A flick through some French fashion magazines

When in France, disappointed by some (the majority?) of the street fashion I witnessed, I figured a trip to Paris via the pages of a magazine would be a good idea. I tried hard, very hard to understand the writing in Vogue and L'Officiel Paris, to some avail. The pictures however were far more interesting...

Some were a bit boring, some quite funny, and others just rather french. Here's a few that stood out for me.

This spread, "Le belle etoile", in L'Officiel by Matthew Frost seems to have that particular French je ne sais quoi. While it may not seem on the surface the most exciting photo (left), I like the confidence and the statement made by looking at the back of the dress, as opposed to the more obvious front.

I love this image (right), from the same story, mainly because of the random sun worshippers in the background. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think they may actually have really been there. That is just so French, so typically laid back and I think, absolutely fabulous.

The next spread in L'Officiel by Rene Habermacher entitled "Tension" includes and image of a couple, clearly going through a rocky patch. While it is an editorial spread, the focus isn't so much on the clothes, but the scene, the situation and the feelings between the couple, which makes for a refreshingly different fashion story.

I can't help smiling at these images in the "Trompe D'oeil" story as I love the humour and the novelty aspect captured by photographer Paolo Zambaldi.

Moving onto Vogue... Remember in my last post, I moaned about not seeing the relaxed elegance we so associate with France? This picture (right) taken by Maciek Kobielski, is exactly what I'm talking about.

Finally is a spread of the new season key pieces from a selection of designers shot by top photographer David Sims. I like the uncontrivedness (is that a word??) and rawness of the images, which allow the clothes to speak for themselves.

FD - 19th August 2010 - I'm finally putting an end to this blog neglect

I'm back! As you might have noticed Parade has been somewhat neglected of late. Actually, make that very neglected - my dashboard said "last published on 20th July"... It's okay though I haven't been completely idle, this is just a quick post to let you know I'm still alive, haven't disappeared off the planet and tell you what I've been up to!

I've been working on some big articles which you'll see soon, I've been on holiday and finally I have a job! I'm now working part time in Phase Eight in the Metquarter, you know faffing around with hangers until every one is spaced perfectly and generally floating round a pretty dress shop... Which may I add is a pretty dress shop, not a frump shop. You could be forgiven for thinking it was, I did, but recently the stock has got a lot more suited to the younger consumer. Put it this way, I was given a uniform allowance and had absolutely no problem spending it! So please do come and visit me!

Speaking of which, I had the best dressed woman I've seen in a while in the shop yesterday. She was wearing camel trousers (slightly taupey actually), very reminiscent of those in the latest Chloe ad campaign (right), a nude silk blouse, unbuttoned almost to the navel with a blush sequin t-shirt underneath, a gold metal flower necklace and a flowing camel mac. I realise it sounds a tad dodgy on here, but in the flesh the tones were perfect and those trousers were so well cut... I only wished I'd had a camera with me to snap her. My boss was on her lunch too so she missed her...

Now I cant remember whether it was on this blog or my previous where I had a bit of a rant about French style. Nevertheless, I'm going to have it! In the nicest possible way, I actually struggle to see sometimes how Paris, one of the fashion capitals of the world, is in fact, in France. I say this because round where I go, (south west) the clothes to buy in the shops, I would say, are foul. And I think most British fashionistas would agree. Now if you love linen, very rough and quite raw, in various washed out pastel tones, in a milkmaid style sack of a dress, you'd love it there. If not, like me, you'd end up spending a bomb in the amazing bijouteries. I bought a gorgeous necklace, which weighs a ton. But anyway back to subject, if your not a fan of the linen, there's shops similar to one I went in which we dubbed "French Matalan". Thinking back, I think that's a bit unfair on Matalan. The problem is, everything is just a bit weird. A blouse which looks lovely from the front will have a couple of random gathers and a "hip" french word scrawled across the back. Get the picture? The fabric is just not right, and the colours... since when lime green should be used for cropped pants I'll never know.

See the thing is, they don't really seem to be bothered by the actual clothes they're wearing. I think sometimes its a case of they have to wear clothes purely to look decent in public and its quite an inconvenience. A lot of French women just naturally have that elegance (not to mention the tan and the physique) and the confidence to look good in whatever they're wearing. They all have that thrown on relaxed thing going on that we praise Vanessa Bruno and Isabel Marant (left) for - that's both for the clothes they design and the clothes they wear. I suppose in picking apart their clothes, I'm quite jealous of a Frenchwoman's attitude. I've been told I could pass for French in the face, I'm trying to adopt their manner of dressing...

But somehow thrown on doesn't work for me, noticed?!

P.S. So much for a short post, I'm sorry, I got carried away!

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P.P.P.S. I've just thought of an exiting next post so look out for that in the coming few days!