Hasta La Ideas

At first glance, shopping like a French woman doesn’t exactly seem like the most economically sensible thing to be doing right now. But give me a chance and hear me out. These days, we’ve been shopping based on the lowest price tags and highest discounts we can find. I admit I’ve purchased things that didn’t fit or wasn’t my style just because it was 75% off. Staring into a closet full of clothes I don’t care to wear, I’ve started taking tips from the French! The first thing to do is go shopping with a plan. Much like making a grocery list before you go to the supermarket, make a list of what you need before you go to the mall. That way, you won’t get sidetracked and go home with a bunch of clothes and accessories you don’t need. Another suggestion is to figure out the cost-per-wear for what you’re buying. A $500 high quality trench coat you wear three times a week for a year makes the cost per wear to be about $3. A trench coat made of a lesser quality may cost less at the beginning, but it could mean you have to buy a new one every few months. Also consider and assess every purchase you make. A neon dress may be an of the moment trend, but may not be something you want to wear 5 years down the line. Follow these rules and you’ll be surprised at how much you can get out of a few simple pieces of clothing. Here’s my list of essential items every French woman has in her closet, and you should too! Be sure to check out the slideshow to see where you can get the goods.

1. Don’t be afraid to spend the big bucks on well-fitting suit! You can wear the whole thing together at business meetings or just wear the jacket with jeans for a semi-casual night out.
2. Ballet flats is a stylish and comfortable shoe choice for low-key days.
3. A trench coat is utilitarian, but slap on some red lipstick and suddenly you’re a film noir star!