paris fashion therapy

Why French ladies NEVER match their shoes and handbags

LIZ JONES FASHION THERAPY

French women evolve their style as they get older, she says, rather than clinging desperately to what worked when they were 30. Her advice is to pay attention to trends, cherry-pick something that might suit, but never to be a slave to fashion: nothing ages a woman more than adopting every passing fad. 

She says you should auction any crocodile bags on eBay and never wear top-to-toe luxury labels, but instead mix designer with lots of High Street.

Converse sneakers are great for the over-50s, rather than staggering around in platforms. A round-neck cashmere sweater is a must, too: it looks great  for the evening with a pencil skirt, covering up your arms and decolletage. 

But most important of all is to drop in the odd surprise. It is all very well adopting a uniform that suits, but this can become a little tired and boring.

Instead of always wearing a predictable crisp white shirt to work, try a bright fuchsia one instead. Ines is a big fan of floaty print scarves, too, which are a great way, even in summer, to cover a crepey neck.

THE DOs

• Buy the best trench coat you can afford and scrunch up the sleeves. Never belt it properly or add anything military.
• Always wear a bra.
• Wear pearls with a rock ’n’ roll T-shirt.
• Wear black with navy.
• Roll the sleeves of your cotton shirt over the sleeve of your sweater. Very Parisian!
• Wear a full skirt with a tight top; or a pillowy top with skinny trousers or a pencil skirt.
• Shop in the menswear departments, especially if you are not petite. M&S and H&M have great blazers, knitwear, white shirts and scarves.

THE DON'Ts

• Never wear a necklace AND earrings.
• Matching bags and shoes after the age of 30 adds ten years.
• Backpacks and bumbags — no!
• Never wear jeans with trainers.
• Don't wear heels with a pencil skirt.
• Avoid anything nude, particularly if you are older as you will look washed out and even more invisible.
• AND LIZ'S DON'Ts: No vintage if you're over 50. It will age you. 
• Don't feel you have to stick to only flats if you're short. Those with model figures look fine, the rest of us tend to look stumpy.

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