Live Parisian...

So, I know I haven't done a post in a while, however, I've been in the midst of exam chaos. In fact, I should probably be revising right now, but I wanted to write something so... 
         Anyway, today I want to talk to you all about Parisian fashion. Now, I've always thought that the heart of fashion is either in Paris or New York, although fashion in both of these countries is incredibly different. New York fashion is all about expressing yourself and being unique, whereas Parisian fashion is a lot more subtle. It's about looking absolutely amazing, and yet seeming like you haven't tried at all. There is no doubt that Parisian women could be considered some of the most stylish people in the world- and today I'm going to help all of you achieve their look.


1. Always make an effort. Have you ever seen a Parisian woman dressed in sweats and a hoodie? I haven't! French women will always make an effort to dress well, and if they aren't dressed well, then they will not go out in public. Walking the dog and getting the paper is still an occasion to put on a cute coat, wrap up warm in a lovely scarf and swipe on some red lipstick. To dress like a Parisian woman, you aways need to be making an impression. (Perhaps that's why my French grandma always gets so mad at me when I lounge around the house in my comfy clothes instead of properly getting dressed. Hey, don't judge! I might be French and I might be writing this article, but that doesn't mean I always have to stick to the Parisian dress code!) 


2. Stick to a neutral palette, with just a pop of colour. The colour palette for Parisian women tends to stick to more neutral earthy tones such as black, brown and grey. If that's too boring for you, then spice it up by wearing purples and dark blues, or slide down to the other side of the spectrum and wear nude pinks and whites. Alternatively, add colour with bright accessories and jewellery. 


3. Make a point. Contrary to popular belief, French dressing does not need to involve bankrupting yourself! Most French women will invest in a statement item, such as a handbag or a designer trench and then they will mix that with many cheaper items. That way, you can still look a million bucks, without having actually spent a million bucks.


4. Don't follow the trends. A big thing about Parisian fashion, is that it always does what everyone else doesn't expect it to do. When dressing in the style of a Parisian woman, you have to ignore the trends and dress the way you want to. So you might be in the middle of winter, but that doesn't mean you can't wear floral prints; summer's the perfect time to wear boots and it's never the wrong time of year for a good scarf. 


5. Don't over-complicate your outfit. As I said before, French women always look very simply dressed. You don't necessarily need to wear anything other than some leggings, cute flats and a flowy top to look amazing, as long as you accessorise it right. Also, you must never over-accessorise! The French are very subtle in the jewellery that they use, and sometimes just a pretty bracelet will suffice.


6. A hat and sunglasses. Two accessories that are essential to any French woman's wardrobe! They don't need to be worn together, but you do need to have both of these items in your wardrobe, if you want to dress like a Parisian. Hats are a very important accessory to the French and you will often see hats that cost hundreds of euros placed behind the counter, accessible by "assistance only". Sunglasses are exactly the same. It doesn't matter whether it's sunny or not, it is always an occasion to wear your sunnies.


To end, a collection of fashionable French women...

Coco Chanel

Brigitte Bardot

Marion Cotillard

Carla Bruni

Vanessa Paradis

Only the Essentials...

Everyone has those days. Those days when you find yourself needing something (e.g. a pen) and you realise that you don't actually have one on you. In reality, an item such as a pen is something that most people know that they should have on them at all times and doesn’t involve a whole lot of effort to obtain. You never know when you're going to bump into a cute guy in the street and need to give them your number! 

            In our day and age, we are all so busy and our lives are all so cluttered, which is a complete reflection of our handbags. Our bags will be filled to the seams with stuff that we do not need, while the items we actually need are left at home. So, I've decided to help all of you with bags that feel like they weigh a ton, by making a list of essentials for any handbag. The bare necessities. Now you guys can leave the clutter at home, and feel happy knowing that your bag is a lot more organised, and is a lot less of a weight on your shoulders.                                                                                                       

Along with a pen,  you should always have on you:                                                                                      

• Lip balm or Vaseline. The ultimate saviour for wind chapped lips, base for lipstick, emergency ‘glamour-iser’ and thing to apply when you’re bored. Also, did you know that vaseline can prevent blisters? If you're ever wearing uncomfortable shoes and you know a blister is about to form, apply some vaseline to the pained area and you can stop a blister from forming- or at very least soothe the pain a little. 
• Tissues. A sudden case of the sniffles never looks (or sounds) particularly attractive. Nor does tomato sauce all down your top, as I have learnt on many an occasion. 
• Chewing gum or mints. After eating that garlic salad for lunch, the person you work with will be thanking the heavens that you had some gum in your bag.
• Safety pins. A little odd, I know, but necessary. There have been too many occasions, where I have been at school and the strap on my school bag has decided to snap. Safety pins are the saviour here. As are they in the awkward situation of your button popping off your shirt and revealing a little too much cleavage...
• A mirror. I hate those days when it's incredibly windy and I've had to walk to school. I arrive knowing that my hair looks like some birds have taken residence in it, but a quick glance in the mirror, at least helps me to confirm it. 
• Hairbands. To help tame the bird's nest, mentioned above
• Bobby Pins. Because even with your hair tied back, you're going to have some untameable strands that need an extra boost. 
• Comb, or mini hairbrush. If you've left your hairbands at home, you can always try to battle your way through the jungle that is your hair. I only suggest trying this as a last resort!
• Your phone. Sounds a little obvious, but I felt like it deserved a mention anyway. I don't know about you guys, but I always feel really bare when I do not have my phone on me. Maybe I depend on my phone a little too much, but considering the plethora of things that you can do on your phone these days, it isn't really much of a surprise.
• Tampons. Yes it's practical, and a little boring, but I always think that it's better to be safe than sorry.
• One of those mini umbrellas that fold up to fit into your bag. This might not be as essential if you live in... the Sahara Desert, for example, and it hasn't rained in years. However, living in England, I have come to realise that if there is ever only one thing to leave the house with, it should be an umbrella. The amount of times that it has been sunny outside, with not one cloud in the sky, and I've left the house, only for it to start raining five minutes later, I have well and truly learnt my lesson. It's always raining in England, so I always have an umbrella on me. 
• Moisturiser. Especially important during the winter- moisturiser makes short work of tired and dull skin. At a push, a little on a tissue will also help remove makeup and in lieu of foundation it’s an instant way to make skin radiant. So forget carrying around hand cream and go for moisturiser – the do it all!
• A nail file. Because a broken nail is really annoying and can also be really painful. Not to mention the fact, that you will probably end up breaking your tights...
• Which brings me onto the next thing... a spare pair of tights. Because tights are always ripping at the wrong time (like on the way to a really big interview... or on the way to a date with the guy that you've been stalking for the last six months and has finally agreed to go out with you. Obviously he's taking you to a really classy restaurant- one where people with massive rips down their tights are NOT allowed in). So yeah, just don't risk it- bring a spare pair of tights with you. Oh, and if your tights aren't ripping, then the problem is that you just aren't wearing any tights! (Reference to the fake sun we have in England, which only pretends to feel warm...Grrr...) Unfortunately, blue legs aren't particularly classy either. 
•  And finally... the most important thing to carry around with you is (drum roll please...) Your wallet! Another obvious one, although it definitely deserves a mention. Your wallet is likely to hold your I.D, money, health insurance, driver's license etc. If you suddenly get kidnapped, but manage to leave in a daring escape straight out of 'Mission Impossible', it's not an umbrella that's going to get you home, (although it will be particularly useful if you are abducted to India, slap-bang in the middle of the Monsoon season) it's your wallet. So never ever, under any circumstance, leave home without it! 

So there you have it. My list of handbag essentials. The survival kit for life. Whatever you want to call it, I hope it will help you to know exactly what to have in your handbag, as you go through the daily motions of life. 

Kajsa