Jess Jones looks at British style versus Parisian chic…

“…most of the women having their style scrutinised are British…”

It’s only since moving to France for my year abroad that I have truly come to appreciate British style; it’s like not appreciating what a great family you have until you become homesick. And what a family. Exciting, adventurous and ever so eccentric, one thing’s for certain, British style is never boring. For years there has been the French style stereotype, chic and icily cool, which, from my observations of women of a certain age over here, is true. But in France you can feel the winds of change as you pick up French Elle or Vogue  and realize that most of the women having their style scrutinized are British, that most of the features are entitled ‘Rule Britannia’ or ‘London Calling’ and that most  young French women’s cultural preferences veer towards the British. Venturing over to the other side, like a fashion explorer in search of distant tribes, has given me a unique perspective on our own fair tribe.

British fashion has a long history of non-conformity, from Vivienne Westwood, the matriarch of  British fashion  renowned for pioneering punk in 70s London, continuing right through to the bad boy uncle, Alexander McQueen, christened the ‘enfant terrible’ of the fashion family for his use of shock and controversy (his now infamous March 1995 ‘Highland Rape’ show being a good example). Equally worth a mention is the host of young British designers like Christopher Kane who continue to symbolize the ambitious, imaginative and exciting streak of British style. French designers, on the other hand, are increasingly looking to British models and style icons to help sell their products; the cool older sister of British fashion, Kate Moss is currently the face of Yves Saint Laurents ‘Parisienne’ fragrance, and Lily Allen is the face of Chanel.

“We in Britain are lucky enough to have the mighty High Street, something that has no real French equivalent…”

But, perhaps unlike in France, it is not just the designers who embody British style cool; rather, they are the inspiration. It is the people who take that inspiration and mess it up, play with it and create their own look who are the real British style heroes, the girls and boys on the street, the students, the secretaries, the musicians, everyone who has fun with fashion, which is really what British style is ultimately all about. We in Britain are lucky enough to have the mighty High Street, something that has no real French equivalent. Our democratization of fashion allows  everyone, no matter what their budget, to look great. Topshop is the envy of girls the world over, and Primark allows everyone to take a piece of the latest catwalk looks home with them. Our vintage is second to none; just a root around the local charity shops can unearth some amazing finds. Here you can achieve almost any look on any budget and look fabulous, which is arguably much harder, if not impossible to achieve in Paris.

British style icons are quickly becoming the toast of French style magazines, the current favourites being Alexa Chung and Agness Deyn, and the old favourite, Lily Allen always making an appearance. What they all have in common is not their style, but their attitude. Like them or loathe them, you have to admit that they sum up that unique British style attitude of fearlessness and adventurousness; they each have their own styles and don’t conform to a set of prescribed rules. This attitude is what is so attractive to the crowds of  French women desperate to emulate it. My own personal British style icon, Helena Bonham Carter, symbolises everything that, for me, is to be applauded about British style. She is completely unique, follows no fashion tribe, puts the strangest combinations together and is decidedly hit and miss (she probably features more in the worst dressed columns than the best dressed). But she, more than anyone else in my eyes, is a perfect example of that British style attitude; eccentric, adventurous and creative.

“French Vogue regularly includes articles on new art exhibitions at the Tate or other London galleries…”

British music and fashion have enjoyed a long love affair, which French women are picking up on; just scanning the latest gig listings for Paris is like a who’s who of the current British music scene, Lily Allen, Dizzie Rascal and Kasabian to name but a few. British culture, as well as fashion is really making its mark on French style in a new invasion of the British. French Vogue regularly includes articles on new art exhibitions at the Tate or other London galleries, as if it was just another French city. Mind you, with its population of over 300,000 French people, London today could be the fourth biggest city in France. The French have always been enamoured by the British rock n roll fashion, ever since Marianne Faithfull and The Rolling Stones, and that continues today with a host of new musicians and muses, just look at Alex Turner and Alexa Chung.

So what have I learnt in my musings on French and British style? That chic is not so chic, at least not for fashion-forward French girls, that our dressing up beats their dressing down and it’s our unique style attitude that sums up our relationship with fashion. British style is quite simply, la crème de la crème!

Jess Jones