The ultimate in French girl style...Charlotte Gainsbourge (via Who What Wear)
I’m currently in Chicago at a Global planning meeting for my day job and just finished eating lunch next to a French colleague. Two observations I felt compelled to share:
- While most of the room was sporting some take on (the ambiguous and somewhat unfortunate) “business casual”, French colleague was wearing a pair of dark Levis rolled at the ankle with simple black wedges, a slouchy black knit top and a pair of Warby Parker-esque glasses…totally simple and basic and pretty much 100% chicer than every other person in the room (no offense to any of my other colleagues of course).
- My lunch plate contained two small slices of thin-crust veggie pizza and a large green salad, which, given the the majestic array of “Americana” fare on offer (cobb salad and cheese steak sandwiches and hot dogs and three different types of pizza and chili...), was making me feel pretty virtuous. French colleague sat down next to me with a plate containing the following (all perfectly arranged): a small mound of romaine lettuce, a small mound of avocado, a couple of gherkins and a small mound of grilled onions and peppers. Oh and she had a glass of water with no ice too.
Duly noted super chic French colleague…duly noted.
12 comments:
ohhh to be french!!! I'm constantly trying to remind myself to simplify like a chic french woman. finding your personal style can be so confusing and overwhelming!
it's genetic. i tell myself this to make me feel better.
this made me laugh, luckily I am home alone reading this. I think its funny that if I had those three pieces of clothing (jeans, wedges and black knit top), I would not think of myself as chic putting that on. I imagine that to be schlepping around on errands outfit. I guess it really does matter how you carry yourself in what you wear and what type of energy you exude. I am noting this myself:)
I love all these thoughts, but my question is is that really enough lunch for an adult? It seems so tiny!
Mary Beth
it was tiny! for sure not enough lunch for an adult...at least that's what i'm telling myself ;-)
I concur with number 1, but number 2 is ridiculous and not something I would emulate.
This post is hilarious. I read #1 and thought, yes, that makes perfect sense, I totally get it. And then I read #2 and just cracked up. Out loud. That is a ridiculous lunch. And if that's the price she pays to look so effortlessly chic in her simple outfit, I say the price is too high!
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love the understated sophistication of french women... unfussy hair, barely there makeup- never looks like they're trying too hard. like simply mel said, it's genetic :)
I love her outfit too, but as the other ladies rightly said, that's not an adult's lunch. I'd give that to my six year old daughter and then add some carbs too! Your lunch was by far healthier, a little carbs and lots of greens. Plus, you're pretty high up on the chicometer yourself!
This reminds me of this post by Garance Dore http://www.garancedore.fr/en/2011/08/16/changing-lifestyle-new-york-skinny-vs-paris-skinny/
Some of what she said really resonated with me and how we eat in America.
I studied abroad one semester in France and was totally enamored by all of the beautiful women. Their eye glass shops host window displays of the most intricate, gorgeous glasses. And everyone was so thin. Probably from eating small mounds of lettuce, onions and peppers. I, on the other hand, managed to gain 10 lbs during my short stay thanks to the bread, cheese, wine and pastries.
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Love observing, too. So interesting.
Ok, we were in Chicago on the same day. Craziness!
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