Style

Lola (1961): Cécile in Nantes

In Jacques Demy’s Lola (1961), single-mother Cécile (played by Anouk Aimée) balances life’s demands gracefully. She’s always rushing and asking people for the time. On a typical day, she picks her son up from school, tucks him into bed, and heads out the door for work. Known on the stage as Lola, Cécile performs nightly at a cabaret in Nantes.

The cabaret is a party with free-flowing Champagne, ribbons, and music, a playground for the American sailors passing through the port city. In her line of work, it’s common for male patrons to become emotionally attached, but Cécile’s heart is reserved for someone else, and she isn’t timid about making this fact known.

Cécile finds pleasure in being feminine: admiring her silky hair after it has been washed, applying lipstick in her signature color, accessorizing a sheath dress with just the right necklace and jacket. She doesn’t know her own strength when it comes to captivating men on and off the stage. Even if she did, she wouldn’t sacrifice her attractiveness. She adorns herself with makeup, jewelry, and clothing for her own enjoyment.

Works Sighted

shirt // top hat // necklace // coat // tumbler // book

silver ribbon // gold ribbon // Champagne // bodysuit // comb // lipstick // fedora // candles

comic // dictionary // heels // flowers // cake

satchel // trumpet // vinyl // suitcase

Les Amants (1958): Jeanne Between Paris and the Provinces

Jeanne Tournier lives in la campagne but prefers Paris. She escapes to the capital at every opportunity, staying with her friend Maggy. Henri, Jeanne’s husband, doesn’t appreciate her; he hasn’t for years. Henri senses that his wife is slipping away and attempts to shower her with affection. His efforts are inauthentic and too late. Jeanne is a woman who needs to be loved, and Henri is no longer son amant.

Works Sighted

dress // nightgown // robe // sweater // scarf // skirt

heels // hair comb // alarm clock // necklace // flats // flats

Shopping for Basics at Monoprix

I really love shopping for classic pieces at Monoprix. They carry my size and have reasonable prices. I pick out my items online first and then search for them at a brick-and-mortar location. The hunt often takes me to a few branches of the retail chain. Here are all the items I’ve been fawning over lately.

Works Sighted

sweater // trench coat // puffer jacket

T-shirt // handbag // marinière

pants // ballet flats // gym bag

La Pointe Courte (1955): Elle in Sète

Elle was born in Paris and prefers city life over the quiet existence of the countryside. When her husband travels to his hometown of Sète in southeast France, she follows by train a few days later. Elle has a lot of time to reflect on their four-year marriage, and when she reunites with Lui, she’s ready to discuss it. Over the next few days, they talk about the meaning of love and the possibility of discontinuing their relationship. The passing of time is signaled by Elle’s changing outfits; her clothes are more sophisticated than those worn by the residents of the coastal town. A conclusion regarding the marriage is reached after several cinematic strolls by the water.

Works Sighted

clothesline // clothespins // top // sweater // kitchen towels

marinière // skirt // scarf // dress

baskets // shoes // suitcase // espadrilles

Discovering New Shoe Brands at Galeries Lafayette

On one of several walks through the shoe department of Galeries Lafayette, I realized the store was a likely place to discover new brands—brands that were new to me, not necessarily ones that were new to the market. Ultimately, I decided that browsing the shoe selection online would be more efficient. Thus, I set out to round up six styles that represent companies I hadn’t heard of before arriving in Paris. (Although, I may have heard of Jonak before now; I can’t remember.)

Works Sighted

Victoria // Many (but not all) of the sneakers are tastefully emblazoned with the letter V; not to be confused with Veja. victoriachaussures.com

Rivecour // Shoes that are classic, elegant, and walkable. rivecour.com

AGL // A third-generation Italian brand run by three sisters; shoes with character and platforms. agl.com

Jonak // Classic, versatile shoes at a reasonable price point. jonak.fr

Clae // Minimalistic sneakers made from organic and recycled materials. clae.eu

Free Lance // High heels of varying heights. freelance.fr

Packing for Paris

I’d intended to settle my wardrobe for Paris in advance and not wait until the day of departure. But alas, that is not how the story unfolded As the flight time drew nearer and nearer, I decided to concentrate on packing the essential electronics: laptop, phone, watch, camera, chargers, and all accompanying cords. As for clothes, I brought two sweaters, a white shirt, and the Saint James/Martie pant uniform I’ve been wearing all winter. Et voilà ! No thinking necessary. I had clothes in my suitcase and time to get a mani/pedi before the flight. If I’d left something behind, I figured someone in Paris would sell it and searching for the vendor would lead to an adventure.

Works Sighted

An assortment of Saint James marinières and J.Crew Martie pants; Eyewitness Travel Guides: Paris // Alan Tillier; Cook Like a Local in France // Lynne Martin and Deborah Scarborough; a sketchbook from The Met Store; The Bigger Carry-On by AWAY