Quel surprise!

Lately I've been fascinated with the French. For those who know me, this might be a bit surprising. I was lucky enough to visit France twice; once when I was 14 and again when I was 24. I enjoyed both trips......to an extent. I loved visiting the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Versailles, etc. What disappointed me overall was the cuisine and the general attitude towards Americans. I did meet some lovely people and ate some delish food (especially the pastries!), but in comparison to my love affair with Italy....well it just doesn't compare. But I'll speak about Italy another time. Probably too much!

What sparked this sudden fascination with the French is the book All You Need To Be Impossibly French by Helena Frith Powell. I didn't buy the book wanting to be impossibly French. I've always I had a fascination with other cultures and how they compare to American culture. So I thought I'd give the French another shot. I'm glad I did.....the book was entertaining and enlightening! I don't want to give too much away, but it touches on many subjects: style, nutrition, fidelity, aging, work-ethic and overall lifestyle. It's a fun summer read. If anyone wants to borrow it, let me know :)

What I enjoyed the most about the book was (shockingly) the section on French women's style. The French would rather die than wear sneakers (I totally agree!), think matching sexy undergarments are a must (and spend ludicrous amounts of money on them), and prefer quality over quantity when it comes to buying clothing (something I am trying to master, especially in this economy ;)

The book is inspiring some possible (hmmm maybe more like probable) fall fashion purchases. They are classic French and super affordable:

1. A striped tee- White with blue (or red) stripes is quintessentially French and available practically everywhere. I spotted some cute ones on Urban Outfitters & Banana Republic's sites.

2. Red lips - I never think I can pull it off (I feel like a little girl playing dress-up) but perhaps I'll give it another try!

3. Something tweed - I actually have a Chanel-esque tweed jacket I haven't worn in years. I think I'm going to pair it with something a little more distressed like ripped skinny jeans to counteract the stuffiness of the jacket.

4. Perfume - From Agent Provocateur to Yves Saint Laurent there are tons & tons to choose from. It sounds silly but something about French perfume gives me that "je ne sais quoi" feeling :)