Friday 4 April 2008

Failing to be French


I smiled when I came across the following quiz on Madame Soyelle, a French blog about selling lingerie accessories - nothing sinister, I hasten to add.
"Are you dépareillé (wearing mismatched bra & brief). If you are dépareillé – do you care?" How very French. I found it a strain attempting to look immaculate on the exterior when I lived in Paris, but fortunately I didn't realise that the scary dress-shop assistants were probably sneering at my dépareillé state as well as my pear-shaped figure.

One cupboard here contains the remains of my Paris clothes, all quite unsuitable and OTT for Hampshire. Anyway most of them have mysteriously shrunk, except I can still fit into this sub-YSL pink jacket, bought at a French second-hand shop over ten years ago. Of course I can't do up the buttons any more.

5 comments:

NickLuft said...

Hi Susie,

I would not worry about your dress sense. I have been a scruff all my life and Geneva has not seen any change.

Black t-shirts, black leather jacket and dark trousers, with open-toed sandals (summer) and big boots (winter).

Sartorial challenge, moi?

Susie Vereker said...

It's not my clothes I worry about these days, it's fitting into them.

Jan Jones said...

Personally, I think unbuttoned jackets make one look delightfully approachable.

Particularly if the jacket is long enough to conceal the fact that one's skirt opening is held closed by a hard-working safety pin.

Madame Soyelle said...

Chère Madame Vereker,

Dépareillé... Quel horreur! I will do my best to rescue you from other lingerie faux pas...

Would love to know your other answers to my Lingerie Questionnaire... I am still sending a small selection of Soyelle products for anyone who responds... I am sure you will adore the subtle and delicate fragrance of our Rose Lys scented beads -- the perfect accessory to your lingerie drawer

Madame Soyelle
www.madamesoyelle.com

Anonymous said...

You forget one thing about Paris dress-shop assistants, they will sneer at anyone and everyone, having obviously no desire to sell anything to anyone.
Except for a few places where I know I can go safely, because I know I won't get the dreaded reply, uttered in the snootiest tone:
"Nous n'avons pas votre taille, Madame !" ;)
I AM French, but I guess, I too am failing to be French...