The world of #fashion is a complex and ever-growing plethora of creativity. It’s no secret that fashion changes every season and many trends sometimes only last 6 months. However, there has been a wave of fashion houses who have taken inspiration from past styles i.e Ralph Lauren, Celine, Chanel etc. It’s seems there has been this need to embrace timelessness and styles, coming from consumer attitudes, that can be altered and modernized. An era that I frequently see inspiration being pulled from is the French new wave era of the 60’s. Fashion and attitude was nothing of a shortage during this era, and the vixens on camera made sure to give us that je ne sais quoi that came with it as well. Such power. The French New wave fashion will never go out of style. Let’s revisit some of the styles from this era and the vixens that gave them life. Anna-Karina, an icon and muse- and not just for Jean-Luc Godard. Her famous cat-eye is a beauty technique that is still heavily used today. We usually saw her with minimal makeup but always with a sharp line above her eyes that gave her boldness and femininity. It went well with her demure and child-like, but also exalting sexiness, vibes the she gave on screen. Take Anna Karina’s wardrobe in Pierrot Le Fou. The majority of the film she was seen in a wonderful and colorful mix of cotton dresses and shift dresses with starchy collars. She also had an array of odd accessories to accompany her at all times featuring the excessive amounts of cigarettes, which
she made look tres chic, and an odd teddy bear that I’m sure had seen better days. These odd accessories played into her natural sex-appeal but also child-like innocence throughout the film. She was also seen in sailor hats (suggesting her sense of adventure) which looked amazing with her skin tight t-shirts, high waisted denim jeans and ballet flats. Such taste! She was also never seen without her bangs, something that enhanced her look and she paired this look with a wide hair band. Now combine her natural look with a sharp liner, a nonchalant expression which is endearing, and you pretty much summed up Anna Karina’s fashion throughout this era. Anna’s Karina’s fashion is quite influential, so much that I currently shop at an online store that only has influences from her and other French New Wave actresses. The owner even has a white replica of the red shift dress Marianne has in Pierrot le fou. Obsessed is an understatement. Now let’s look at Jeanne Moreau’s wardrobe in Jules et Jim. She was the epitome of Parisian chic a la chanel. She often wore long high-waisted skirts with ruffles on the bottom, knee high boots, a nice chignon, and small circular specs throughout this film and it is the epitome of high class elegance. This look has been revisited plenty of times by Karl Lagerfeld, who is the head designer for the Parisian Fashion House Chanel. However, she wasn't always sporting this fashion. She also tapped into the tomboy chic look in the beginning of the film when the menage a trois was taking its course. She proved that a men’s wardrobe could definitely be pulled off by a woman, and much better at that. The first of two good examples of Catherine channeling this tomboy chic vibe, was when she first disguised herself as Jules and Jim’s “pal” Thomas. She is seen here with baggy pinstriped trousers, a chequered newsboy cap, fisherman sweater, and a drawn on mustache. Leaving behind the mustache, the look of an oversized sweater with baggy trousers was her way of enjoying the freedoms socially attributed
to men most of the time. While still making it look chic because of her magnetic appeal. Another transformation, was when all 3 of them take an epicurean trip to the French seaside. Catherine is seen here wearing a striped breton top, black swimming shorts and wrap around espadrilles. Manages to combine both comfort and style while staying true the character that she was portraying. Jeanne was a total vixen in this movie- and no not because of the plot itself- with her natural sex appeal. She was an earthy, pouty lipped enigma with cat eyes, unruly hair who manages to keep two men dangling around her finger. She was a skilled chameleon in Jules et Jim who could easily be dressed in the most elegant attire to something more subdued. As Jules put this in words in the film, “Catherine is neither beautiful nor intelligent nor sincere but she is a real woman and she is a woman we love and whom all men desire.” She was a real woman and thus her wardrobe portrayed her as such. This type of style is has been celebrated throughout Vogue for years and it’s a sense of fashion that will never fade. Now this piece wouldn’t be complete without me including one of the actresses who has been a muse, and donned the French-girl chic, whose style has been feted by the media throughout history. Brigette Bardot. First thing that must comes to mind is her lavish blonde locks and heavy cat liner flick, that was often accompanied by bangs and thick headscarfs. This signature style of hers was seen in Jean-Luc Godard’s film Contempt. A quote of hers that was featured on the telegraph talking about this look comes off as whimsical and endearing. “ I didn’t know how to wear my hair so, on a whim, I used that scarf as a headband and it set off a fashion tsunami!” In the film Contempt she sported high waisted pencil skirts, simple blouses, her scarfs and heavy eyeliner which made her look like a total femme fatale. Despite this film being less Godarian as the others, Brigette’s spotlight was highlighted. She used ballet flats as well during this film, she was a natural trained dancer, and the look of wearing these flats as a casual everyday look has never gone away. Women today still have the perks of being able to wear these cute comfortable shoes. Making it an instant fashion piece. Her everyday style was just like her look in this film. She was naturally a bombshell outside this film as well- maybe why Godard used her in the first place. She used a lot of simple monochromic one pieces that showed off her powerful waist line. She used her French way of accessorizing and kept her outfits minimal. A wardrobe look that followed along in the film Contempt.
The styles’ of these actresses was modern, approachable and most importantly- coveted. Fast forward to modern day, and now you’re looking at the sudden change of attitude from consumers wanting sustainability with a new love for all things vintage. Mass production, or fast fashion as others call it, is often looked down upon in the fashion industry. It’s associated with being cheap and unoriginal. It’s no surprise that there is a longing to go back in time and revisit fashions that were timeless and way ahead of their time. Fin.
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