Je ne sais quoi

Today’s ensemble feels somewhat Parisian-inspired — or it did at the time, when I wore it in the days leading up to a semi-spontaneous trip to the City of Light.

I learned a lot about that coveted French girl style in the few days I spent in Paris, though, which I thought we could chat about today.

First off, let’s just face the facts — French women pretty much do everything better. Don’t you agree?

For the most part, they dress primarily in a sophisticated palette of neutrals — black, white, nude, navy and beige — with the occasional pop of color through an accessory or patterned scarf.

(This is a style MO I’ve been taking on myself, and I must say… It makes mixing and matching your closet pretty effortless.)

A big part of why French gals get it right — every single time, it seems — is that they tend to invest in their wardrobes rather than buy into seasonal trends.

Admittedly, I should probably get better about this… I’m a total sucker for, say, a good pair of furry shoes, as you might know. But you can never go wrong with timeless, well-cut and classic.

(That’s how I feel about Cuyana, by the way — the handbag brand I’m carrying. I love their stuff and am constantly gifting it to friends and family each holiday. The leather travel and cosmetic bags are a great affordable option.)

As you’ll know if you’ve ever had the opportunity to people-watch around the city of Paris, French women dress for themselves. Plain and simple. I love that.

Whether it’s an oversized sweater or tattered pair of their favorite flats, they simply aim to feel good and end up looking superfresh and flawless as a result.

No f*cks to give — that’s my kinda fashion.

Above all else, the easiest, quickest way to emanate that French girl style is to find your perfect red lip. Really, that’s all it takes to elevate your outfit — whether it’s day-to-night or just for a mid-day lunch date.

My go-to’s for fall the past few years has been NARS lip pencils: satin ‘Palais Royale‘ (worn here in today’s post) and matte ‘Damned.’

… A cute jacket would help to have in-tow, too. It’s that time of year when you leave in the morning and you’re freezing, but come mid-afternoon you’re sweating your ass off.

I’ve got my favorite fall moto jacket with me most days as of late, and I love that it looks just as cute styled around the waist as it does when worn. (I have it in two colors — got it last season and absolutely love it! As an FYI, it’s 15% off with e-mail sign-up.)

This week continues to fly right on by… Bonne journée, mademoiselles!

*In this post:

Clothing

Burgundy sweater: Halogen (under $100, v-neck version here)
Leather skirt: ANYI Zarre (similar version under $80 here)
Cognac moto jacket: Azalea SF (I also have it in black; 15% off with email sign up)
Oversized bucket bag: c/o Cuyana (comes in two other colors)
Booties: ALDO (old, similar here)
Felt hat: Otte New York (similar here under $30)

Click to shop:

Beauty

Foundation: bareMinerals Complexion Rescue in ‘Beige Natural’
Lip color: NARS satin lip pencil in ‘Palais Royale‘
Nail polish: Essie ‘Gel Couture’ polish in ‘Rock the Runway‘
Mascara: bareMinerals

Click to shop:

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Iron & Honey Photography