blue is equally versatile, but they look much more polished. Anything you can do, I can do better (compare them, side by side). I usually buy J. Crew chinos, and the price point is decent ($59.50), considering I haven't needed to replace them yet. They're missing navy, so I've posted these rather refined cords ($89.50) instead. I think cords are charmingly 70s retro, and they only get better and softer with age, so while these are somewhat expensive, they'd be useful and last years.

buttondowns


I think this is one of those things that everyone should have in their wardrobe, a clean, crisp white buttondown. It's the solution to the I-don't-know-what-to-wear blues. There's one for every budget: J. Crew ($59.50), which I suspect is a Steven Alan ripoff, Thomas Pink ($180), the one I want (doesn't the broderie anglaise sweeten the severity of the "I am an impeccable white shirt" just perfectly?), and finally, Loro Piana ($760), which is actually silk, for the kind of people who vacation in Amalfi and Maldives.

sweaters
I think of sweaters and cardigans in entirely different categories altogether. Chunky sweaters are so bulky that I just treat them like a jacket—you know, outerwear. They can be knit so beautifully, but they're limited to a certain function; I have one, in winter white, that I wear rarely, though I wouldn't complain about having the Balenciaga. Lightweight sweaters take on the role of tees in my wardrobe (sort of like how I don't really wear jeans). Some are very plain, like a lilac crewneck I have, but the color and cut is so flattering on me that it's one of my favorites. Others have personality in spades, such as a psychedelic (for lack of a better word) green and white boatneck that is also one of my favorite shirts. Fun knits are harder to find than fun tees—but I dare say it saves me money. Still, they're sweaters. You put on one, find a pair of bottoms to match, that's the end of it.


Cardigans, however, are another animal altogether. They can be primary shirts, they can be layers. The cardigan-topping-a-skirt combo is a classic I turn to all the time. This fall, since Balenciaga and Alexander McQueen are well out of my budget, I might treat myself to A.P.C.'s dark turquoise cardigan ($229). It is a bit more expensive than I usually pay, and it looks deceptively bland, but I have much respect for A.P.C. They produce very few and very little, and they seem like plain basics at first glance, but somehow... the quality, the fit, all meticulously handled, it just looks real good on. It is probably the most quintessentially French label I know.

skirts?
I like wearing skirts, but, they are rather difficult to find, at least, nice ones. I'll let you know if I find a reliable source. Perhaps Tristan & America?

Am I missing something? Oh yes! Accessories!

accessories
Rolex, Cartier, how desperate are they? They are so obvious. Why should a watch be obvious? I'd rather have the Chaumet Dandy ($7350): it's clean of everything (hype, ornament) except expense. I like how it's slightly masculine; I like how no one would recognize it. It's just a tastefully quiet watch.

I like shoes as much as the next gal, but my shoes tend to be very basic, at least functionally. I may favor a skyscraper fuschia sandal with a crystal bow, but I'd need no other evening shoe. Since I'm planning on doing a separate article on accessories anyway, I'll just point these two out for now. Ok, these Chucks are appalling. That's why I like them so much. : ) They're sort of anti-style, the more ostentatious the better, the dirtier the better. Though, they're really fashionable now, which must be why they're $47 (err... shouldn't they be more like $15?). Antipodal to the putrid Chucks are the Repetto Flora (as far as I know, it's entirely unavailable in the U.S.), a rarefied distillation of chic. It's equal partner to the classic black pump, elegant and exquisitely handmade of the finest materials (unlike the Chucks, which are a regurgitation of rubber and canvas by some factory in... what China?). But, you know, they have sort of the same use, if not the same appeal. They're flats with terrible arch support, they're icons in the world of shoes, and they're perfect for casual wear. I'd also like to add a pair of Havaianas, but I think everybody knows them already.

Sidewalk crouches at her feet
Like a dog that begs for something sweet.
Do you hope to make her see you fool?
Do you hope to pluck this dusky jewel?.

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2 comment(s)  
 
August 24, 2007 9:46 PM, Blogger Colleen Shirazi said...

Hello! Hello! Sorry, now I have that song in my mind. :D

American Apparel is way underrated. I have a tank top by them, and it's been washed many times, and it looks exactly the same as it did when it was new. AA is what Banana Republic used to be, for basic clothes, only without the higher price tag.

 
August 24, 2007 9:58 PM, Blogger Colleen Shirazi said...

Hmmm...what people wear here are Vans, not as much Converse. I'm too much in love with my Dr. Martens to notice though. lol

 
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Style Icon: The Cool French Girl
Posted by Dain, Sunday, August 12, 2007 12:47 AM (Eastern)

Above: Sophie Marceau, considered one of the sexiest women in France (she was a Bond girl), is a exemplar of French beauty, long brown hair with bangs, green eyes, very feminine features, minimal makeup. I still remember an interview she gave to In Style long ago (December 1999), where she tells them, "In normal life I never put makeup on. I don't like it because I can't kiss my 3-year-old son [Vincent] if I have color on my skin." I wish I were that low-maintenance. I may be a minimalist, but it's actually a high-maintenance philosophy.

The cool French girl is a mystery to American women, especially how she maintains her svelte figure without diet and exercise (answer: lots of walking, smaller portions of higher quality food, and a more healthy attitude towards beauty). She is the byword in effortless chic, but frustratingly inimitable. The look may be as simple a white shirt and black pants, but it's somehow infinitely more stylish than an American girl in full dress. This is rather a downtown look, so it shouldn't look too dressy or overdone.

FACE*

flawless face Taking a cue from a real life cool French girl, Laura Mercier, her signature products, Secret Camouflage and Tinted Moisturizer, perfect for judiciously enhanced complexion.
seductive lips For the country with the highest population of cirrhosis, it seems fitting that lips should be wine-stained and kissable. I wasn't expecting to be impressed by Cover Girl Wine Shine TruShine Lipstick, but it's a beautiful semi-sheer wine with soft shimmer, and the quality is truly highend, and at $6 (and some change) it's an absolute steal.
soft blush Perhaps you've heard of Chanel, they're a little known French brand. They make nicely shimmery, subtle blushes, like Silky Cheek Colour in Glamour.
lush lashes Black mascara (here, the classic Lancôme Definicils, still probably the best mascara on the market) adds subtle definition and yet makes a huge difference from a naked eye, and it won't resemble obvious makeup.

CARE
hydrate La Roche-Posay Toleraine Fluide (one I am dying to try myself) is oil-free and soothing for sensitive skin; it's non-occlusive but extremely hydrating (with springwater and squalane).
scent I can think nothing better than the simple, sunlit charm of L'Occitane Eau de Miel.

SHOP

day Vanessa Bruno makes her living selling her effortless, casual clothing to cool French girls. Two good etailers that have a good selection: Browns Fashion and La Garçonne.com. For cheap basics, consider France's answer to the GAP, La Redoute. For a French "look", hm, why not a striped sweater and white jeans?
extras A cool leather jacket is an essential, and a pair of Converse Hi-Tops, the dirtier the better, completes a casual, tough, punk look.

*This would also be a fantastic fall 2007 look. I'll wear a variation on it, for sure.

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8 comment(s)  
 
August 12, 2007 1:51 PM, Blogger Colleen Shirazi said...

Ah, the Cool French Girl.

I was influenced by the Cool French Girl in two phases of my life:

1.) The Naro Theatre in Norfolk, VA. This was long before cable tv, Netflix, etc. ...this was the sole place you could go to see something different. They showed foreign films, documentaries, independent films, cartoons, silents (with live organ), shorts...everything really.

I was enthralled by the foreign films. The French movies, particularly, always seemed to have female lead roles, which we don't, to this day.

That is when I saw Fanny Ardant, Francoise Dorleac... I'm drawing a blank on the names, I saw the ads sometimes more than the movies. I was a kid back then, but it was definitely a culture clash.

2.) Bravo tv channel, back when they showed foreign films only, no ads, and were operating only about half the day.

That's when I saw Sandrine Bonnaire, Julie Delpy, Nathalie Baye, Isabelle Huppert, Juliette Binoche... Sophie Marceau was never really my favorite, I thought of her as cute, along the lines of Brigitte Bardot, cute and sexy. But Sandrine Bonnaire, Julie Delpy, Isabelle Huppert...did some scorching work. Thinking of Vagabond, Monsieur Hire, La Passion Beatrice, Violette...don't think we've ever produced movies like these.

As far as why French women don't get fat, I can agree on the mass transit vs. driving thing. When I lived in San Francisco, I hardly ever saw fat people. It's difficult to have a car there, there's nowhere to park, so you have to walk or else walk to and from the bus...no driving.

The rest of it imo is cultural. If it's not acceptable, culturally, to be fat, fewer people are fat. It's not the food itself, it's not even quite the walking factor. It is primarily cultural. I'm drawing a blank as to why our own government doesn't do anything about Americans getting fatter and fatter; it's certainly a public health issue.

Study Says Obesity Can Be Contagious
bugmenot

 
August 12, 2007 2:14 PM, Blogger Audrey_H said...

This post has been removed by the author.

 
August 12, 2007 2:16 PM, Blogger Audrey_H said...

Cool. The French girl has been my style icon for years. I just love being in Paris, sitting in a cafe, watching all the chic women in their trenchcoats and scarves.


Audrey (- who has brown hair with bangs a la Jane Birkin, green eyes, French-style makeup, casual clothing - and who walks everywhere :)

 
August 12, 2007 8:12 PM, Blogger Dain said...

Lol, Audrey! I'm so jealous. I admit I don't really know much about Sophie Marceau, for some reason I just remember that quote of hers--I thought it was sweet. I guess Jane Birkin is a far better style icon, or Francoise Hardy or something like that, as Marceau barely expresses interest. In any case, I just chose her for her coloring: it's standard French coloring (blonde is rare). I love Isabelle Hupert, she is such a good actress. Have you seen La Pianiste? Intense movie.

If you want to know the reason why Americans are so fat, you should consider that the government is kind of in cahoots. More or less it's because of the corn industry; it's a special type of corn, one that isn't even edible until it's treated, but the stuff is used to feed livestock and therefore, in much of our meat and dairy, and used to make corn syrup, which is in EVERYTHING. There's a film out called King Corn which details all of this really well. It's worth watching.

 
August 12, 2007 11:02 PM, Blogger Colleen Shirazi said...

Ugh? I had an even worse theory. I mean I'm looking at it, being overweight is not that different from smoking. It is going to cut decades off your life expectancy.

The problem is that it's profitable from both ends...you can make money selling diet products to these people, and at the same time, you can make money selling bigger and bigger clothes to these same people.

That corn theory is interesting. I wouldn't be surprised...

The Cool French Girls that I remember best, are from when I was young and impressionable, that's why I remember Sandrine Bonnaire and so forth so vividly. I have not seen La Pianiste. I'll have to put it on my Netflix queue...but you've got to see Vagabond if you haven't. :)

 
August 13, 2007 9:02 AM, Blogger Audrey_H said...

Marceau is stunning. Another French beauty is Marina Hands in Lady Chatterley. Birkin and Hardy are beautiful too, perhaps in a more casual and quirky way. And Charlotte Gainsbourg. Oh, and Juliette Binoche... she's classy.

 
August 13, 2007 11:26 AM, Blogger cmm said...

I totally agree with that corn theory. I went through a french girl phase a couple o'years ago. One of the things I did was not eat anything that had high-fructose corn syrup in it. Do you know how hard to find ANYTHING pre-made that doesn't have that stuff in it? Its ridiculous. Just absolutely ridiculous. I ended up baking all my own bread for awhile there because TRY finding bread w/o it in that doesn't cost an arm and a leg a loaf. I lost 10 pounds eating good cheese, homemade bread, real butter, wine, good dark chocolate, salad w/ homemade olive oil dressing, good yogurt, etc. High quality food, real-sized portions and ssssssllllloooowwwing down to savor and enjoy ones food, it really does work.
Huh.
Why on earth did I ever stop doing that?
It takes alot more time and alot more effort, thats why. And I am a lazy,lazy gal at heart. And now I'm a 30 pounds fatter gal too....

 
August 13, 2007 12:47 PM, Blogger Audrey_H said...

"Slowing down" is the key word here. Taking the time to cook properly, use fresh organic ingredients, and enjoying eating it, is totally different than stuffing your face with fried fast-food in front of the tv. By eating slow, you won't overeat, since the "I'm full!"-message from the stomach to the brain will come more naturally (and without stomach pain and guilt). I think it's extremely important to learn how to chill out and slow down, especially when it comes to eating food, since we're multitasking everything and expecting it all to go faster and faster nowadays.

 
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