A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 13 – Curves Ahead

Fiona Ferris titles Day 13 “Indulge In Your Femininity” in her book, 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, the author lists several fun ways to enjoy both traditional and personal interpretations of femininity. Fiona makes the point that confidence and a sense of fun are integral parts of being chic. She recommends discovering one’s own personal style points of femininity and playing it up.

You might not be able to tell from the photo above but this morning when I snapped it, the outside temperature was 34 F (1 C) and 25 F (-4 C) with wind chill. The wind, may I add, never stopped for the 45 minutes I was outside. Given all that, I have some thoughts on coats and feminine elegance today. 

Here is Paris, coats are required. There is a cold winter from November through March and a lovely but chilly Spring from April through the end of June. (The temperature was 52 F (11 C) when I walked out on the morning of July 9, last year, wearing a long-sleeved heavy cotton shirt, jeans, a jean jacket fully buttoned up with a long, cotton scarf wrapped snugly around my neck!) With respect to climate here in the City of Light, women and men habitually wear coats and scarves during the colder months.  And they look chic! It is rare that I see a frumpy, dowdy looking woman of any age walking by.  How do they do it? With the men, one usually sees men wearing tailored trench coats or a wool car coat. Almost always with a wool scarf around the neck.  One just does not see the baseball jacket or a super puffy parka. The men’s trench and car coats are designed to lend emphasis to a man’s broader shoulders and slimmer waist.

With women’s coats, I see both tailored wool and trench coats and the more flowing “bath-robe”/wrap style coat (like the coats Meghan Markle has been photographed wearing.) Most coats are slim-cut and have a belt at the waist which gives the wearer a curvy silhouette. The lengths vary from below the knee up to mid-thigh. (Note: I don’t really see coat hems that cut right across the widest part of the hip area.)  And, always, a scarf! Color and style are as varied as the women wearing them. What is so attractive about this parade of people and coats is that the women look quite feminine and the men look quite masculine. The women, regardless of size or height, have some type of curvy look (depending on their height and build) and the men tend to have the inverted V (broader through the shoulders and narrower through waist and hips.)

Here is a dark navy (“French Navy”) coat with side buckles (not shown in photo) that can adjust the waist area for a more “curved” look. The princess-seam pockets (as opposed to side-seam pockets) create a vertical “slimming” line at the hips. The tailored shoulder seams give a structure to the hang of the coat and make the wearer’s posture look straighter. The fur collar adds visual interest (as well as warmth) and pulls the eye up to the face.

So how does this relate to Fiona’s Day 13 topic? If we live in a cold climate, we can stay warm and still look and feel chic and feminine with a well-thought out winter coat decision. Style take-aways from the Paris winter scene are: well-fitting, slim-cut coat with some kind of belt or accent at the waist.  A good quality coat in a color and style that flatters us helps to make us feel more stylish and feminine as well as keep us toasty warm.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has the chic belted coat look down pat. If you google “Kate Middleton coats”, you’ll find many examples of coat styles that will flatter a variety of builds (not just the tall and model thin.)

Queen Letizia of Spain is well-know for her feminine style. She is well worth googling for inspiration!

In these days of lockdown and “stay-at-home” emphasis, a fun exercise could be to try some different looks.  Doll it up by adding a little feminine addition to your look. I’m not saying parade around in the leopard print body stocking (although, if that sounds like fun, I say go for it!) Try adding a scarf to a round neck shirt or a pretty belt to the usual jeans and pull-over. Ditch the sweatshirt and try a more feminine cut top that still keeps you warm.  If you like fur (real, vintage or “faux”), pull it out and see how you can style it.

Another fun thing to try (something Fiona does) is pull out some clothes, lay them on your bed and see what you can come up with in terms of different outfits. It’s amazing what new combinations you can suddenly see.

Here is something (very) different and with a belt to add a bit of “curve” to the look:

What adds a feeling of feminine sparkle to your day?