HOW THE FRENCH DRESS

The truly French women have a simple but elegant dress on and heels. Always heels. The streets of Paris sound dif than here because of the clicking of high heels everywhere. Their coat if not fur is a beautifully cut wool or amazingly stitched down coat. Nothing like we have here. They are very flattering even tho they are thick with down.  The temperature outside determines the length to knees or the floor. And, no one had a coat that didn’t button all the way down. The winds off the Seine are brutal.  But, alas, only in black, aubergine, black, deep grey, black, dark chocolate, or black.

No turtle necks either!  I brot 3 and saw only one with a zipper on some else. Probably a German skier!  No, they – both men and women – use scarves to wrap up against the cold. Then when they are in a warm room off comes the coat, scarf, and gloves and violá they are perfectly dressed and comfortable.

Shoes and purses are always dark leather. I am sure they knew I was from California with a nylon purse, fabric shoes (but very comfy. My black Sketcher’s Mary Jane Rockers. T U Heather!), dark brown cotton full length but not with buttons all the way down raincoat, great cut velvet in teals scarf (too lightweight), and turtlenecks!  Well, we had the gloves in common. Some wild young gals will have wild tights and/or bright colored gloves. But almost always a dark coat. 

My first day on the Metro it was in the low 40’s F. No long coats. Only 2 hats. Oh dear I am going to be totally out of place! The next day it is in the low 30’s F and out came the long full-length coats and hats. How fun! Always the gloves.  Rain or not.

Also, interesting was fingernails which I could see in stores and restaurants. I only saw one person with manicured nails in a color. The young clerks told me if one wears color it is usually black or white. Dress wise they wear black, tan, aubergine, taupe, and maybe white or deep brown. Of course, 98% have dark brown hair so they look good in those colors. 

Oh the cut of the designs and the quality of the fabrics were wonderful. 

Interesting was the dif in the Metro stops. The train car would change colors as we went from station to station. Some are all black and serious. Some have variety.  The farther out of center the more casual. Of course, Americans are easy to spot with their short baseball type jackets. No baseball hats tho.

When I go back I am still not wearing black!