At the risk of sounding like a total cliché, I've always had a thing for the French. Their habit of spending Sundays drinking wine for hours over interesting conversation, their eye makeup tattooed from last night. Their certainty about how to live, how to be happy. All I mean is that it's nice to see people simply living their lives without the constant need to try out every new workout, cleanse, and beauty product under the sun to feel their best. The French lifestyle makes our
work until your legs stop working mentality seem a little ridiculous. I studied abroad in Paris a few years ago (still can't believe I took
these photos before I knew who Emmanuelle Alt was!), and while it was one of the most difficult semesters of my college experience, I can't deny I fell in love with the city.
I fell in love with the people, too. Maybe it was the allure of a foreign language, but nearly everyone seemed to have this great sense of self (there were exceptions, of course). They knew what they liked, and that was that. It's that confidence that makes some of these French girls so cool. Caroline de Maigret, Lou Doillon, Carine Roitfeld, Jeanne Damas. Jeanne is my latest go-to for inspiration of the life and style variety. Her outfits are so imperfectly French and her
photo diary makes me want to get up and go. Anywhere. Or smear on red lipstick, stay in with friends and laugh until it hurts.
"When I don't know what to wear for a night out, I always wear some high-wasted jeans, a fluid top and high heels."
See my style feature on Jeanne here.
Photos via Jeanne Damas, Stockholm Street Style, The Coveteur