French clothing style: the secrets of the charm of French women. French women, what are they

We all know such famous names as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Pierre Cardin, and this list can be continued with more than one dozen surnames. Numerous media outlets tell juicy stories about Paris Fashion Week, and classic French films showcase elegant beauties. But in reality, ordinary French women are quite far from the ideal we created, but their wardrobe often depends on age.

For example, young girls are desperately trying to draw attention to themselves, so they more than use bright makeup, tight and revealing clothes, and also experiment with hair color. But often it looks tasteless, firstly, because girls simply do not know how to take care of themselves, leaving peeling nail polish and a messy hairstyle, and secondly, they all dress in the same budget stores, which is why they very often look " carbon copy ", blindly following fashion trends. Unfortunately, the same styles are not suitable for girls with different figures, but young French women prefer to ignore this fact, not being able to emphasize their advantages and hide their shortcomings.

It would seem that in middle age this problem should disappear, but no matter how it is, because here we are waiting for a real fashion paradox. Yes, French women by the age of 30 visit beauty salons, try to take care of their appearance, but in the end they go to extremes: some of them dress completely nondescript (and there are most of them), and some are too extravagant in their choice of wardrobe. The first category of French women practically does not use decorative cosmetics, except for some important celebrations. They buy high-quality clothes and shoes from expensive brands, value comfort and convenience and will never wear high heels. These are usually married French women. The second category of extravagant madam is more likely to be loners. They have created their own "style" and truly believe in their elegance. Such women never leaf through fashion magazines and with peace of mind wear what was in trend 15 years ago.

But who you can really envy is the French women after 50 years. Most of them are very smart (they are mainly engaged in dance schools and fitness clubs), elegant and well-groomed. Women of this age will never wear old lady's clothes, and as long as their figure allows them, youth things will hang in the closet. However, French women perfectly feel the edge of age, so you will never meet a grandmother in a mini-skirt on the street. When I first came to France, I was desperately trying to find this French standard of fashion and style. In tourist Paris, I was disappointed, but once on the outskirts of Dijon, at a stop in a tiny village, a bus was illuminated by a Woman with a capital letter of the word. She was about ninety years old, but never in my life had I met such a well-groomed and elegant representative of the beautiful half of humanity. This Frenchwoman had a perfectly collected hairstyle, light makeup, transparent nail polish, a long trench coat in the correct beige color and stylish shoes with small heels. And how she talked with her friend! In short, the whole trip I could not take my eyes off her. I really like that French women of age do not forget about their appearance and look great. At the same time, they are not afraid of color and very stylishly select makeup, manicure, shoes and clothes, especially focusing their attention on details.

I used to think that every French woman goes through all the 3 stages I described above, but now it seems to me that it's not about age, but about the difference in generations: if you looked after yourself at 18, then you will do the same at 30 and 60. In any case, this question remains open, and now we will move from the outer shell to the character of French women, about which everyone knows much less.

How are they so different from us Russians? Neither a toned figure in old age, nor natural make-up ... Only now I realized that it is the look that makes them so special, and the eyes, as you know, are the mirror of the soul. French women look at those around them very confidently and tenaciously, they have some kind of inner strength, the very core that is talked about so much, but no one has seen it. I won't say that everyone, but many French women have smart faces and deep inquisitive eyes. But along with this energy and intellect, there is a certain coldness in them, as if a piece of ice of the snow queen accidentally blurred their vision. In fact, French women are such "snow queens" with perfect manners and smiling faces. They always keep others at a distance, and an unfamiliar benevolence for us can easily be mistaken for a manifestation of friendship or at least sympathy, but in reality, representatives of the most romantic nation are in no hurry to let strangers into their territory.

French women suffer from overestimated self-esteem, are often fixated on themselves, and therefore often fall into depression, not skimping on sessions with a psychotherapist. Their excessive closeness and coldness in the end do not always play into the hands, but rather lead to frustration and loss of the meaning of life.

Residents of France are quite emancipated, therefore, they fully share all rights and obligations with men. For example, in a restaurant with a gentleman, they must pay for themselves, or they can completely cover the entire bill. It's the same in family life: cooking, cleaning, washing, and babysitting are shared in half with the husband. A French woman would never put on an apron, and in general all household chores are performed slightly through her fingers.

By the way, about marriage. French women do not seek to impress a man with cosmetics and clothing, considering this a humiliating relic. They do not tie themselves by family ties until 35 years old, before that they were in a dubious and often unsuccessful relationship. But after this figure, their life turns on fast forward: a new meeting, pregnancy, wedding ... So in six months they make up for all 10 years. It is not surprising that such a choice is often hasty, and marriages fall apart after 2-3 years. French women leave the decree very quickly: literally 3 months after the birth of a child, they are already expected at the workplace. Indeed, French women devote a lot of time to their careers, unfortunately, often to the detriment of communication with children. But, nevertheless, if the marriage is successful, French mothers do not stop at one baby. At least two, or even three, and five give birth - it all depends on the religiosity of the family and material wealth.

Perhaps you have met women from France with radically opposite character traits, so my article represents only a certain collective image. In any case, to understand a French woman, she has to be born.

Women of France are attempts to combine elegance with modern realities of life. How do these women maintain their style and independence, remain proud and attractive to all men? What is their zest and what is their outlook on life? They are unlike Russian women, but their desire to be happy and sense of duty unites them with Russian women.

Family for a French woman - dream or reality

Speaking about women in general and in particular, the themes of family and children immediately come to mind. French women fall into the category of beauties and fashionistas, and, it would seem, there should be no problems of female realization. But there is a slight hitch - as in all of Europe, feminization is strong in France. The customs of this country are such that women here are strong in spirit and strive to earn money. In a relationship with a man - half the cost, half the responsibility. They are strict with children - and one cannot say that they are somehow rude or indifferent.

No, but discipline is highly encouraged by French women. And the children of these women are well brought up. It is also very interesting that the majority of French women do not support the institution of marriage, pragmatically believing that it has outlived its usefulness. The most popular family "hearth" in France is civil marriage, in which both children are born and houses are bought. Although, it makes you wonder if the notorious independence of French women gives rise to such a large number of divorces and unofficial marriages.

The expression "Balzac's age" arose after the release of Balzac's novel "The Thirty-Year-Old Woman" and is permissible for women not older than 40 years.

The relationship between two French women can be called secular - if they are friends. All the attributes of female communication are collected in their meetings. But in all this there is also a big difference from the traditional Russian friendship - the lack of depth. There is an exchange of news and compliments, superficial conversations, but the Frenchwoman will not dive into problems. For this they have psychologists - and here you do not know whether this is good or bad. The sincerity and depth of relationships accepted in the Russian mentality do not find such a response in France.

The average age of marriage for French women starts at 27 years old, and the birth of children is most often postponed until full self-realization, when both housing and a car have been bought. These women are practical in little things, let alone such a step as creating a family.

Self-realization and career

But French women also have their own advantages, which are worth borrowing for Russian women - these are their self-confidence and rather high self-esteem. They say that women in France often "inflate themselves", but in fact, they demand a response to dedication. French women are often hardworking and competent in the field in which they work. Moreover, given that it is difficult to work in France, they always work. At the same time, they bring up children and lead the house. A French woman will never marry to harass herself in marriage, burdening herself with all the responsibilities. They will require a response from the man. Which, in principle, is true and quite natural.

The attitude of these women to their careers is also very interesting - unlike Russian ladies, they will not work for an idea or just because of the good attitude of their superiors. Practical and rational, they are well aware of their rights and one can hardly expect that these rights will be allowed to be infringed. In general, in France, a kind of selfish attitude towards their own interests is very developed, which is also manifested in women. Standing on a par with men, these ladies are quite cold-blooded and can be calculating about marriage and career. What happens most often.

Fashion or practicality

And what Russian women are so interested in is the notorious French fashion. The ascribed standards of feminine beauty and Parisian fashion are vastly different from today's real ones. But there is also a similarity - the changed standards of beauty are perfectly expressed in French everyday fashion. French women dress simply - the casual style is most often found among ordinary women rushing to work or school. Here it is appropriate to say about jeans and sweaters, flat-soled shoes - everything that is functional and comfortable. Accessories are welcome - scarves and glasses, brooches, umbrellas and bags. But you will not find busting here - hair in a ponytail, a minimum of cosmetics, pastel colors in clothes.

There are, however, some quarters of Paris - especially the trendy, select ones. Here, women are a little different, corresponding to fashion trends, but their lifestyle involves the creation of such an image. For an ordinary French woman - a hard worker, purposeful and independent - too sophisticated outfit and high heels will only create additional difficulties.

But do not think that French women are such "aunts". Not at all. The simplicity of their outfit is not a random choice or something lurid, deeply lax. All shades and styles of clothing are perfectly matched, the look is neat and fresh. You shouldn't buy only beauty - you can't buy bread with it, women of France believe. And in this they are right.

Hobbies and hobbies

In essence, these women are far from being silly and do not build pink castles. Most of them know their worth, and therefore value their time. Their leisure time is their relatives and friends, which is highly valued in all social strata of France. Family ties are extremely important for them, and they often get together - relatives of all generations. Friends and pleasant communication translate into joint trips to the cinema and the gym. But most of these women study a lot in their youth, and then work, so they have friends according to their interests.

These are the French women. Not as romantic and not as dreamy as the contrived heroine of Amelie, but still just as attractive, independent and flawless.

May 21, 2014 at 2:41 pm

Hello everyone! The topic of French women has become especially acute for me lately. Especially the last few days. I have been in France for three years and have already realized that the local ladies have no taste for clothes and in general they differ greatly from our women, in my opinion, for the worse. And if at first I lamented that I most likely would never become a real Frenchwoman (it doesn’t matter with my language and the accent will still remain for the rest of my life, even if I learn the language a grade one day), now, having met closer to the French women, I realized that I do not want to be like them in ANY way. This Saturday my husband and I were at the wedding of his friends. All the French women, as well as to my wedding, came dressed in the same robes of gray or brownish color described above, not ironed, that is, they were such a strange pale mass that I somehow did not even see their faces, did not perceive. But I immediately talked to the wife of a friend of my husband's, who also came dressed that way. I asked: well, wouldn't it really be nice to wear something bright, summer fun, etc. (I myself was inviting in a bright blue dress made of fake silk, which glittered in the sun) and everyone was looking at me. So my husband's friend's wife told me that it was indecent to dress brightly. One must be dressed modestly. Well, I stepped aside with the stroller (my son is three months old). Then my husband took us home about an hour later, because with the child it was uncomfortable in a noisy society, and indeed I don’t know these people and it’s difficult with the language, I understand only if they speak to me slowly, and they’re not my friends, but mine. husband. The next day, my husband tells me that when the guests played the game find something there, they had to find a bra. There was no bra and it was necessary for it to appear. Then the young woman poked around under her dress and pulled out her bra and ... immediately shook it to my husband with an enticing smile !!! That is, such a contradiction: to dress modestly, and behave immodestly! I would even say a worse word. I do not understand! And at the table in the presence of strangers, French men often talk about how they protect themselves when they had their last m ... ... even about what positions they prefer in bed. She herself heard more than once and left the table from moral discomfort. My husband also explained to them that it shocked me, that it was not accepted in our country. That is, I cannot understand French women! They generally piss me off. So the norm for them is to dress more modestly, and to behave more handsomely, to try to seduce a married man who has a small child.
My husband and I want to have a second child soon, and now I have decided that if a girl is born, I will give her an original Russian name so that she is as little as possible like these grisettes of easy virtue. I am also going to educate her more in our Russian framework and traditions.
But I am very pleased with French men. In my understanding, this is precisely the image of a real man who takes care of the family and looks nice and with charm and reliable. It's a shame that they are raising their own daughters so strangely.

What does an ordinary Russian know about the French? Actually, not that much. Those who have never been to Hugo's homeland often use common stereotypes in their ideas about the French. The portrait of a "typical Frenchman" in most cases looks a little strange: a kind of sophisticated lover of frog legs and "burgundy", with an indispensable scarf around his neck and a baguette under his arm, drinking coffee with a croissant in the morning, and champagne in the hotel room in the evenings ... But so is it?

About stability

If we talk about stable habits, then the French are unconditional opponents of experiments. They value stability and consistency most of all. It can get ridiculous: bread is always bought in the same bakery, Friday dinners are held in a favorite restaurant, and vacations are at a resort that you liked when you were young. Is it worth talking about the Frenchman's attachment to his work? As well as to your country. A typical Parisian may know several languages, especially if it is his duty, but in any case he remains sure: there is no country better than France, and there is no particular point in traveling abroad either. According to the Frenchman, the Earth revolves around Paris. And the French frankly regret representatives of other nationalities, because, alas, they will never become the owners of such a delicate taste and such a wide outlook as the inhabitants of France.

Every Frenchman sincerely considers himself "the best" - in politics, fashion, art, culture, gastronomy ... It is impossible to list everything. Well, if in some area a Frenchman does not feel like an expert, then this, of course, is only because this area of ​​knowledge is not at all interesting to him and is not needed in life.

About kisses and style

Another stereotype is about unique French kisses. The French man generally seems to most foreign women to be a kind of hero-lover. But in fact, the majority of the "frogs" are ordinary guys, often, by the way, giving in to the ladies. The reason for this is the well-known relaxedness of the French women and their notorious independence.

By the way, about the French women. They do not always look as elegant and stylish as the mass media is trying to demonstrate. Carried away by feminist sentiments, French women often forget about their appearance. But men in France really take care of themselves - sometimes even more carefully than women.

It is believed that the French do not pronounce the "r" sound, but this is only partly true. It all depends on what region of the country a person was born and raised in - Corsicans, for example, have an accent in which there is no characteristic French "r".

The French are pretty lazy and they really are. The average Frenchman uses every possible opportunity to relax: lunch break, coffee break, day off, shortened day, illness, strike ... This is especially true for office workers. However, merchants in numerous shops also do not disdain such things.

About food

By the way, about the shops. French housewives are some of the most meticulous in the world. In Europe, it is generally not customary to prepare food in advance, and in France it is completely like death. The typical Parisian housewife goes to the shops every day, picking each piece of cheese meticulously. Everything you buy must be perfectly fresh. The very process of eating gives the French incredible pleasure - perhaps only talking about cooking is becoming more pleasant.

The French are even more conservative when it comes to food than they are when it comes to jobs or car brands. Everything should be as usual: foie gras - only with sauternes, coffee - only after dessert, and God forbid adding milk to it! Yes, table setting and even the order of seating guests at dinner are also subject to strict canons.

About tourists

The French attitude towards tourists is wary, if not to say hostile. Sincerely considering their country the best in the world, the French believe that any newcomer, by default, is not so smart and sophisticated. And if a tourist also actively violates the rules of conduct - for example, reveals a map, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk - then this is a reason to express his open contempt to him.

The French are not very friendly at all. However, this is not a reason to refuse to visit Paris: if a tourist behaves "correctly", he will always and everywhere be welcome. And if you can explain with the locals in French, the attitude towards you will be especially warm.

5. There are dark cafes there. Most often, the owners of these cafes are bartenders and only hire waiters as assistants for the evening. In the evening from 6 to 11 o'clock it is almost impossible to take a seat in the cafe. Lunch is also difficult, but still a little easier.
6. They smoke in cafes, it feels like everything. A beautiful cafe in the city center spoiled my date due to the fact that the girl was hard to see from the smoke. Very few people bother with ventilation there.
7. There are a lot of smokers, especially young people. Which is strange when you consider that a pack of the cheapest cigarettes there costs about 220 rubles in terms of wooden ones.
8. There are many Arabs. So many. Especially young people. It seemed to me that there are more of them than the French. And this is not even Marseille.
9. Arabs, mostly young, behave quite aggressively there. They very much resemble the Caucasians in Moscow, only the faces are slightly different. In the same way, they can run into in the evening, very greedy for beautiful girls. But for some reason they are not scary. Maybe it was in me that bold Russian blood was boiling so much, but in the evening it was not at all scary for me to walk past the company of drunk young Arabs waking up the whole area).

10. The style of the French is heavy for our look. 99% of young people there wear watches and chains (the more the better) over all clothes, even if it is a down jacket. Dressing in shoes, socks of different colors, doing completely freaky hairstyles is the norm and no one is surprised at this. A hairstyle, a la "short pot," more like a Jewish hat that looks like it, is worn by 99% of young Arabs. Europeans are more like humans.
11. Girls in France are VERY not pretty. Small, thick, scary on the face. ALL (!!!) beautiful girls that caught my eye turned out to be immigrants. Well, except for one thing - the lady was stunning (and what was she doing in such a suit on the subway?), But I did not dare to find out her nationality.
12. Children in France are scary too, especially girls. Then they grow into scary French women.
13. Public transport is cool. Trams are like moon rovers, buses are clean and comfortable, the metro is quiet and comfortable (there are wheels with tires), but it travels much slower than the Moscow one. But. The metro runs there every 10-15 minutes, and there are automatic trains without a driver on some lines. They consist of 2-3 cars (some of 5-6), and it's pretty cool to sit in the very front and feel like a machinist)). Tickets for all types of total transport are the same, that is, having bought 1 ticket for 1.5e (right now it can be more expensive), which is valid for 1 hour, you can go through as many turnstiles as you like on different types of transport. Very handy for a short trip.
14. Transport inspectors come from time to time. They go and see tickets and read out - have you punched a card for a free trip, if there is one (for example, students and schoolchildren have). Xs why, but it is necessary to punch even such cards.


15. Fines for travel without a ticket are unrealistic. For a beautiful pirouette through the turnstile in the metro (by the way, there are also a lot of jumping, mostly Arabs) I was fined in the 200s)) And given the fact that I did not carry a foreign trip with me, they called the police and waited a long time until she arrived.
16. The police arrived in 10-15 minutes. Which is strange, considering that they were traveling by car, and the site turned out to be 1 km from the station. The cops turned out to be polite, French, and never brutal. The brains did not soar for a long time, they clarified my name (by the way, by the way, they were not able to write it down by ear)), and let me go home.
17. It is customary to make money on tourists there. Souvenir prices are huge. As probably everywhere else.
18. Houses and apartments are low and luxurious. In the center there are usually buildings of 5-6 storey buildings. Less often 7. In the whole city I counted only a few houses above 10 floors. The entrances to all, without exception, houses are crystal clean, well-groomed, in general, paradise. The apartments are large. 3-4 rooms are everywhere. Often - with decorative elements. It's a pleasure to live there. Although there are also cheaper and worse options, mainly in the suburbs and other cities. In Saint-Etienne, I visited the hut of a Lithuanian, which was located in some garages. It was possible to get there only by a tricky route, all the walls were painted, the hut was small and uncomfortable, in the style of a studio.
19. In many houses, there are cunning metal shutters on the windows outside, in fact, just metal shutters that can be closed. You cannot do anything with them, neither paint nor remove ANYTHING. Even if they really bother you. Will you tear it off? Penalty.


20. Fines in France are generally huge for anything and everything. Especially traffic rules.
21. The embankments are very similar to those in Moscow.
22. There are a lot of women driving. But they drive like all women - not very well.
23. In France, people are very partial to fire. If you want to hurt your neighbor out of emotion, then you put a bunch of them on him, shit on the rug, etc., then they will burn your rug, car, mailbox, whatever. Everyone insures their cars against arson. For example, the ex-husband of my girlfriend's mother, out of jealousy, burned their car, the stain probably still has not been laundered in the parking lot) But in the end it turned out to be profitable because the insurance paid more than the car actually cost.
24. The French are very fond of their car industry. I personally observed the superiority in the number of Citroens over Renault and Peugeot, but there are many of them. In fact, even if there is money, a Frenchman will most likely take a Citroen, and not a Mercedes or a Japanese woman.
25. The French are very polite. In case of minor accidents (the same friend's mother deftly kissed the jeep when parking), they do not strain at all and disperse.


26. The French are VERY polite. I will describe a case that plunged me into culture shock. I was driving a bus, a woman was driving (there are about half of them there), a man who was obviously spitting on everything, caused a sharp braking, ran in front of her, everyone almost fell. I was expecting a dirty tirade right now, but instead the man waved to the lady, and she smiled and waved back at him and drove on.
27. There is very cheap wine in France. Before leaving, I bought 3 bottles on the 2nd, and the quality was better than many of ours.
28. Bottled beer is bad in France. It costs about a third more expensive than ours (like all products), but the taste of their mediocre beer is at the level of Zhigulevsky. I brought them bottles of Bochkarev and the Siberian Crown for testing, and compared them myself for a change. Ours is much better. From our beer in their shops you can find only the Baltic.
29. There is a problem with Russian shops, they are there, but not enough. And the prices in them are ogogo. Then (3 years ago) Ochakovskaya boob cost 3-4 times more expensive than I drank a couple of days before in Moscow)). Owners of Russian restaurants buy food there.


30. The French are very sociable. So they strive to sit down and chat with you. Even if you're with a girl. Even if you say you don't understand French. Sometimes it really pisses me off, I want to take it and f * ck.
31. The French are suffocated. There are a couple of big guys with a bituha for the whole city. And the gyms are more like a pasta shop. But sports are in order. The most popular games are football, basketball and rugby. If you are a rugby player, you rise in their eyes by 100,500 points, because you are most likely a healthy guy and unique. Everyone plays football there. Basketball too, but less.
32. There are not so many blacks in France as it might seem from the performance of their national football team. Approximately 15% of the total. And they are pretty normal guys, polite, sociable, not aggressive.
33. There is no swearing in their language. There is only the word Mierde which can be translated as devil, or as gamna. Depending on the turnover. There is also no sound X, I was told that they could not even pronounce it, but I do not believe it.
34. Social assistance to the “poor” there is at such a level that our middle class should feel wounded. Help comes first of all with food. On coupons, every 2-4 weeks, all the "poor" of the area (mainly immigrants) gather for distribution. They distribute everything there - cheese (with mold, we don't have that), chocolates (very tasty), yoghurts, bread, vegetables, milk, cereals, well, everything. The quality of the products is the same as in the store and the goods are not basements, but branded.


35. The standard of living there is extremely high. I lived at one time in the family of such "poor". They have a 3-room apartment on the 5th floor with crystal clear light yellow porches and glass doors. Excellent renovation, half-wall plasma, audio system, computer with internet, full refrigerator…. in general, I live in Russia much worse. Inet, by the way, there is harosh anywhere in the country, and without glitches.
36. Education there is at a very high level. At school, by grade 10-11, they undergo a program equal to the 2nd year of our university. Checked it out. They take it very seriously - it will not work for free, the program is very complicated, you need to study inside and out. But if you received a diploma, consider life a success and a good job awaits you. But there is an opportunity to drop out of school, as many immigrants do and then go to builders and auto mechanics.
37. If there was a temperature of -20 even for a couple of days, France would have died. It is cold there and at +10, especially to the cottages ...
38. There are a lot of old houses in France. Lyon has a whole block of houses that are 300-400 years old. They look pretty good, like Soviet houses of the 60s and 70s ...
39. The French are obsessed with discounts, as probably all Europeans. They go and try on clothes for 2-3 months, and then during the discount season (if I'm not mistaken there are 2 of them - winter and summer) they storm shops all over the country. It is difficult to explain scientifically).


40. There are markets, but in hidden places of the city, so that it is not visible. They sell all sorts of bad clothes, fruits and vegetables and some furniture and plants. The sellers are Arabs. The quality is bad, the prices are lower than in the store.
41. After 9, not a single shop, not even a pharmacy, is open. The only exceptions are Arab shops and all sorts of kebab houses. There are no convenience stores.
42. Kebab is a very common food, especially among young people. By God, like our shawarma. It is prepared exclusively by Arabs. All the ingredients are like in shawarma, only they are cut a little differently and instead of lavash - a piece of pita. There is still more convenient shawarma) It costs 3-4 euros.
43. The French cook so-so. Even in cafes and restaurants. And their coffee - it feels like with cigarette butts. But the whole thing is worth a lot. For 2 lasagna and 2 cups of coffee in the center, be prepared to pay 30–35 euros.
44. Russians are not very fond of, but they do not despise either.
45. There are a lot of Ukrainian prostitutes in France. Almost all) The guys told me)) I did not check it myself. But it seems they are in demand, considering that fr. girls are all scary.