Author Archives: Garance

A White Bag

Posted on by
Reply

If you’ve met me lately, you also have certainly met my Valextra* bag, a sublime present that I can’t stop wearing.

I know. It’s white. When I decided to pick the color white**, I thought I would regret it and I have to admit we’ve gone through a lot, my bag and I.

But we are survivors and as you know, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so G + V = Eternal Love. But still:

Wine Stain Accident.

So one velvet evening, we were at the bar with my friend Delphine, talking about economics and philosophy as usual, and I had put my bag on the ground***.
When suddenly, I hear the noise of broken glass on the ground and there… Picture this action in slowmo please:

I raise my arms to the sky, put my glass of rosé on the bar and dive on the ground to rescue my bag even before checking out where was the noise coming from, which is an obvious sign of the inner paranoia my white bag creates in me.

Still slowmo. I shout internally (or not) and I see wine stains on my bag. Still slowmo, I catch the barmaid and ask her for tissues and water as if I was, I don’t know, on the LOST island? I clean my bag like there’s no tomorrow while trying to smile (I’d love to see the grin I was making) and say it’s ok to the poor girl who just broke her glass and feels terrible about it.

My bag is fine. My dignity? Meeeeeeh, who cares?

Red Lipstick Accident.

Because my bags always become this “ back room of shame” where I throw everything I need + my gums used paper + my metro tickets + my lipsticks + … Obviously what had to happen, happened. One day one of my red lipsticks opened in my bag.

I was looking for my phone to take someones number when suddenly I took my bloody hand out of my bag. Livid face of the person in front of me:

“Garance, are you okay?”

“Yes, why?”

Oh shit. As that person was like, someone important, I kept my psychopath reaction for later and laughed (I’d love to see the grin I was making) saying hihihi, ahah, it’s only red lipstick stay with me hehehhihi.

Of course, I then ran into a dark corner to clean my bag with my… Metro tickets.

It survived.

Black Jeans Accident.

I was so proud of my new Mango grunge jeans (trend alert!!!), that I had taken zero time to read the tag “This garment might contain dark.. blah blah” and I was walking on Rue St Honoré when I realized:

1/ My hands had a dark shade to them.
2/ If you turned it directly into the sun (yes of course, I turned my bag directly to the sun right in the middle of the Rue St Honoré !) there was a dark shade too.

Ouch. It was 11am and I was not supposed to go back to the hotel till night. I also had no time to go buy another pair of jeans.

So I discreetly raised my arm in a diagonal so that my bag would not rub on my jeans anymore and walked that way all day. Ah no, also sometimes, I just carried my bag like a baby. What!!! It stayed white!!!

All right my loves, this was a collection of anecdotes to remind you one thing:

We don’t own the objects. The objects own us.

Maybe that’s why we love them so much?

——–

* I don’t know if you’ve ever heard of Valextra, an Italian leather goods brand for more that’s almost 100 years old.
It’s still a family brand. They barely do any advertising and every bag is made by hand by an artisan in Italy, of course, with a respect for the product and every last detail that is reminiscent of a great French brand. Anyway, I’m not going to get out the violins or anything and go on and on about artisans with a tear in my eye… But still.

** Guys, I’m a woman. We like to pick our presents, while saying “surprise me!!!” and then we wonder why our partners are always stuck at presents time.

*** Ok, MAJOR subject: Where do you put your bag?!! I’ll do a post about it like, next week.

Ready For Spring

Posted on by
Reply

I’m so sick of the raiiiiinnnn!!!

I feel like spring is never going to come.
I’m telling you, I know what’s going to happen… We’re not going to have a springtime and we’re gonna go straight from winter to summer we’ll sweat right through our tank-tops praying for a breeze to come save us.

I wrote that yesterday and apparently that’s exactly what’s happening today in New York !

So annoying, especially because I am so on top of it when it comes to springtime trends, like take these for example:

The Cropped Top

A new invention made just to mess with girls’ heads like me who don’t have abs (or at least, our abs are well insulated) pffff. I have, of course, decided to ignore this trend.
And I mean, why would anyone older than 12 ever want to wear a cropped top, right? (she says, picking her bruised ego up off the floor.)

The Grunge Chic

Grunge 1/ Grunge
Of course, yes, I love grunge. I want to totally take on grunge. Grunge is mine. Let’s see…
I have a pair of torn up black totally +++ pants (Are they grunge or maybe just end of stock from the Mango in Ajaccio?)(Answer: Fine. End of stock from Mango in Ajaccio), a Phillip Lim I love New York t-shirt with the heart upside down from his grunge collection (is this one grunge or crypto-punk?) AND as you know I totally missed my chance with Dries Van Noten and Céline Birks.

I think I’ll get myself back in the game with some real Birks but I can’t figure out if I should go with black or white. What do you think?

Grunge 1/ Plaid
I already told you that I missed out on the whole Dries collection! Those are the only ones that make me want to break the bank for some plaid. All that’s left to do now is to steal Lara’s stuff.

Lara Melchior Photo

Grunge 2/ Flowers
Mmmmm, not so interested.

Ruffles

I. Love. Ruffles.

Pink

Okay team, I’m SUPER ready for this one. I have so many pairs of pink pants, and a pink shirt I can wear them with. I know, it’s kind of a lot, but ever since Kim K pulled off her head-to-toe (Could you put together a more head-to-toe look than this one here?)(Seriously though, I’m not making fun of her or anything. I thought it was a cool outfit)(Honestly, I think it was cool.)(Why doesn’t anyone believe me?) at the Met, I’m much more comfortable with a head-to-toe ensemble.
Back on topic: Long live pink.

Sheer

You crazy?! Way too complicated with all the layers and everything… No thank you.

Mods

Yep, you read that correctly. Mods! 60s Mod like the Marc Jacobs collection this season. Beautiful on the runway. The one trend all magazines didn’t know what to do with and went with a “Who is Polly Maggoo” editorial?
Pfff, NOPE. I am NOT Polly Maggoo.
I’LL PASS THANKS.

Leather

Sorry, what did you just say?

White

As we speak, I’m getting rid of everything that isn’t white from my closet. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but just not really. Ok. Yeah. I’m exaggerating in the way that I I’m terrible at getting rid of much of anything from my closet. But : love white.

xxx

Voilà, and that’s my special “I have zero personality” recap of spring trends. There might be some missing but as you know, this ain’t no Style.com.

Next time if you’d like, I’ll talk to you about my actual style, like my totally fresh of the press style. Yep. I changed some stuff AND am experimenting with a few things and it all brings me such fashion JOY… Trends just add a little fun to all that.

What trends do you see around that you’ve adopted?

——–

In the photo, Lily is wearing a Chloé top and some Marni pants.

Thoughts on Bangladesh

Posted on by
Reply

Like everyone that works in fashion… Like everyone actually, I was very moved by what happened in Bangladesh on April 24th.

We’ve all heard (and talked) about the work conditions that enable us to enjoy the super low prices we can find in retail right now, but it’s so easy to just not think about it… This horrible accident is really a signal.

Since then I’ve read about it, trying to understand what’s going on and what we can do about it. The problem being that there is no simple solution.

A boycott would be yet another disaster for the country.

So I thought what would be good is to show you what I’ve read – and if you could also share your insights or articles you found interesting.

Bloomberg, Why You Shouldn’t Stop Buying from Bangladesh

TIME, Retailers Sign Bangladesh Garment Factory Safety Deal

The Atlantic, Better Safety in Bangladesh

What did I think of Great Gatsby?

Posted on by
Reply

Three days out, I’m still not sure… So I’ve decided I’ve gotta put together a pro/con list on this one and see how it pans out.

Oh and also an “Am Not Sure What I Think,” an ANSWIT…

On the Moulin Rouge Subject:
The famous Gatsby parties felt like Moulin Rouge all over again, even though I never saw Moulin Rouge (I saw the trailers and it seems a little too Disneylandy for me). They’re very beautiful but they’re very, very syrupy (is that a word in English? When you want to describe something a little cheesy / overdone?).
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, I guess.
Con.

On the Leo DiCaprio Topic:
Pfff, Leo is amazing. Leo is a really, really, really, amazing actor. Viva Leonardo DiCaprio!
Pro. Big Pro. If nothing more than to go see Leo, go see the movie.

On the Yo Bitch Theme:
The music is anachronistic, edited by god (Jay Z) meaning that like in “Marie Antoinette” by Sophia Coppola (but 7 years later), you can hear Kanye and Lana Del Rey. The music was great, but actually, I don’t know if it added to the movie or was just a nice distraction and seemed a little too “trying to be cool.”
ANSWIT.

On the Costumes Front:
The Prada designed costumes were sublime and the studied fashionista can even recognize a few Prada hits from collections past (edited slightly, of course. This film was everything but cheap), like the Chandelier collection or the stripped fur, to name a few. It’s a little too distracting but since not everyone is a studied fashionista, and it’s just so beautiful….
Pro.

On the New York City Subject:
I thought you didn’t get to see enough of New York in the ’20s. But then again, I’m not Baz Luhrman!
ANSWIT.

On Carey Mulligan:
Ok, Carey isn’t… She’s more very cute than striking (even though we LOVE her style at the studio), so at the start, I can’t say I really got the casting. Why would Gatsby fall so head-over-heels for her? Her character doesn’t even show a crazy amount of spirit or wit, so it’s a little meeeeh.

But then you get that Carey is simply a projection of love.

The problem is that even after you get that, the character is a little flat (also, difficult to compete with the barnum going on all around) and you don’t believe the whole love story thing. Which sucks because that’s kind of the whole point of the movie.
ANSWIT-Con.

On Tobey Maguire:
His name is very roarin’ ’20s so that’s already pushing him toward the pro side. Actually, that’s all I really have to say about him.
ANSWIT.

On aaaall thaaaat symbolism…
The movie is extremely generous with symbols and not-so-hidden clues that explain what the movie is saying in case you didn’t get it yet.
Like when Gatsby is looking at his ladylove’s house from across the water with his unbridled passion-filled eyes and he reaches his hand out and air-closes his fist, you may or may not think this is a gesture Baz borrowed directly from Mariah Carey.
Con, honestly.

Voilà! If I forgot something important, just ask me, and tell me what you thought!!! I could talk about movies FOR HOURS.

Sunday’s Best

Posted on by
Reply

Here are seven tips for you to have a victorious Sunday even when it’s raining WITHOUT A BREAK SINCE SA@#$URDAY NIIIGHTTTT

- Reorganize your entire closet.
Start by putting the clothes you don’t want anymore in a big pile on the floor. Realize that you’ve trapped yourself in the closet and oh look! You found those nail-polishes you were supposed to try out.

- Do your own mani-pedi at home.
Get out all the gear, including the cuticule stuff. File, moisturize, push down all the cuticles, etc. Apply your first coat of red and then decide to wait for the first hand to dry (“I want this to look perfect!”). Decide to make another cup of coffee while you’re waiting. Mess up the mani trying to open your cabinet to get the coffee out. Tell yourself you’ll go ahead and fix the mani, just after you make the coffee.

- Get cookin’.
Get out all the ingredients, the mixers, peelers, everything you need, and start by cutting up vegetables to make a ratatouille. Suddenly remember that actually, you’re supposed to be at brunch in a half-hour. Leap over the wall of clothes you’ve made on the floor in front of your closet and put on whatever you can find since nothing looks right anymore anyway (“Pfff, it’s raining anyways”)

- Take a Sunday nap, such ultimate luxury.
Back from brunch, get into bed with a good book on your iPad, ughhhh so lucky… Close your eyes softly, almost fall asleep to the sound of the rain, quietly dreaming of the beach. See yourself in the sun, walking down the beach in a…

- Grab your iPad again and start doing a little bathing suit shopping.
You’ll get to the nap in 5 minutes but right now, you want that bathing suit. Go to Net-À-Porter, J.Crew, Zara, Ssense, Département Féminin, Asos… Spend four hours on it and buy too much stuff.

- Decide to workout a little to release all these emotions.
Find your way back into your closet which at this point, has been renamed “The Apocalypse” and try to locate some workout clothes. Go to the kitchen to get water and realize all your ingredients are still waiting for you to cook them. Start putting everything away again. Forget working out (“Pfff, it’s raining anyways”)

- Decide that you finally have time to watch Rust and Bone.
Make a pot of tea, get out the blanket, and fall comfortably onto the couch. Aaaaah…

—–

End the day in workout clothes on your couch, one hand (poorly) polished, the other not at all, in an incredibly messy apartment, pennyless, eating raw carrots while crying watching Rust and Bone.

Can you think of anything better?

The Tuck Talk

Posted on by
Reply

I know, Caroline’s outfit is perfect once again. Don’t even get me started on girls who are so graceful like this all the time… pffff.

But wait.
Guess what I want to talk about?

I want to talk about the fact that her shirt isn’t tucked into her jeans. Man, that is one important conversation we need to have.

It’s not tucked in perfectly like Meredith Melling Burke. It’s not tucked in up front and flowing out the back like Emmanuelle Alt.

Nope, completely untucked.

Does that mean Caroline Issa is a trend rebel? Or is this a new trend? Or does it depend on what the outfit is?

How do you wear your shirts?

Pssss: I may or may not have been seen at the Vogue Festival in London with my shirt totally out and free to move around as it wished – and to be honest, I wrestled with the question of whether or not to do it for at least two minutes. Yeah, I said it. It was a pretty intense two minutes.

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Cos Rings

Posted on by
Reply

I have to confess, I am not a huge fan of Cos – but since we don’t have it in New York, I can’t not go and take a look when I am in Paris.

This time, I found something. I grabbed these rings without overthinking it – they’re pretty cheap so you can get a bunch. Ever since I’ve been wearing them on each finger or as first knuckle rings, and everybody’s been asking me where they are from. Okay, it’s not like they’re Balenciaga, but they look seriously cool!

I Love Lingerie !

Posted on by
Reply

I love lingerie but I am a nightmare for any lingerie salesperson because I’m so precise about cuts, fabrics, and sizes.

I expect my bra to minimize and push-up at the same time (yes, I know it’s contradictory, but it exists. I swear.) and my panties have to be as comfortable as Petit Bateau but as sexy as Agent Provocateur (that’s a little harder to find, but still out there), and everything has to be invisible under my clothes, of course…

Oh, and I’ll never wash anything by hand. Seriously now, it’s 2013.

And I forgot… I hate lingerie that’s too tight. I usually pick out one that’s one size too big which makes any lingerie specialist raise a super high brow and tell me that a bra should fit much tighter than what I like (they say that while pulling three times on the back of my bra and looking at me like I’ve just committed high bra treason ”this should be super tight on skin, you bra-fool!”).

So now you get why, for me, bra-shopping can last HOURS. If I ever ask you to go to a little bra shopping session with me, SAY NO.

I :

  • Start by spending three hours looking for my favorite models.
  • Moan cause I don’t like anything.
  • Try on each one in minimum of three sizes.
  • Laugh at the sales person when she points to a model cause, pffffff, you don’t understand, there is no way she can understand my body, no one can understand my body but me.
  • Once in the fitting room, I have a Bra Try-on Special Tee that I try under each bra to see the shape it gives to my clothes. Yep. What, you didn’t know? A misshaped bra can have you put on 3 pounds instantly!

… ETC. But if I am lucky, I am out of there two hours later, in total bliss to have found a few new best friends (yes a good bra is a girl’s best friend).

That’s it! Do you have any special bra try-on techniques or am I the only OCD crazy girl here? Where do you buy them? (Don’t tell me online, I’ll have a heart attack.)

———

In the pictures are the wonderful designs of Yasmine Eslami that I shot on the beautiful Milagros a few days ago in Paris.
They’re beautiful and totally tested and approved by freako-me !!!

Click on the arrows to see more images of Yasmine’s collection…

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Uka Nail Oil

Posted on by
Reply

I don’t know that I’ll ever actually use a nail oil (according to our nailaholic Alex, it is VERY important to moisturize your nails) (well Alex, I can’t even put on a clear nail polish straight so… what do you say?) but I couldn’t help buying these Japanese roll-on nail oils at the Nail Kitchen inside BHV.

Okay, well, first for the packaging, but also because they smell so good that you can actually use them as perfume.

How to wear a white dress?

Posted on by
Reply

For this summer, I am craving this type of shirt dress: white, short, fresh, light, cool.

I did a lot of research (the one in the picture is Thakoon) and tried a lot of them (I tried on an Alaïa at Colette that’s still imprinted on my retina)(as well as the price tag) but each time something was just off…

I found out that the problem is that actually, a white dress can easily look pretty bland and way too waspy (Can you say that? What would be the equivalent in French, BCBG? Bon chic bon genre?)…

Like, with ballet flats it’s freaky, way too proper, not cool at all, -12 on the Altimeter of Fashion.
With sneakers it’s not bad but it casualizes (let’s say that’s a word) the dress too much.
With high heels, well you kinda have to want to go around in heels in summer. I don’t.
With Birks, I don’t think I am ready.
With Birks AND socks, why not? But would I stand the weird looks? (Oh, do you want to talk about the subtle difference between Birks with or without socks or are you just extra tired of hearing about those shoes?)

With mmmm…
With combat boots, like in the picture?
Naaaaaaa, I love it. But it’s not for me.

Gladiators? Espadrilles? Flip flops?

What would you wear?

Zara Overalls

Posted on by
Reply

I didn’t really need to go all the way to Paris to buy a pair of Zara overalls, but I STILL HAD TO SHOW THEM TO YOU, don’t you think?

If you like them, get them now. They’re very well cut, right above the ankle, which makes them perfect with a pair of heels. I love them and all the girls at the studio do too, so I don’t think they will be in the store for long. Hehe.
What do you think? Do you like it ?

Cover Your Eyes!

Posted on by
Reply

I was looking for a pair of glasses yesterday on Marc Le Bihan’s website (great selection, the stores are a real reflection in Paris) when I found these…

Of course, they are Jeremy Scott, the genius designer I don’t talk about enough on this blog.
Of course, I would never wear them, but I love that in this world there are people crazy enough to create things like this.
Oh, and of course, I can picture them on Anna Dello Russo and I tell myself it’s great that there are people in this world crazy enough to wear things like this!

Do you like them?

Don’t Freak Out!

Posted on by
Reply

Okay, so I almost had a nervous breakdown the other day trying on a swimsuit in a fitting room, it’s pretty much like this every year.
And honestly, mes amis, it was totally my fault.

I didn’t respect ANY of the rules concerning the First Bathing Suit Try-on Session.

The FBSTS is serious. It can determine your mood for the months to come, and definitely for July and August, the most important months of the year.

For me, everything is ruined because my first look for summer was worthy of Silence of the Lambs (and by that I mean scary not in a sexy way), but for you going forward, here’s my advice on what to do before you go into the dressing room…

#1 Tanify.
It works for everyone!
I mean, at this point, it’s too late to count on the gym or to go on a crazy diet and so this is the one desperate measure in life that REALLY WORKS. Make sure you go the day before because we all know what happens with a last minute faux-tan session (also known as the “Starbucks Marble Pound Cake zebra effect”) and you don’t need to add that to your already long list of despair.
Oh, and get waxed. Do I really have to say that one? Hmmm, taking into account my FBSTS, I kinda do.

#2 Minimize.
Wash and dry your hair upside down so you can get the most volume possible. Get out all your biggest jewelry. Don’t forget giant sunglasses. Get a venti Starbucks thing. This is called creating an optical illusion.

#3 Beyonceify.
Listen to some music by someone who feels comfortable in her own skin so you can shake your booty while she tells you you rule the world. Playlist at the end of this post…

#4 Scout.
I’m forbidding you from trying on your swimsuit in any random dressing room. Seriously girl? Do you want the same horrific vision I had a few days ago?

I see. You wanna know where I was a few days ago. Okay… Picture this:

You’re as relaxed as can be checking out the goods at & Other Stories. You feel pretty cute in your boyfriend jeans. Suddenly, you see an awesome swimsuit that looks like it could look good on you. Without really thinking about it, you hop into a fitting room. A cruel light falls directly from overhead on your… Sensual curves? Mmm. Yeah let’s say that.
You try to stay cool, philosophical, Eat Pray Lovin’ all the way. You put the beast on.
You gaze into the mirror and RIGHT THEN (cue the high pitched Hitchcock violins)(a horrific scream that all of Paris can hear)(your hair stands straight up) and you realize that not only a white seal has just replaced you in the fitting room, but its image is reflected a million times in the mirrors behind you, going on forever and ever.

So no. Save yourself. Go to a store with dim lighting, with a decently sized dressing room. In New York, I like Journelle. Very comfortable. Phew. We could put together a list if you have any suggestions.

#5 Scout!
Figure out a spot where the bathing suits look darn good on you. Like Eres. If you just ruined yourself buying some Chanel espadrilles, you don’t even have to buy anything.

The idea here is to try something on and see what a well made bathing suit can do for your body so you can see how beautiful you could be. After that, you’ll know what to buy. And you’ll feel beautiful in a bathing suit, which is the goal we’re trying to reach here.

Ok, so you definitely run the risk of just saying screw it and buying the expensive one.

If you know other brands that look good on everyone, tell me!!! I want to know!

#6 Prioritize
No one is making you chose a Brazilian string bikini in a size 0. Tsssss, that’s the one you’ll buy in August.

It’s the first try of the year so stay cool. Pick out a one piece and while you’re at it, pick one two sizes too big, just to have have that winning feeling of popping your head out of the dressing room and asking for a smaller size.

I KNOW THAT’S TWISTED but a bathing suit is like love, it’s the first impression that counts.

#7 Do a shot of ice-cold vodka before hand.

#8 Bring a friend.
Not your boyfriend (“You look amazing my love. Oh hey ! If you want, tomorrow we can start our month of eating just steamed veggies?”) and not your mother (“You look amazing my love. You look more and more like your daddy every day. Look at that little tummy of yours. So cute!!!) and not your friend Gisele (“You look amazing my love. You have to tell me how you do it because no matter what I try, I can’t manage to gain an ounce!”)

No, a friend, a real friend. I mean someone who will talk to you about everything else while you try on your bathing suit, will pretend to not notice when your ass can’t fit into an XS or even an S and not say a word when you ask to try on a Medium (“Oh look at that photo of Kim Kardashian at the Met! Crazy, right?!”) or a Large (“Oh shit. I just broke my arm. Take me to the emergency room!!!”) or even an XL (“I have to tell you something girl, I’ve always been hot for you? Kiss me on the mouth, RIGHT NOW!!!”) or when they tell you that at that point, they don’t have it in your size (*Breaks the fire alarm* “Oh my God! There’s a fire!!! Throw all those bathing suits on the ground! We gotta get outta here!!!”)

#9 Just fuck it and order a bunch online.
I mean really, buying things in a physical store is so totally out. Right?

#10 Christina Aguileraify
Put your earphones on and sing with her : “You are beautiful, no matter what theeeyyyy saaaaaaay, swimsuuuuuuuuits caaaaan’t bring youuuuuu dooooown ooohohoohoho”

Pffff nooo. And really, I realize that outside of just Gwynethifying yourself all winter long, there’s no way the FBSTS is going to go perfectly smoothly.
But hey, thanks to these little tips, you can minimize the damage, which isn’t half bad.

In the mean time, I’ll let you go…. Pfffff, I have to go Jillianify.

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Chanel Espadrilles

Posted on by
Reply

What happened to me? Seriously, I don’t know.

I was just visiting the Chanel pop-up store on rue Saint Honoré (very, very smart & cool idea from Chanel) when a very talented salesman came over to me. For some reason we chatted (maybe cause I am crazy chatty?) and talked about the espadrilles I shot a while ago on Lara and I was telling him I liked them but I would never wear them…bla, bla, bla…

He was like : “Are you sure?”
I was like : “Oh man, NEVER! They’re cute on others but never on me, ahah, Chanel espadrilles!”
He was like : “Wanna try them, just for fun?”
I was like : “Oh nooooo… Oh well, okay, let’s lol together!”
He was like : “All right. See, they’re nice.”
I was like : “Shit, you’re right. They’re kinda awesome.”
He was like : “Okay, it was just for you to see! I felt you’d like them.”
I was like : “Arrrrrgh. WRAP THEM.”
He was like : “You don’t have to.”
I was like : “I said WRAP THEM AND FAST.”

So that’s what happened guys. And that’s how two years after telling you I’d never wear them, I am the happy owner of a pair of espadrilles.

And you… Did you change your mind? Yes or no to espadrilles?

Stop The Water!

Posted on by
Reply

Obviously, one of the first things I did when I had 5 mins in Paris was throw myself into & Other Stories, the new brand launched by H&M.

I loved (I know, I use that word a lot, but I really did love) the atmosphere and the merchandizing of the store – I thought it was very well done, and I regret a little bit that that experience doesn’t translate as well on the website.

I am not crazy about the clothes (not my style, even though I found a cool top) but I spent a ton of time at their beauty stand and brought back a ton of little stuff (overweight luggage alert!) like this eco message toothpaste. Okay well it’s been a while since I learned to stop the water… But it’s a nice change from my Crest!

Stop The Water!

Posted on by
Reply

Obviously, one of the first things I did when I had 5 mins in Paris was throw myself into & Other Stories, the new brand launched by H&M.

I loved (I know, I use that word a lot, but I really did love) the atmosphere and the merchandizing of the store – I thought it was very well done, and I regret a little bit that that experience doesn’t translate as well on the website.

I am not crazy about the clothes (not my style, even though I found a cool top) but I spent a ton of time at their beauty stand and brought back a ton of little stuff (overweight luggage alert!) like this eco message toothpaste. Okay well it’s been a while since I learned to stop the water… But it’s a nice change from my Crest!

Le Make Up

Posted on by
Reply

It took getting totally drunk years to finally understand how to make up my eyes.

In make up tutorials, almond shaped eyes, like mine (I’ve heard it’s called a hooded eyelid, a name I don’t really super like, even though it’s still better than in France, where it’s called a falling eyelid, which I am totally against cause what woman wants to having something referred to as falling, uh? Totally against.) don’t really exist.

When they show you how to apply eye makeup, it’s always on the upper eyelid.

So I tried, of course. I took hours trying. It was sublime… When my eyes were closed…

As soon as I would open them, not only would you not see any of the makeup (hidden in the fold, the bastard) but half of it had gone gluing itself to the upper side of the upper lid. I know I am not clear here, but stick with me.

So I kind of went Eat Pray Love about eye makeup and I let it go. I focused on my lips and was only wearing mascara. Eye shadow was for others.

Yeaaaaaah guys, you’re right. I am not extremely makeup gifted.

Well. Maybe that’s why that on a total Hangover 2 morning that I found the solution. I had obviously went Eat Pray Love and had let go of my evening makeup removing ritual and had slept in it, clothes included. In the morning, while looking at myself through mojito vapors (mmmm, mojitos!), that I had an epiphany.

I was drunk hot!!! My mascara had all ran under my eyes and I must have rubbed my eyes during the night cause the line was perfect. Whhhou! To celebrate, I went for a second cup of mojito coffee and I drew a few conclusions:

Almond eyes (yes) don’t follow the same rules as other eyes. Instead of trying to make them bigger, it’s better to try to elongate them by playing with their shape and…
Not to hesitate to not make up the upper lid.

I finished my training on this makeup the other day. I was on a shoot in Paris and as I was about to have my makeup done, I explained to the makeup artist what I thought looked good on me. She understood right away and I loved her makeup so much that I asked Eva, who was working with me on the shoot, to take my picture.

And so Julie, the adorable make up artist, gave me a few tips :

  • Put almost nothing on the top lid, just a very thin black line on the lashes.
  • Don’t hesitate to really elongate the eye, making almost an inversed cat eye.
  • You can even make that look with mascara, it blends subtely with the skin.

I think that’s it, easiest make up in the world.

You can even do it while you’re drunk.

——-

But thanks to Julie Nozières for the make up and Eva Tuerbl for the photo and for being such adorable work companions. Also, thanks Eva for the awesome hat!

At The Broken Arm

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday I paid a visit to some of the places you’ve recommended in Paris. It’s crazy how Paris has changed in three years. Shops, cafés… It’s nice !

I really liked the Broken Arm, thank you for the tip.

Really cool and good atmosphere, it’s an inspiring place in a neighborhood I’ve always liked, the “Haut Marais.”
I like the scene that’s hanging out at this café, fashiony, arty people but it’s warm and doesn’t feel snobby. The fashion isn’t exactly my type but there is a lot of interesting designers to discover, like Jacquemus.

Not far, I went to the Café Pinson and it’s awesome to finally see a new breed of healthy cafés in the city, even if my quinoa balls were way too salty (not their fault, it’ll teach me to order stuff with capers in it) and that we where not super comfortable in our seats (oooooh I am such a complainer). But there was a lot of cool people, a lot of languages were spoken and a few people were there with their computers, which says a lot about the welcoming environment.

That’s a tough one actually, if you have a café. How can you be nice enough to let people come over with their computer but not become one of these “computer cafés” where people just come alone, spend hours on their screen with their earphones on, having just one coffee and killing the vibe of the space? Maybe that’s why such few places in Paris offer wifi? Who knows…

Oh before I go, I still love Galerie OFR, a place where you can find the coolest magazines and art books.

Ofr Bookstore Photo

A little later, I went to Chanel (yes) and & Other Stories, but that’s another story…

Paris 8.5

Posted on by
Reply

To tell you the truth, the reason I’ve been so lazy on the blog for the last two days is that I am in Paris after two weeks of intense busying around, it’s a holiday week in Paris and everything is running extra slow, and I have decided to get into the Paris groove because, as my sister Sacha, 18, says :
“No way I am working on my revisions for my exams during holidays. It’s psychotic.”

So here’s what I’m doing…

1/ I pay a visit to my Parisian friends, which I can never do during fashion week, cause during fashion week I am a crazy person with a split personality, just like everybody else.
2/ Pay a visit to all the new Paris addresses you gave me. Paris has changed!!!
3/ Ask myself how I totally missed the Dries Van Noten grunge collection, it was so cool and there is obviously nothing left in the stores. Good for Dries, bad for G, late again!
Lara was faster, and she got this beautiful jacket that I am very jealous of.
4/ Do the opposite of diet. (But why is bread so goooood in France? And so… EVERYWHERE? And CAN WE TALK ABOUT CORSICAN CHEESE?)
5/ Shop for my friends at Monoprix, apparently the one thing that French girls miss the most.
6/ Totally forget about Jillian, my virtual coach. I feel like my abs are gonna die when I am back. Maybe I should bring Jillian some Corsican Cheese? (Virtual?)
7/ Okay, I could share uninteresting stuff for hours, just cause I am soooo lax (is that even a word? Who knows) so off I’ll go, to the Flore if you want to know.
And I give you a big kiss!!!

PS : Yeah, obv when I am back to real life, we’ll talk about Kim’s dress at the Met Gala. Yes, this is real life. And yes, I promise. You liked it?

Workin’ It

Posted on by
Reply

Thank you so much for all of your work out music suggestions!

We picked out eight of our favorite songs from your comments and created the playlist below!

Now we have no excuses to not be out running…Enjoy!

1. Get Lucky – Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams
2. Run the World – Beyoncé
3. I Love It – Icona Pop
4. Canned Heat – Jamiroquai
5. Dancing On My Own – Robyn
6. Titanium – David Guetta ft. Sia
7. Get Free – Major Lazer
8. Animal – Miike Snow

Lolita

Posted on by
Reply

The Paris weather has a split personality right now. Like, yesterday, I was shooting on the streets and in the morning I was freezing in my coat under a heavy rain… And in the afternoon I was crazy hot under a bright sun.

How do Parisians do it?

They layer, like Lolita.

It’s pretty simple, a tee-shirt, a light sweater, a light coat. Doing the same today.

I just need someone to carry my coat when it gets hot.

These Shoes (And Me)

Posted on by
Reply

I have to confess something a little embarassing to you. This spring, I turned into a true fashion victim for a minute. Ooookay, maybe it was more than just two seconds… Maybe two months.
It’s actually weird cause I am pretty relaxed with my style right now. I’m a little tired of the fashion* hysteria and I’ve been going with simple and classic outfits. I’m totally Sophia Coppola** these days.

Give me a pair of jeans and ballet flats*** and I am happy.

BUT.

For a few months now, I’ve been trying to ignore a little voice inside me saying, “Céline Birks. Céline Birks****!!!”

Yeah. These in the illustration.

I swear, I’ve been trying to get it out of my head. It’s like these shoes have possessed me or something, with their “let’s have fun with fashion” look and that “yeaaaaahhhhh I’m so bourgeois and sooooooo chill” that I wear Birks with fur inside.

So one day, when Scott asked me what I wanted for my birthday, my mouth opened all on its own and fashionista hiccups came tumbling out… “Céline Birks!”

Pffff.

Scott said no. Anything but that. You want to annihilate our love life. No. Way. He hates shoes with fur inside. He thinks it’s gross when fur and toes collide.

And normal Garance, the one you all know, she totally agrees. Fur between the toes is interesting enough during a show, awesome in Vogue, sublaaaaaaïme in illustrations, but in real life, it’s a little weird.
But Garashionista, my fashion-victim doppelganger, like all fashion-victims, loooooooves them and thinks that just wearing these shoes would make for a happy woman who you can only ever catch from her left profile (her good side).

And since Garashionista***** has her feminine wiles in tact, she was able to convince Scott that getting her those shoes for her birthday would be the ultimate sign of true-love (she has a split personality AND puts together amazing arguments.)

And she won.

He spent weeks looking for them, such a love he is.

Of course though, he couldn’t find them. All the true fashion victims***** ordered them the second they went up on Style.com, which is to say, a few seconds after they hit the runway.

But you know, after he was able to show his undying love for me, I was kind of able to forget all about being soooooo bourgeois yet sooooo chill with my fit all nice and warm and cozy in the fur.

And one day, we were just enjoying a nice stroll through the streets of Soho.
We made a stop (as one must) at Kirna Zabete****** when suddenly, like a far off mirage, I saw the Céline Birks. In my size. I was barely able to breathe when I asked to try them on.

Haaaaaaaaa…

Big fashion moment.

I turned to see myself in the mirror and I saw….

A haggard looking Garance with Birks on and really hairy feet (And Scott just cracking up in the background).

I moved my toes around a little to feel the effect of the fur. It’s a little weird. I took them off, stared at them, turn them around in my hands like I would with a diamond, considered buying them just to frame them (these shoes have already made fashion history)(wouldn’t these look amazing if they were framed and just put up nonchalantly in the office of our new Studio*******, like works of art?)(Shutup Garashionista!) and then looked back at Scott, who was grandiosely gesticulating, saying noooooooooooo!
So, nope. I didn’t get ‘em.

I let, slightly bruised ego in tote but a little wiser after the experience. I was reassured, the new Garance, cool and put together, Garance Coppola, sometimes you catch her left side, sometimes right, but she knows the difference between a runway outfit and one for the street.

And walking arm and arm with a happy man to boot.

——–

* I know, it’s not like I’ve ever been Anna Dello Russo. But I’m even less Anna Dello Russo than I once was.

** And maybe Francis Ford too, sometimes.

*** Sometimes, I also wear a T-shirt, you know.

**** Sainte Phoebe, forgive me. I know. These shoes are not called the Céline Birks. I have no idea what the name of them is. Do they have a name? Feline Birks? Ha!

***** It’s not enough to just claim that you’re a fashion victim, it’s a title that requires some blood, sweat and tears. You gotta earn it.

****** At some point I’ll have to introduce you to Garidontcareaboutshit, who wears only jogging pants all the time. Whoops! You already know her!

******* Yep, my man loves window shopping. More than I do actually.

******* Yeaaaaaah. We’re not in the new Studio yet. Ok ok. I can say I’ve got the totally chill part down, maybe not so much the bourgeois, but chill I’ve got mastered.

I know, I messed up my asterisk count, TOTALLY CHILL, I told you.

Translation : Tim Sullivan

An Instagram Biography

Posted on by
Reply

At Saturday’s Vogue UK Festival, Natalie Massenet launched an Instagram feed that served as a little biography to go along with her talk at the festival…

In a word: brilliant.

Natalie used this Instagram account to talk about everything from growing up in Spain, the launch of Net-A-Porter in 2000 and everything in between. I loved this super visual way for sharing a story…What do you think?

Bisou!

G

PS: You can read Natalie’s full story on her Instagram!

PPS: I was at the Vogue Festival on Saturday, speaking with Anna Dello Russo and Susie Bubble. Thank you to everyone who came!!

The Thank You Note

Posted on by
Reply

In my job, the thank you note is a pretty important thing.
It’s kind of expected.
Feared, almost.

You say thank you all the time. Thank you for a present, of course. Thank you for dinner, obviously. Thank you for giving me that job. Thank you for working for me. Thank you for interviewing me. Thank you for letting me interview you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Oh yeah, thank you for thanking me, too. Yep, like Russian dolls :

Let’s say somebody sent you flowers to say thank you for a beautiful collaboration. You should thank that person for the thank you flowers. And you might… I mean IT’S NOT IMPOSSIBLE… That you would receive a thank you note thanking you for your thank you note. I swear. I mean at least you’ll get a thank you email.

The last one standing wins?

Well at least that’s the way it is in New York.
I am not sure about the practices in Paris, but I don’t remember being thanked that much. Not at all, actually.
I don’t know if that’s because at the time I was living there the things I was doing were not super worth thanking, or if it’s because Paris is more of a thankless city.

So then I was not thanking around as much myself. When I got to New York, people must have thought I was very impolite to not thank officially. Brrrrr, dark, dark days.

I ended up learning it by living it (I always do that anyway).

Ok, don’t take this as a lesson these are just deductions.

A thank you note can be anything as long as it comes from the heart. It can be any doodle made on a napkin with a Bic pen (well of course just be careful you have the right gender pen) and written in vernacular language (“Fucking big thank you bitch!”)(I don’t know, you could be saying thank you to Rihanna) or a paper with heavy imposing grammage with a delicate fountain pen with a lot of poetry in it (“Thank you for this enchanting dinner…”), or, like the picture, a beautiful personnalized note (this is from Allison, so cool).

A thank you note can be late if you apologize with a sense of humor. But if you don’t know how much sense of humor your recipient has, send on the earlier side.

A thank you note can’t be written by anybody else but you.

Unfortunately, as few as they are I don’t follow my own rules and I often forget to send thank you notes, so after I feel like I have to send sorry notes (jk, it doesn’t exist)(or does it?). Too bad, I’d love to be part of the club of the perfectly educated people, that would rather die than not send a thank you note on time.
In the meantime, I hope people have mercy for me.

Oh and to this day, I am not really sure about when to stop the Russian dolls thank you to the thank you effect.

SO, just in case, let me tell you :

What do you think about all that? How do you say thank you? Are there rules that I’m not aware of?

Will you forgive me?

The Look

Posted on by
Reply

I’d love to have great eyebrows like Ana for a day. Just to feel what it’s like.

Mine are pretty small and thin.
It’s not my fault, I haven’t over-epilated them or anything. I just pluck those who get outside of the line, like you (I guess?).
They are just the way they are, à la Kate Moss (Or so I reassure myself).

What’s funny is that each time a make up artist comes close to me, he absolutely tries to give me a big long, dark brow and each time I find myself in the bathroom trying to erase it.

With thick brows, I can’t recognize myself, it totally changes my face and even if it’s supposed to look better, I don’t know, it freaks me out cause I don’t feel like myself.
Each time I realize how much eyebrows define a face. Freaky.

(What also freaks me out is the traced eyebrow, I find that you always notice it and that it could be the MUTITW – Most Unchic Thing In The World and WHY, why do certain women draw a line with orangy liner? Can’t they see themselves in the mirror? Are they colorblind? Why.)

(Oh, other freaky eyebrows thing, last time I met a girl who’d had her eyebrows transplanted (yes, nowadays, one can really have anything transplanted), but, mmm, saying that the intervention is not yet perfect would be a euphemism, if I may say. Oh and even weirder? Those transplanted brows grow, just like hair. So you have to cut them regularly if you don’t want them to fall in you face!!!)(and you could like, make a braid with them eventually?)(Redruuuuuuuuum!)

So, the only thing I found to make my brows look ok without feeling like I am someone else is to put a little bit of brown powder, sometimes. It’s soft and discreet.

How do you take care of your brows? Do you epilate them? Do you make them up? Would you have them transplanted? (don’t).

Three Days in Paris

Posted on by
Reply

I’m lost in my own city! I kept saying that to myself as I was walking on the sunny streets of Paris. I don’t even remember what direction to take the metro.

I should say that I had just landed that morning at Charles de Gaulle and was still wiped by jet lag. After dropping my bags off at the hotel and taking a shower, I was off to go find my friend Jazzmine.

I met Jazzmine in Italy and we’ve never really lost touch, but between all of our travels, it had been a while since we actually sat down and had coffee together. Jazzmine is half American and half Swedish, and after some time in Milan, she had moved to Paris with her love…

I was strolling through the streets of Montmartre when suddenly I hear “Garaaaaaance!” It was Jazzmine, up on her balcony with a friend.

I flew up the stairs four at a time and her dog greeted me – or actually almost flipped me over. I wanted to give Jazzmine a big hug, when she gave me her cheek for a “bise” (two kiss on the cheeks, very Parisian).

We sat around the table with tea, coffee, fresh fruit, little pastries, and lots of cigarettes (all together, very Parisian) and we cracked up catching up with each other.

That’s when I realized that Jazzmine spoke perfect French, with just a little Jane Birkin-esque accent in her voice.

As for me, whenever I get to France now, I find myself looking for the right word all the time.

Her apartment was super pretty and not over-decorated, more like a mix of antiques and items she brought back from various travels (which is also super Parisian). You could hear the sounds coming up from the street, French sentences being bandied about… It all reminded me of my life long ago when I had an apartment that kind of looked like hers and I’d yell off the balcony to friends coming by to visit.

A few hours later, I went to go meet another Parisian friend, not far from Jazz.

When Jazz started to show me how to get to my other friend, I was sitting there trying to figure it out on my Google Maps. The whole thing was pretty ironic.

One Parisian fades away, another one is born.

PS: After spending the weekend in London, I’m on my way back to Paris and I’m going to test out some of the places you recommended! Merci!!!

Jazzmine is wearing Roseanna and Henriette H.

At Wendy’s

Posted on by
Reply

Here are some photos I shot last weekend at the Wendy Nichol store and atelier in Soho.
I really like her bags – they are all handmade, right there, with beautiful skins.

My favorite is the little black bucket bag. It’s very chic, and I have the feeling that it’s kind of a New York girl secret – and I’m telling you that because it took me a while to figure out what the bag was that every cool girl was wearing.

Pretty cool! Do you like it?

Click on the arrows to see more images…

The Great Foundation Debate

Posted on by
Reply

We tried them all!!!

The other day, we asked you to give us your favorite foundations and promised to test them all out. Oh wooooo, look at these crazy challenges we take on at the Studio…

It’s kind of funny to test a new foundation everyday, but at the end of the day, it’s the best way to understand the differences between each product.

Each day of the week, Alex prescribed us a different foundation based on our skin type and then she had to make lines with the foundation (and also with the powder foundation, which cracked us all up at the Studio “Oh, looook, Alex is making tracks here! Total Scarface style! Hohoho! How funny are we!?”)(Okay, maybe it was just me making the terrible jokes) so that we could take this photo.

Here’s the verdict!!! And all of our favorite foundations…

PS: What’s very very clear here is that the next time we do a test like this, we’ll have to get a wider range of skin-types… Asian, black, super blonde, all of ‘em.

We’re all brunettes with pale skin here at the Studio!
Ok, so for the next foundation debate, who’s coming to spend a week at the Studio?

————–

First, here are our skin-types:

Garance: My skin is combination and sensitive, it needs a lot of very light moisturizer but it really tends to shine. 
Oh, and I am not against blurring some of my pores away. Pores, booo!

BUT I like my freckles and I don’t want to hide them. Freckles, yeaaah!

My everyday routine is light foundation on my T Zone (no, it’s not the tee-shirt zone, that would be a looooot of make up, it means the nose and forehead, those zones that tend to shine), concealer, free powder and blush.

Alex: My skin is combination, 100%. It tends to be more dry in the winter and oily in the summer…everyday is an adventure, really. My daily routine is a combination of a primer or BB cream, concealer (under the eyes and to cover any spots) and a powder mineral foundation. I attempt to apply blush, but I’m convinced I’m not doing it right.

Christiana: I have pretty normal skin (lucky me!). I don’t really put anything on my face, but sometimes use concealer under my eyes and bronzer.

Emily: My skin is normal to dry and I moisturize like crazy! My normal routine consists of concealer, bronzer and some blush.

————–

And now…the products:

Garance…

Chantecaille Future Skin: At first, it felt very thick on my fingers (that’s what she said), which I don’t love, but actually as soon as I massaged it into my skin (that’s what she said), it’s like it instantly was absorbed into my skin (that’s what… Ew !), which is a pretty amazing sensation – kind of like putting on a second skin. 

The result is a very beautiful and smooth skin, but I’ve found my skin to be pretty shiny a few hours later. It may be too moisturizing for me.

The packaging is a pot which looks good in my bathroom, but I always prefer make up that’s more protected from the direct air, it feels cleaner (also I always forget to close pots, bad karma for the foundation… And in the end, for my skin).
Still, amazing texture.

Chanel Vitalumière Aqua Cream Compact: Happiness: The box is just beautiful and I may or may not be seen wearing it as a necklace in public soon, and I love that it’s a compact foundation – you apply it with a sponge that has it’s own little room in the pot – you don’t dirty your hands yeaah! (Man, I am so lazy I even want my foundation to put itself on by itself)(is someone working on that?)(Pleaaaaase?)

Applying it is a little difficult because of the thickness (that’s what…OK, I’ll stop), and it might be a little too much coverage for me. 
I’d use it though, just because it’s extra convenient!

Clinique Even Better Makeup: The packaging is very Clinique, very tech and simple. At first the foundation feels pretty thick on the fingers (Again! Oh Garance!!! Was Alex trying to send me a message in making me try thicker foundations?) and it takes some work to put on.

But once it’s on, it’s like Law & Order SVU: It sticks ! 

I was wearing it yesterday and it didn’t move all day. I didn’t find myself shining like an octopus (???)(I know, it’s the only comparison I’ve found)(look, I am tired and jet lagged AND watching a French show called “Pekin Express” which literally means brain damage.) 

With it, you kind of feel “made up”, but it does look really good.

Alex…

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation: I’ve spent my makeup wearing years with an irrational fear of the classic liquid foundation. I don’t know why but I never let it touch my skin. So, I stepped out of my comfort zone and tried this liquid foundation from NARS first during our little test and I haven’t stopped wearing it (except of course, to try some others). My skin has seriously never looked this good.

It’s moisturizing (on oily days I add a swipe of loose powder on top) and lightweight– if you have dry skin, I recommend it!

Also, make sure you buy the pump–makes application much easier!

Make Up For Ever Pro Finish Powder: I’ve been using powder foundation since the beginning of time, so I knew my skin would feel at home with this. The coverage is light, but build-able. It’s a good option for my skin during the summer when I tend to be a little shinier. If you have dry skin, try applying it wet!

Christiana…

Dior Diorskin Nude BB Creme: First, the Dior BB cream smells amazing, which is awesome, and has SPF 10 which is good for my skin (just enough so I can protect my skin but still get some color). It’s a full coverage, so something I’m reserving for going out and special events when I need to step it up a notch.

Laura Mercier Illumination Tinted Moisturizer: This tinted moisturizer is a great middle ground for me, a good base that evens my skin, but not as intense as foundation. It’s lightweight, provides nice coverage and hydrates my skin perfectly! My only complaint is the added illuminating shimmer, it’s a little too sparkly for my skin tone (Emily really liked this feature though, so don’t let it discourage you!).

Emily…

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation: This is the perfect every day foundation. I applied with my hands (unfortunately my make up kit doesn’t include a foundation brush or sponge) but it wasn’t a problem. It blends in really evenly, you don’t need too much product to get good coverage, and it really has a silky finish. Best part, you can’t even tell I’m wearing anything–I just look like my best self!   

L’Oréal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream: This was the first time I’ve tried a BB cream and I really like this! It’s super moisturizing, which is great for my dry skin, and even though it goes on white, the color beads blend really well. It gives a nice even coverage that can stand alone or it can serve as a good base when you want to get fancy and add bronzer and some blush.

—

All right guys, I hope this helps !!! Your advice helped us a lot !
Big kisses on your beautiful, smooth and rosy cheeks. 
That’s what she said. 

PS: In the photo you see the Laura Mercier, Make Up For Ever, L’Oréal BB Cream and Chantecaille Future Skin!

Business of Fashion

Posted on by
Reply

A few months ago, Business of Fashion published a story about Garance and the blog and it made us very proud.

Today, Business of Fashion has been nominated for a Webby award (kind of the Oscars of the web) and we want to show our support!
If you want to do so with us, you can vote here.

Kisses!

-Garance & The Studio

White!

Posted on by
Reply

I have to admit. I am a little crazy about white right now.

Ok, you’re right. I’m not the only one, as it is literally this spring’s main trend. Even Jenna is dressed in all white on the cover of Fast Company, remember ?

Anyway, I told myself it would be cool to show you some of my white stuff…

Oh, “little” detail – the white bra is not mine. It’s a wonderful curiosity (for me) created for smaller breasts (euphemism) by my friend Daphne. I love it a lot, but as I can’t wear it, I put it on a picture !

There you go!!! Pleasure for the eyes! Pleasure for my dry cleaner too! Do you like that white trend?

PS: Sneakers, Common Projects; Headphones, Frends; Tank, T by Alexander Wang; Bra, Ten Undies; Sweatshirt, Sandro; Sunglasses, Warby Parker; Nail Polish, RGB; Crema, Rodin; Clutch, 3.1 Phillip Lim; Jeans, Acne; Candle, Byredo.

7 Ways To Look Better In Photos

Posted on by
Reply

I’m the opposite of photogenic. The camera hates me, which is upsetting cause I love her very much, pfffff tough love, I’m telling you.

No, no, no, shhhhsh, don’t go telling me I’m wrong. I didn’t say I’m ugly. I’m not talking about that at all. I’m just saying I’m not photogenic.

It’s just how it is. Some people capture the light just right, others don’t.

That’s why a girl could look amazing in a photo and then just so-so in real life, or the opposite. Ugly in photos, sublime in day to day life. Okay, some are beautiful in both, but we knew that already. It’s because there is no justice in the world. But we knew that too.
Blah.

When you’re a photographer, it becomes even more clear… Taking a photo of someone photogenic takes about three minutes.

On the other hand, taking a photo of a non-photogenic person requires you to take your time. Learn their face, wait for the right light, put them at ease (non-photogenic people are so used to being ugly in pitctures that whenever they see a camera, they start to get nervous which is very bad… For the photo. Vicious circle.)

The thing is that we live in such a visual world that even if you’re totally fine with how you look, it’s tough to resign yourself to not liking yourself in every picture.
When you look bad on your passport, on Facebook, on Instagram, on Google, etc, in the end it gets a liiiiiiiiittle depressing.

Since I’m an ugly duckling in photos but Gisele in life (Bahahahaha! Of course Garance, yep, definitely), I thought today I’d share some of the tricks I’ve been forced to figure out (being tired of looking at pictures and thinking oh, look, I look like my grandma here! Oh and here, I look like the Big Lebowski! Oh, and here! I look like I am Tom Waits wearing a dress!) on how to be prepared when a camera is around. I used to think that looking bad in photos was just a fact of life… But there are some things you can do to change.

Okay, enough with the ramblings, HERE’S MY ADVICE.

All my advice here is predicated on the fact that the person taking your picture probably isn’t Scott Schuman or Peter Lindbergh or Bruce Weber. If one of them is taking your picture, let them do it all for you. You’ll be fine. Don’t even bother asking questions.

1/ Photoshop yourself.

Light used well is like natural photoshop.

When you’re inside, always stand facing wherever the light is coming from (the window) it will erase everything from your wrinkles to bags under your eyes.
Inside or outside, don’t go in direct sunlight.
It will cast intense shadows. Unless, of course, it’s very early morning or sunset, in which case the light is amazing, soft, and makes everything and everyone beautiful.

If none of these apply, find a spot where the light is a little more moderate (or wait for for an overcast day).

At night, it’s war because it all depends on your camera (and on the flash, the setup, and the ISO settings) so just try to control the other stuff, and by that I mean my other six other tips here.

2/ Powder your nose

Pat McGrath is the only one who can make shiny skin turn up good in pictures and it takes her hours. If you have shiny skin, grab a tissue and tap it on your T zone. It’s simple and works great.

Red or dark lipstick isn’t very photogenic, it can make your lips look thinner and give a pinched look. Transparent lip gloss, on the other hand, is perfect.

Smoky eye is a miracle as well and works 100% of the time in photos. It gives an interesting contrast and a touch of mystery.

Oh, I was about to forget : moisturize ! Legs, arms, hands, feet…
It’s a big thing on shootings and changes everything. My favorite lotion for the perfect voluptuous shine is the Crème de Corps, from Kiehl’s.

3/ Be a poser.

It hit me the other day when I was reading Bazaar and look at an article about Ulyana Sergeenko who, walks around to the shows as if the entire world is her catwalk.
She’ll take the same pose for hours, working on the perfect pose for each outfit (Have you seen the photo with the overalls and stripped sweater? Try and find me a photo of that outfit where she doesn’t have her back to the camera) and honestly sometimes, it gets close to ridiculous.

Yes, but. All the photos of her are perfect.

I’m not saying to follow her example, but it doesn’t hurt to figure out and master a few poses that make you look good.

Okay okay, I’ll give you mine.
For close-ups, looking over my shoulder is cute. Or something a little more simple, chin down, big smile, open eyes.
Whenever I try to give the camera a “sexy look,” I end up looking ridiculous.
For a full body shot, I try to face the camera, because I have boobs, a profile shot can make you gain 20 pounds right there. What. It’s true! I swear!!!

4/ Figure out your best profile.

We all have one. It’s usually the left one.
Know which one is which and it changes EVERYTHING.
You can ask a friend to take a few pictures to figure it out because it’s hard to do it with a mirror.
Once you’ve found it, use and abuse it.

Celebrities do that all the time. If I am ever interviewing one, she’ll say to me, “Do you mind if I sit on this side instead? It’s my good side!” and they should – it’s their job to look good. I, on the other hand, have to say ok ! and sit on my bad profile side. Oh well ;)

5/ Ask yourself : where is the camera?

If you’re standing and the camera is above you, you’re gonna get squished and lose 5 good inches, so not fair.
It’s best to have the camera at chest height to avoid any deformations.

If you’re seated, however, a shot from above is a Godsend.
Lift your head toward the camera which is usually where the light is coming from (remember the light Photoshop effect) and it hits all the right angles, defines your jaw which and can thin you up a bit (and seeing as the goal in life of the modern woman is to look thin, you know…).

This is also my number one advice for selfies : look up!

6/ Play.

Learn to love yourself. Have fun. It’s hard to do but to be beautiful in photos you have to play with the camera a little. Move, laugh, do something silly, make a sexy face.
Don’t keep the same overly frozen smile for five minutes while photos are being taken. Try to find different emotions within you, crack yourself up, chat it up, have someone tell you a story, move.

So, play the game, BUT….

7/ Say no

Sometimes, conditions are perfect for a horrible photo.
You’ve just spent the whole night out, you’re exhausted, the light is shitty, you’re wearing the Big Lebowski clothes (it happens to everyone), you’re sweating, your hair looks like it just spent three days at Katz, oh, well, it’s just not your day.

Say no to the photo. Simple as that.

It’s tough, I know. I could never say no to a photo at first. We all want to please others and end up saying to ourselves “Oh pffff, who cares if I look ugly in photos?!” but when you can, saying no is sometimes the best solution.

Ok, if you really can’t say no, do what the fashion editors do : put on the biggest sunglasses you can find. Yes, even at night. So what?

Ok, I think that’s everything I know. Have I forgotten anything? Any questions you want to ask?
Oh, and, just a little survey… Do you consider yourself to be photogenic?

Bitch Talking Shit

Posted on by
Reply

I love swearing.

I say shit, fuck, fucking – as in “That’s so fucking cool”… I guess I’m just like everyone else, right? You do the same thing, don’t you? Give me some reassurance here.
Okay, so maybe my swear word vocabulary isn’t the most fluent. I hardly use any curses other than those, even if recently, I’ve added a new word to my vulgar vernacular: Bitch. Welcome, Bitch.

It took me by surprise the first time. I wondered where it came from.

I was joking around with a friend when suddenly I called her “such a bitch,” which had her totally cracking up. Still though, as soon as the word crossed my lips, I was kind of a little shocked. Missy Elliott, get out of my body!!!

I’m not sure when the word started to be used in everyday language. Alex tells me that it all started with the super cult teen movie Mean Girls where the girls call each other slut and whore and bitch but I wasn’t in the US yet for all that.

I feel like a while back we were saying be-atch to be funny, which made it easier to use and it ended up in daily language. It became a funny word, like a little poke, not exactly appropriate, but not so inappropriate either.

So now, girls are ok to call each other that. Beyoncé has a new song that asks us to “Bow Down Bitches.” Kanye put together a track that talks about Kim Kardashian as the “Perfect Bitch.” In a totally different world, Thug Kitchen, a vegan food blog, told me to calm my bitch ass down and even Gwyneth is on board.

Oh and for that matter, here is what I saw last fashion week.

Nice hat.

I’m a little confused. I mean, Thug Kitchen cracks me up, and I listen to hip hop all day long with all the very explicit language, and I’m for an uninhibited and modern language, and I understand that reappropriating a term means you can take some of its original outrage away (it’s called reclaiming from what I’ve heard)…

But sometimes I wonder if the joke is on us (us, the “bitches”) when we play with these kind of words.
Yes, I am talking about feminism and respect for ourselves and all that.

What do you think? How carefully do you choose your words? What takes it too far? Or do you find all that just super fun?

Translation : Tim Sullivan

Jenna & Fast Company

Posted on by
Reply

Believe it or not, one of my favorite magazines (I am a subscriber!)(On iPad)(Sorry paper, I LOVE reading my magazines on the iPad) is Fast Company.

I really do think business is the new black and I have a lot of fun reading their stories about technology, and well… Business.

So what a delight it was when I saw my all time favorite woman in the world Jenna on the cover???

I jumped through the roof and I had to share that with you. The story is online if you want to read it, which proves how smart Fast Company is.

No need to tell you, Emily is literally drooling. Oh and we all love her all white outfit. We’re fans, in a word.

The Spring Coat

Posted on by
Reply

As some of you have noticed in my videos, I’m crazy about coats. I think I like them even more than bags and shoes. Plus they kind of have a skinnying effect so if your boyfriend jeans are starting to fit you or if you’re not up to date on your Jillian Michaels, get out a nice coat and everything is forgiven. Well don’t go as far as wearing it in bed, but…

Now the thing is that the temperature is going up (it was so hot in New York yesterday!) and I feel kind of naked without my coats on.
But the other thing is that the springtime trend is light coats, oh yeah!

(What? Were all the designers inspired by my videos or something?)(Bahahaha)

So here I am jumping head first into this spring trend.

I totally fell in love with Keisha’s jacket here, a most sublime Zara (So cool that I believe they are out of stock) but anyway, it would be a little too long for me. And here are some others that I’m just dying for….

Yeah, don’t get your hopes up though. This one by Dries Van Noten is pretty much sold out everywhere you check (Unless you know something I don’t?) but I love the other ones as well.

Anyway… Which one do you like best?

Keisha is wearing this Zara coat, and awesome shorts from OAK. The other coats are Rochas, Miu Miu, Jil Sander and Topshop!

Laurence Dacade

Posted on by
Reply

Remember my Laurence Dacade boots? Well they’ve proven to be so cool and comfortable that I love them even more a year later.

The only thing is, the gold ministuds are a little bit much for me now – I wish I had picked them a liiiiiiiittle more low key.

So here’s what I saw at the presentation the other day… Which ones do you prefer?