Natalie Portman on French style: ‘No Parisian ever walks around in shorts’

wenn22223160

Natalie Portman is officially a Parisian now, I guess. That might explain why we’re rarely getting pap photos of her these days. Natalie’s husband Benjamin Millepied took a job as director of ballet at the Paris Opera, and they moved their family to Paris for a few years (at least). Natalie gave a new interview to the Wisconsin Gazette to promote her Miss Dior contract, and she ended up saying a few words about how much she loves Paris and how chic everyone is:

Her French destiny: “I think it was destiny that brought me to live in France. My father named me Natalie as an homage to a song by (legendary French singer) Gilbert Bécaud. I shot my first film with French director Luc Besson. And now I’m living in Paris with my French husband and our son and immersing myself in the language and culture. It’s very inspiring to live in Paris, I feel very lucky.”

How her life has changed since moving to Paris: “It’s so interesting to plunge into another culture and experience a different way of living. The city is so rich in terms of the architecture, the bookshops you find at every corner, the way everyone dresses so well. No Parisian ever walks around in shorts and even the children look very chic (laughs).

Is she fluent in French? “It’s improved a lot and I’ve been taking lessons and studying as often as I can. I feel I’m getting to the point where I’m slowly becoming more comfortable speaking French and being fluent in the language. I’m hoping that one day I will be able to work in a French film and do the role in French. I would really love to be able to do that, and I’m very motivated to get to that level.

[From The Wisconsin Gazette]

She sounds happy. I’m a little bit surprised that she did uproot her family to go to Paris for Benjamin’s work, but then again, it IS Paris. It’s not like Benjamin took a job in Dullsville, Middle America. And I’m sure their son Aleph will benefit greatly from living in another country for years during his childhood.

As for this: “Everyone dresses so well. No Parisian ever walks around in shorts and even the children look very chic.” Really? No Parisian ever wears shorts? I don’t wear shorts either but that’s mostly because I don’t have the legs for shorts. But there are high-fashion shorts by French designers, oui?

FFN_Portman_Natalie_FF9FF13FF3_022215_51661547

Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

182 Responses to “Natalie Portman on French style: ‘No Parisian ever walks around in shorts’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. **sighs** says:

    If Paris was closer to the equator, they would wear shorts.

    • Nemesis says:

      ^yup^

    • Josephine says:

      We visited two summers ago during a very hot and humid spell. We were sweltering in sundresses, while the young women around us were wearing chic, tight jeans and cropped leather jackets. We were floored – do these people not sweat?!! So I believe her when she says that she doesn’t see shorts – we saw no shorts except on the tourists, and not even sundresses. My parents grew up in Italy and while the men there wear shorts, who won’t see shorts on too many of the women there, either.

      • Rae says:

        Josephine, I was also in Paris that summer! That was a freak heatwave for Paris where the high during the summer is generally in the mid-high 70s. It was in the 90s while we were there. The manager at the hotel kept apologizing like she was personally responsible for the heatwave. We explained several times that we were well accustomed to those temperatures, and she just didn’t understand how we could live somewhere that hot.

    • They wear shorts here. So many girls currently in that stupid denim shorts with pantyhose and army boots look. It’s all very Seattle circa 1993. And it’s like 30 so you know they’re freezing.

    • geekychick says:

      I was in Paris for three weeks during one summer: and the girls wore shorts.

    • Isabelle says:

      Lived in hot climates most of my life & hate, never wear shorts. Dresses & skirts are much cooler & don’t do the rise up IMO….but have no problem with other people wearing them. Heck if I had legs like I did when I was 20, would be more tempted to wear them.

    • Nerdista says:

      I think she just means no one is a slob. I went there recently and there are no sweat pants, no workout pants, no uggs. People just don’t leave the house without having an “outfit” on. It might be ugly, but it’s not sloppy.

  2. MissBB says:

    Maybe not in the arrondissement she lives , but I’ve seen Parisiens (esp. the younger crowd) wear shorts. As a rule of thumb though, Parisiens do dress better than others.

    • Esmom says:

      I’d say it’s true of much of Europe. Americans can be uniquely slobby. Not everyone, of course, but the current uber casual look — I’m looking at you, yoga pants — just hasn’t seem to caught on in Europe. I think it’s nice to see people dressed well when out and about.

      • Spare me. You know how many of these girls wear uggs here? I didn’t even know uggs still existed anymore. And with those hippies Aztec print leggings. Parisians are nicely dressed but leave the 1st or the 8th and you’re going to see the normal ones.

      • tracking says:

        That’s true, but I doubt Natalie spends much time outside the 1st or 8th.

      • Joan says:

        @iseepinkelefants – You are so right. The Aztec print stuff is ugly for sure. What were they thinking??

        I live France and the fashion is largely atrocious. The truth is that most people are pretty plain and not very wealthy, so they wear dull clothing. (There is a sea of depressing black winter coats worn here, in some places year round ….)
        The 1er and surrounding chic arrondissements in Paris are hardly representative of France as a whole. Go to neighbouring St. Denis and then to Essonne …. you’ll get an eyeful.
        Americans stick-out here when they wear light denim jeans, white sneakers, and a cap, etc. I wouldn’t say one culture dresses better than the other, though.

        Natalie is so effing smug with her comments. Ug.

    • Gea says:

      Very often I am in 16 eme on my visits to grand Paris. And sure they are young girls walking around in skort , something between shorts and mini skirt. I have seen many young girls in the summer time wearing shorts, stylised, of course. But so far I haven’t seen anybody //locals wearing cargo shorts, still to be discovered here.

    • hunter says:

      When I moved to Paris I was told “don’t ever wear shorts – EVER – that’s for tourists only.” I was offended but I went with it.

      I followed that rule by wearing skirts or capris in the summer months – shorts are acceptable in the south of France but not in Paris proper. I have to agree with her.

    • Kosmos says:

      I would kind of like it if people didn’t dress so sloppily here in the U.S. It’s okay for the beach, or around the neighborhood, but people seem to wear jeans and tee shirts, shorts and flip flops to restaurants for lunch and dinner–it’s become so overly casual here. It doesn’t really take much to cross the line from overly casual to slightly better dressed. A printed ankle pant, a shirt rather than tee shirt for the men, no cut offs or shorts. Casual skirts or dresses are much cooler in summer anyway.

  3. Marnie says:

    Shorts are comfy. They may not be stylish but the comfort is worth it.

    • Diana Prince says:

      I can not and will not live without my short pants in the summer time. NYC in the summer time is hell come to earth! Wearing tight jeans or taking the subway in those jeans? I love me some me to much to do that to myself.

      • Dani says:

        Subway seats + shorts though *cringe* everyone elses sweat and ugh I can’t hahah

      • Polly says:

        ICK. NYC summers are gross. I don’t like wearing skirts or dresses but once it gets to a certain temp, it’s mandatory to wear a skirt for me or else I’d die. I’d wear shorts but… not exactly work appropriate there.

      • Katy says:

        Try living in Texas – I wear nothing BUT shorts for at least 7 or 8 months out of the year!!

    • Marnie says:

      Shorts + leather= extreme pain when your skin gets stuck to the seat! Otherwise I’m all shorts all day.

    • Kitten says:

      If we’re talking comfort, I’d rather wear a dress over shorts.

      • littlestar says:

        Yup. I pretty much only wear maxi dresses in the summer. So comfy.

      • Isabelle says:

        This & much much cooler. You get the ‘breezy’ feeling with dresses/skirts. Shorts can stick to you & do that icky ride up on the thigh, hate that feeling.

    • DottieDot says:

      Seriously, wear whatever is suited For each person. Whoever thinks they are the ultimate authority on shorts is full of it and a pretentious cow!

    • DottieDot says:

      Seriously, wear whatever is suited or each person. Whoever thinks they are the ultimate authority on shorts is full of it and a pretentious cow!

      • Bella says:

        Just ignore her opinion then and dress as you like. Personally, I prefer to not stand out like a sore thumb tourist when abroad and appreciate advice from those familiar with local customs. Europeans tend to dress less for comfort than North Americans. Wearing yoga pants and jogging shoes for things other than, yoga and jogging, are not the norm everywhere you realize.

    • Michele says:

      She’s coming across more and more each year as a pretentious, prissy, bore. I don’t live in France, I live in Phoenix Arizona where it gets to be 115 some months and stays around 100 for 9 months a year. My family and I will wear what we want. What they do in Paris is absolutely no concern of mine. What they think of me is especially of no concern. I love what I do and wear, I look great in shorts and a tank top. They can do what they do in their fifty layers and jackets.

  4. Allie says:

    How about socks with loafers? Because I don’t think she should be saying anything about fashion when she does that. She’s so pretentious, but I don’t know why.

    • Josephine says:

      She was laughing when she said it. I think she clearly meant that she was trying to fit in, too.

      • FLORC says:

        She laughs in nearly every interview and when not making jokes. She’s a laughing kind of person. It’s not related to jokes.

    • serene says:

      I thought exactly the same. However, they do cycle naked…
      https://lemondededemain.wordpress.com/files/2007/09/cyclonudistes-parisiens.jpg

    • Sofia says:

      I saw that photo and trying not to be mean I though “I don’t know what she is doing in Paris, but she is not getting fashion inspiration for sure!”

      These actresses that are dressed by big fashion brands and show no taste or fashion sense without professional help do not inspire me at all or seem to represent those brands well.

    • Coco says:

      All this discussion about shorts and American tourist stereotypes….is anyone else surprised she is still with Benjamin? I read Aleph was Darren Aronofskis baby…cause breakup of his marriage to Rachel Weistz…

  5. Lilacflowers says:

    I’ve found that what she says about shorts holds true for most major cities in Europe. You can spot the tourists, usually the American tourists, by the shorts. I make it a point not to wear them when traveling in Europe unless I’m actually on my way to a beach.

    • amanda says:

      I’ve been to a few places in Europe but went in the winter. Nobody was in shorts.
      What do they wear instead when it’s hot? Just long pants and skirts/dresses?
      that sounds like a silly question but I really want to know now!

      I wonder why shorts aren’t popular even when it’s hot, I hate wearing long pants when its hot! lol

      • Lilacflowers says:

        I noticed most of the women wearing skirts, which actually, is what I wear in Boston when it is hot.

      • Bridget says:

        For a very long time, shorts were the marker of an American tourist. It’s because they are an overly casual, kind of sloppy item of clothing (sorry to say that, folks). Obviously we now have the category of “dress shorts” so I’m sure we’ll see some arguments on the hotly contested topic.

      • **sighs** says:

        I guess my take is just different because I live in an extremely hot city where there’s barely a spring, let alone a winter. Dresses are nice, but it’s easier to throw on shorts. And flip flops are mandatory. Lol. Actually I wear a lot of capris.

      • GByeGirl says:

        I don’t think that it gets as hot in much of Europe as it does in the US during the summer.

    • A.Key says:

      That’s kinda true when I think about it.
      People mostly wear shorts when they go to the seacoast or the beach.
      Huh, never thought about it before, lol.

    • Esmom says:

      I think shorts are generally out of fashion in many American cities, too (except among kids, where it seems they get shorter every year). In recent years I’ve noticed way fewer people wearing shorts as casual wear, even at outdoor parties in the summer.

      • hunter says:

        Yes, my years in Paris taught me shorts were a no-no. Now that I live in NYC I pretty much NEVER wear shorts on the streets (skirts/dresses instead) but will wear shorts if at the Hamptons or at the beach. Shorts aren’t appropriate in cities if one wants to appear cosmopolitan.

      • Ruth Dunbar says:

        Trying spending a Washington, DC summer without shorts. We’d all die without the ability to wear shorts.

      • Solanaceae (Nighty) says:

        Oh, a long, large dress is much better than shorts when it’s hot, when walking the dress floats causing the hair to circulate and the legs get fresher.. I prefer dresses to shorts and I live in a country where temperatures go up to 100 F (38 C)…
        But in Europe you see people wearing shorts too, especially men… now it depends on the shorts and the clothes you wear with them…

      • Ange says:

        Really? I can’t stand long dresses in the heat. Mind you I used to live in a tropical city where temps stayed in the 90s year round and humidity could be 90% with no rain in sight. If there was a nice breeze I might have been more into it. As it was it was all short sundresses and shorts, I looked the exact same as everyone else.

    • magda says:

      As a person living in Vienna – I agree, usually people in shorts are American tourists. Nothing against shorts but people should understand that going dressed like that to some fancy museum or other place make them look like a sad weirdo.
      Actually my guilty pleasure is watching walking tourits stereotypes: Asians are queen and kings of selfies and Russians always speaking so loud that you could list this as shouting.

      • Esmom says:

        Lol. And I’d agree with you on the stereotypes. My first encounter with a selfie stick was last summer at the 9/11 memorial…a big group of Asian tourists.

      • lola says:

        Magda how long have you lived here?! I totally agree with you about the tourists :-. My husband has recently taken to wearing dress shorts in an effort to look more Australian than Austrian. He pulls them off because he is quite classically handsome, but it still makes me giggle because Viennese do NOT wear shorts. Actually it is probably the most conservatively dressed city is have ever lived In if you ignore the teenagers who dress like rejects from a Nirvana video or Justin Bieber. Ps, you can always tell it is April in Vienna because busloads of loud, slow-walking Italian students turn up.

      • littlestar says:

        I am going to Vienna this summer and am very glad to hear shorts are a no no there! I will wear as many dresses as possible in Europe :).

      • geekychick says:

        I don’t know, I’ve seen plenty of Mediterranean European people in shorts during summer-and I’m one myself. On the other hand, shorts are the type of clothing to wear on the beach, while you’re on a vacation…but I’d never go in a museum or church, or even night out in shorts. To friend’s place to watch some movies, or in he park? Definitely.
        On the other hand, my God, Vienna. I was there this winter-and people dress atrociously. It really is a shock-Vienna is like a…IDK, like 90% of the people (except teenagers and students, of course) just opened the first LIDL, Kaufland (like your Walmart) catalogue and just went with hiking gear that can pass for regular clothes. It really is quite interesting, considering I live pretty close, my city was under great influence of Vienna (actually, it’s sometimes called little Vienna, at least it’s center was), we were part of the same state for so long….totally different stance on fashion and trends, it seems. Vienna really can’t be a city by which Europe’s fashion can be judged by. Trust me.

    • LizLemonGotMarried says:

      I live in a warm-almost-year-round city as well, and I’ve lately fallen in love with dresses, especially for work. For years, I’ve sweltered in suits, now I throw on a lightweight dress and wedges/dressy sandals and I feel so much better! I just ordered 7 new dresses for summer and I’m impatiently waiting until they get here tomorrow! (I’m a director for a Fortune 50 company, I’m never seen by customers unless it’s scheduled in advance due to where I sit, so I have time to get a little more formal if the situation dictates it.)

    • FLORC says:

      Lilacflowers
      You spot the Americans easily from the appearance. Little overwight. Little pale. It’s a stereotype, but true enough. When I lived throughout Europe I dressed about the same as I do now. Sundresses or shorts when it’s hot out. Comfortable, but chic style when not dresses for extreme weathers.

      I’m not going to be uncomfortable for fashion.
      And get ready! more mild temps coming for Boston area! Just in time for race circuits.

      • WinterLady says:

        I lived in Europe as well, so I’d say that “a little overweight and pale” applies to many Europeans as well. Especially the pale part, since Europe doesn’t tend to be very sunny much of the year. I didn’t live in close to any major cities, though, so I suppose they definitely looked and dressed more urbane in the larger cities.

      • AcidRock says:

        Just love the idea that the typical American has pale (i.e., of European descent) skin…

      • geekychick says:

        I don’t know. I’m a European and we can always spot Americans. It’s not the skin color, it’s these 2 things: sneakers and great wonder at anything older than 100 years. Most of Europe has buildings and areas that are really, really old, so it’s pretty normal for us (I live in an apartment building that’s 200 years old). Another one: pretty loud. Not all of them, mind you, bot most-pretty loud and always surprised when something doesn’t work the same way as “back home”.

      • Irene says:

        Oh, I just love these “typical American” posts. Because clearly, a country with 300 or so million people, that spans across an entire continent and has absorbed people of hundreds of different nationalities (who all call themselves American) can be categorized with a type. Phew, thank goodness almost my entire family would be practically invisible in Europe, then (except the branch with the Polish genes that manifest in very light skin – sorry, guys). Though, since we come from LA, we do wear shorts and flip flops all the time, especially when we are on vacation and walking around all day in hot weather and want to be comfortable – a sad, sad state of affairs. And we see tourists from Europe in our beautiful city, we don’t even care how they dress! We just ask them not to litter or cause traffic accidents. What’s that all about?!

      • Chem says:

        It is truth. I always recognize american tourists because of the shorts, pale skin and loose clothes. And american girls in the States wear uggs and sweatpants.
        The shorts are whatever to me but I was very surprised to see so many uggs and sweatpants on the streets and stores, it shows how much freedom women have there, it’s so cool. In my country it’s barely acceptable to go out without makeup and the sweatpants are definitely a big NO.

    • Vee says:

      I spent two weeks in Stockholm and Copenhagen last summer during hot days. Men wear shorts. They are the flat front (not cargo) khaki short almost to the knee paired with a casual button down rolled up to the elbow. This was the universal male summer outfit. European women wore lots of skirts.

    • Sofia says:

      I’m from the south of Europe and it’s too hot not to wear shorts. The difference is the TYPE of shorts you wear. You can wear shorts without looking as a tourist, or like you are going to the beach or gym.

    • DottieDot says:

      The only reason I don’t dress like Americans in Europe is so I don’t get mugged! HAHA.

    • Michele says:

      Forgive me but it’s idiotic to be walking around in pants if it’s hot out, so if wearing shorts when it’s hot makes me a dumb American abroad I guess I’m dumb. Shrug.

  6. Birdie says:

    Well, wait for summer Natalie. It’s quite cold the rest of the year.

  7. Naddie says:

    I suppose Paris is quite cold, so why wear shorts anyway?

  8. Talie says:

    It’s true that shorts aren’t considered chic in Paris. At least among a certain group. Lol

    • Sabrine says:

      I was just thinking today I would throw my last pair of shorts into the bag going to Goodwill. I switched over to Capris long ago and they suit me just fine even on the hottest summer day. I don’t know if capris are in style and I don’t care, but I like them. I don’t like shorts anymore.

      • lucy2 says:

        I don’t care if they’re considered stylish or not either, I wear them all summer to work. I work in a professional office but at the beach – most of our clients come in wearing shorts and flip flops! But capris are a good compromise for work attire.

  9. Betti says:

    She’s just soo pretentious but does have a point about Parisians – they DO dress better than everyone else and with said pretentiousness she’d fit right in there. Parisians are well known for their snotty, pretentious attitude.

    • Sofia says:

      Paris is seen as very fashionable but Paris is a big city and not everybody dresses well or eats croissants dans le café…. That’s just the romantic, well marketed image and reality only accessible for the ones who can afford to live in the center, older areas. This narrative Natalie and others perpetuate just tries to reinforce how special and precious they are because they live in Paris. Ugh!

  10. Kara says:

    ugh what is this with Hollywood actress and their need to be pretentious about Paris? like Scarjo, Natalies husband almost sounds like an accessoire for her childhood dream.

    i am also surprised she moved her family to please her husband. then again most hollywood feminists are just paying lipservice to the cause and will still make babies and hubby priority number 1 in their lives…

    • lucy2 says:

      She’s still working, just completed a couple of films. And maybe she WANTS to live in Paris, and spend time with her kid while he’s little?

      • Kara says:

        i didnt say she stopped working just that she as so many other shifted to “traditional” priorities. she has a Harvard education and an Oscar and yet promotes a 1950s image of a modern woman.

      • lucy2 says:

        I don’t see anything 1950s about it – to me that implies she gives up all her own stuff to stay home and cook and clean for her husband. She’s certainly not doing that. She still has her career, where they live doesn’t seem to affect that at all, and even if she did want to stop and be a mom only for a while, shouldn’t that be her choice?

      • JB says:

        I agree with lucy2 here. It’s only 1950s if she isn’t doing it by choice. It doesn’t sound like her husband has forced her to sit back and let him do all the talking and thinking and decision-making in their lives. If he had, I doubt she’d be working at all or doing interviews like this. I’m a stay at home mom at the moment but I don’t consider myself 1950s. My husband is my equal partner and if he had some great job opportunity away from where we live we would move for it. Same thing would happen if I had a great opportunity. All by choice and in full support of whatever choice any other woman or man would make in the same situation. Still a feminist, all the way.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      Because her husband’s job is more of a “go to work every day thing” and the job of a movie actress depends on projects and is not a “go to work every day thing”. Plus, when promoting TDW with Chris Hemsworth, they both explained that very few films are actually shot in Hollywood any more and they can pretty much live anywhere when they aren’t shooting a film because travel is now almost always involved in film production.

    • Lucybelle says:

      So feminists aren’t allowed to stay home and raise their children and support their husbands when they get a new job? Huh.

      • Kara says:

        “not allowed” LMAO dont worry you wont be jailed for it.

        marriage and a child is simply an outdated form of living, celebs promote it in the media while the regular woman is actually single and has hook ups. most women in the western countries arent married. Hollywood that claims to be so progressive is still promoting old time values.

      • ava7 says:

        Apparently not, Lucybelle! I would be really excited to move to Paris for a few years and for my child to have the opportunity to learn another language fluently. But apparently I’d lose my feminist membership card (or just have all the feminists be all judge-judgey) if I got to do that because my husband got a great job there.

      • wolfpup says:

        Being a mother is the most important societal job that most women ever have. To stay with young children, who will grow up in an environment of true love, is probably the greatest gift possible, for their futures. Society needs to become aware of the importance of our children, and the role of mother (and father). The humans we give birth to, will eventually rule our planet. What greater gift can a woman give society than wholesome, healthy children? We have to drop out from society for a bit to raise these young things – women need the respect as the propagators of our humanity deserve – biology insists that we need help during this vulnerable time. There is no room for guilt in this; and nothing wrong with hooking up with a man who cares about this great goal, and is willing to work as a team, for its accomplishment. A real feminist uses all of her wits!

      • AcidRock says:

        “marriage and a child is simply an outdated form of living, celebs promote it in the media while the regular woman is actually single and has hook ups.” Gonna get fired for how loudly I laughed at the most inane statement I think I’ve ever read on this site. Generalize much?? Holy hell is this ignorant!

      • garciathes says:

        Probably not an appropriate commentary, to both wolfpup and kara, but my eyerolling is colossal. What greater gifts a woman can give society? An awesome novel or scientific discoveries or political activism. Yep, I can think of a few other and even greater contributions than children. And on the other side of the spectrum, judging family life as outdated? Hint: it’s very widespread, hence not outdated.

      • Ange says:

        +1 Garcia. All the eyerolls. I’m more than my junk.

    • M.A.F. says:

      Huh? So moving because another person in the family got a job somewhere else makes you less of a feminist? Please. Go re-read the definition again.

      • Kara says:

        right now there are so many definitions out there which one do you mean?
        its about empowering women and women will never be empowered if so many “choose” (read: pleasing their husbands will) to live this outdated model of marriage and children and not fully focusing on a career.
        women like Natalie and Amal Clooney have all the opportunities in the world and yet throw most of it away and give their independence away for a man.

      • **sighs** says:

        Or perhaps they consider it being an available mother? Shouldn’t empowerment mean being able to make choices and not have someone degrade you for it? People need to do what’s right for their particular situation. Sometimes that means supporting your spouse and/or children, regardless of your/their gender. Would you throw men under the bus for being stay at home dads, or moving with their partners to support their job?
        Hell, why do we even have relationships or children then, if everything is supposed to be about our careers?
        Some people value relationships over work. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Just like it’s not a bad thing to prioritize work. To each their own.

      • Birdix says:

        I was happy reading this that Millepied wasn’t referred to as Natalie’s K-Fed or a backup dancer. It’s a huge opportunity for him, one of the biggest in the field. He moved for her first (to LA, known as a wasteland for ballet, although slowly changing), so it’s clear they both are willing to compromise.

    • Bridget says:

      Isn’t it nice that we have someone as forward thinking and progressive to show us bourgeoise ‘breeders’ how out of date we are?

      She has a job that doesn’t need a specific home base because film locations change depending on the movie, while the husband was offered a once-in-a-lifetime job in a city that she clearly wanted to live in. If you think feminism means eschewing partnership, then you really have no idea what you’re talking about.

      • Kara says:

        if you think progress will be made as long as some women still see long term marriage and children as their life goal than you have no idea what you are talking about.
        read upon how women sacrifice for marriage and children and men climb the ladder. also a lot of women are falling into poverty in retirement age because of it. this cannot be the goal of the cause.
        Natalie is now tied down and has given up most of her independence, she can not fully focus on her career anymore.

      • **sighs** says:

        The “goal of the cause” should be CHOICE.

      • JB says:

        Marriage and children may not necessarily have been a life goal for everyone but it can be a part of the overall experience and there is nothing wrong with that. People grow up and change and adjust long- and short-term goals accordingly. Taking a few years to focus on family doesn’t mean giving up independence for the rest of one’s life. I never planned to be a stay at home parent but when my daughter was born I decided to do it that way. Not because my husband wanted me to but because I had a crappy childhood and like the idea of doing better for my own kid than was done for me. My husband was part of the conversation because we are an equal team (which is one of the goals of feminism, yes?) but the decision was mine. He would have been with me either way and I found staying home to be positive for both my daughters and myself. I still have mad ambitions and have never stopped working on myself or my long-term life goals, I’ve just temporarily adjusted the way I portion out my time. Feminism comes from women refusing to have their lives predetermined by anyone. Anyone. Men or women. If you say that getting married and having children is the “wrong” way for a woman to live then YOU are the one who has no idea what you are talking about, Kara.

      • Dovies says:

        I didn’t realize I wouldn’t believe in choices for women, wouldn’t believe in equal pay for equal work, and wouldn’t believe that men shouldn’t dictate women’s reproductive rights anymore when I decided to marry a man who believes I’m equal to him and especially when I decided to have children. How could I possibly be pro-woman when I’ve tied myself to a traditional family unit with somewhat traditional gender roles? How dare I be nurturing to my children! How dare I toss my husband’s dirty socks into the wash! Egads! I never realized before that choosing to wash a man’s dirty socks make me less of a strong, confident woman! How wonderful that you were here to tell me the error of my ways! I suppose I should just teach my daughters how to be the chattel of men since I’m no longer allowed to have a different life… Oh but wait. Being a feminist and being pro-woman means being pro-choices for women. So I can still wash my husbands dirty socks AND kick ass in a board room because that’s MY choice.

      • Kara says:

        Dovies and JB: you both seem so defensive.

        you’ll have to get used to it that your lifestyle is not the norm anymore, the majority already lives differently. many women before us have fought hard to free women of this life that revolves around relationships, babies and men.

        not every chioce a woman makes is a feminist choice, i dont know who started that crap.

        again: you wont go to jail for it but you are also no role models for younger women.
        ironically the “choice” is always mentioned when women do stuff thats expected in patriarchy. think about that.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        and Kara, you seem so offensive.

        I’m pretty damned feminist and I am married and have children. I also work and have not sacrificed anything in my career for my family simply because I don’t confused “choices” with “sacrifices.”

      • DTX says:

        I think Kara is a troll. Or she’s a very bitter person who doesn’t believe in forming meaningful relationships with other people (men or women) in which a meeting of the minds or compromise is involved in order to build a life together. Maybe she’s never been in love, who knows. Because I’ve known women AND men who made adjustments in their careers or lifestyles for the love and logical function of their families. That doesn’t make anyone weaker or less of a feminist, it makes them reasonable people who respect their partners enough to work together to make a cohesive lifestyle.

        Life is not supposed to be primarily about work and a career, there are many of us who work to live, not live to work. Is your career going to come visit you in the hospital or nursing home at the end of your life? Is it going to cry for you at your funeral? Is it going to be the warm beautiful thing you come home to and give you a hug and a cup of hot tea after a bad day at work? What a sad existence, what are you giving up an entire lifetime of experiences and relationships for anyway…money? Haha. That’s sad.

      • snowflake says:

        JB yes, you can be a feminist and be married and/or have kids. like you said, it’s about choice.

        kara people like you are why a lot of people have bad feelings about femminists

  11. Katherine says:

    Listen, I’m dating a French man and it’s spot on.

    The French have a small population but they are everywhere. It’s really annoying how I can’t go shopping without seeing at least 3 cheap designs emblazoning “Paris” on the front.

    He doesn’t even care for fashion, yet I have subconsciously just started dressing better. It’s really not about designer duds a la American. It’s about clean lines and dressing very femininely. In America, it’s acceptable to walk around in short short and rubber flip flops and it’s Americana. In Paris, that’s gauche and you should throw on a pretty pattern and some heels.

    • Birdie says:

      Sounds exhausting. But I would not wear shorts and flipflops either, only at the beach.

      • M.A.F. says:

        I only wear flip flops in the house, I call them “my house shoes”. I won’t wear flip flops outside of the house.

      • HurryUp says:

        It’s not exhausting, one simply buys good basics rather than something tacky from Walmart.

      • Isabelle says:

        Used to wear flip flops a lot, until I broke my foot. My surgeon said flip flops are horrible for your feet & better if you went barefoot. Told me that was why my foot broke so badly because flip flops are horrible for the bones in your feet. He scared me for life against flip flops.

    • It'sJustBlanche says:

      I could use some advice. I’m going there in June and have no idea what to wear. I live in the south and own a ton of Lilly Pulitzer and Kate Spade.

      • Em' says:

        Wear whatever you want to !
        But if you want to blend in : dresses, jeans or nice shorts (I swear to you it is absolutely acceptable), sneakers or sandals, blouse or casual tees… like everywhere else
        I agree with Katherine, it is all about the cut and the line. But where I disagree with the ultra feminie look. Frankly, I’ll admit that I care about style, but I spend most of my weekend in boyfriend’s jeans (like most of my friends)
        And Parisian girls don’t wear that much heels. Mostly during the week for work or to go out “et encore…” I was in a bar this weekend and most of the girls were wearing flats.
        Frankly, I’ll never side eye someone in trainers or UGG, but I will for anyone wearing high heels while strolling along the Seine.

      • it'sjustblanche says:

        Thanks, Em. I am one of those people, I just like to blend in or even if I don’t blend in, be appropriately dressed. And in the south, women dress very feminine. When I visit my husband’s family in Seattle, there are things I don’t wear there–like floral dresses and heels–just because I like to not stand out, really.

      • CL says:

        I went to Paris last June, and I wished I had taken skirts instead of jeans. I packed for the forecasted weather, which of course totally changed, and it was much warmer than I was planning. Also, Paris is VERY humid. I am a very talented sweater, so I was sweaty all day. So elegant!
        Take flats – there is so much walking, and most of the Parisians are in flats anyway. I have a friend who is always tring to get me in heels, and ever since I went to Paris, I love telling her “I am dressing as a Parisian now”. At least on my feet!

    • **sighs** says:

      Do French men dress equally as well?

      • Frenchmen are amazing dressers. I’m currently having a conversation with my boyfriend about it right now lol because he doesn’t get that it’s not normal in America to dress the way he does. He’s French obviously.

        And with regards to putting on heels and a skirt. No one in Paris wears anything more than an inch. I wore heels yesterday for just an hour and I wanted to die. I long ago stopped wearing them because Paris streets are just a mess. Have you tried walking in cobbles in heels? And no to skirts. Most girls wear black pants and leather leggings.

  12. Naddie says:

    Talking like that, Paris seems like a nightmare to live in. The last thing I want to think about when I go to the market is whether I look elegant, feminine or whatever.
    I’ve heard they also have a problem with people’s weight.

    • **sighs** says:

      I’m with you. Life is too short to be trussed up all the time.

    • OhDear says:

      It sounds exhausting.

    • We Are All Made of Stars says:

      Is a pair of fashionable and chic shorts with a ballet flat or interesting sandal really all that offensive? Shorts can be very chic when they are nice and treated as another item around which to build a look.

      • Naddie says:

        Not at all and I kinda agree with you. But, since I don’t look down on any person who likes to dress stylish to buy toilet paper, I don’t want to be side eyed because I dress sloppy.

    • Eleonor says:

      Paris is not France and viceversa, I bet Natalie does not live in the most depressing arrondissement, but in a very fancy one, so things are a LOT different for her.

      I do not find that hard to dress cute, you can be cute and stylish without too much effort and without heels.
      As an Italian woman, when I’ve moved here the first thing I’ve noticed is how french women look so effortlessy chic. To me they look like they put on the first thing they’ve found in the morning and somehow they menage to look great.
      Damn they do not even wear makeup. Or they wear makeup to look makeup-less.

    • Kitten says:

      There is nothing about Paris that is a “nightmare”, trust me.
      It is a magical land….

  13. Vava says:

    The times I’ve been to Paris, I didn’t see shorts either – except on the tourists. I did see a lot of black clothing, even in the summertime.

  14. Jaded says:

    I’ve been to Paris twice and can attest that people dress wayyyy better than North Americans. No logo t-shirts, no flip-flops, no sweats or shorts or yoga pants, no baseball caps, no trainers. I made it a point to dress well there. If Parisians wear jeans or tees they are immaculate and fit perfectly. As for their attitude towards tourists, they need a few pointers from us on how to make us feel welcome.

    • Lilacflowers says:

      Actually, Americans can also be very rude to foreigners visiting here.

    • lucy2 says:

      I agree that everyone dresses better there, and we too always bring clothes that look nice, no shorts, sneakers, sweatshirts, etc. .
      I’m going to disagree on not feeling welcome though – I’ve been 5 or 6 times and can’t say I’ve ever had someone be rude to me. As a culture I get the impression the people are more reserved and quiet than a lot of Americans tend to be, and I think that often gets misinterpreted as rudeness.

    • Kitten says:

      I’ve said it before but it bears repeating: Paris is a city, and like most cities, the people aren’t the nicest. Remember that cities for the most part are places where people come to work. Cities are congested, hectic, and rather ruthless.
      I’ve traveled all around France, and people can be as kind and generous in Brittany as they are in Ohio.

      Myself, I’ve been to Paris five times and half my family lives in France. Parisian people are hilariously grumpy-looking, but that sourpuss often belies a caring and helpful nature. I can’t tell you how many times I stood helplessly on a Parisian street corner awkwardly fumbling with my map only to have a kind Parisian inquire if I needed help finding something.

      Also, it’s important to remember that Americans are probably the smiliest (not a word, I know) culture on the planet. That’s just our nature-always smiling and laughing. This is VERY different than France, where people are generally rather stoic in appearance. Even in the UK, you’ll likely receive a tight smile before you’ll get the sh*t-eating grin that adorns the faces of so many Americans.

      So yeah, it’s important to remember that our perception of people’s attitudes in other countries is often rooted in simple cultural differences.

      • Franca says:

        The “neutral” face differs in America and in Europe. In America smiling is the neutral face, in most of Europe a serious look is neutral.

        Here, if a stranger smiles at you it’s because he wants to seel you something, he wants you to join their cult or he’s insane.

      • A.Key says:

        “The “neutral” face differs in America and in Europe. In America smiling is the neutral face, in most of Europe a serious look is neutral. Here, if a stranger smiles at you it’s because he wants to sell you something, he wants you to join their cult or he’s insane.”

        AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAA

        But very true 😀

        Also most Europeans don’t feel the need to pretend to be happy and cheerful when they’re not. Polite in Europe doesn’t mean a Cheshire cat grin and nodding. It means being silent and keeping to yourself.

  15. perplexed says:

    What about dress shorts (like the ones Kate Moss wears)? Would that be out of the question?

  16. Lucybelle says:

    Well la-ti-da. I will proudly wear my cutoffs, tank tops and flip-flops here in Dullsville, Middle America (aka rural Indiana).

    • garciathes says:

      Why would you be proud though? Genuine question. I’m a seeker of comfort and on the frump side of fashion myself, but I’m not making it an object of pride. Or of shame, as a matter of fact.

  17. ToodySezHey says:

    I used to have such the girl crush on her back in the day. But then she did her Oscar campaign and her god awful Oscar speech and eh….

    I should have seen the warning signs when she got all preachy about being vegan. But I swear every time she opens her mouth now she says something silly and pretentious. Then again she did do the film Garden State which was pretentious as hell.

  18. stellalovejoydiver says:

    I know she is ridiculous most of the times and she said some really stupid things and she signed that Polanski petition, but I can’t help but somehow like her. UGH!

  19. elimouse says:

    Well, it depends where she lives in Paris. I’m French, I don’t live in Paris but I’m not eager to do so, live in Paris can be really stressful and people are very rude, not all but mostly in Paris. But then again, she’s a celebrity, she probably lives in the fancy arrondissement in Paris. However I can confirm that nobody in Paris wear shorts, it’s quite rare that I see people walking around with shorts, but it’s always cold.

  20. Oh please. I live in Paris. Parisians are not always chic. go on the metro or walk the streets you see tons of girls with topknots looking they haven’t washed their hair in days. They’re a prettier people for sure but they’re not perfect. I can’t stand American girls who move here and then have blinders on.

    And yes they wear shorts. Denim shorts. But it’s too cold to wear them without pantyhose underneath. They till wear them. And yes people wear trainers here ALWAYS. Adidas are the popular choice right. Always white with all back clothes. And they wear leggings, and sweatpants and uggs. And trackies! Go somewhere besides the 8th or 1st next time you visit.

    If she wasn’t the worlds most pretentious person before she’s going to be a nightmare now that she’s “French”. Ugh.

    • We Are All Made of Stars says:

      Okay so the common folk who don’t care so much about “fashion” wear them, but are they considered chic if done correctly? They make a lot of nice fashionable shorts and I can’t imagine only thinking of denim cutoffs and the like when thinking shorts. It’s like how you can buy grungy unshapely jeans or really nice fitting ones that are flattering and fashionable.

    • Em' says:

      Wait, do you mean trainers as in sneakers or as in running shoes?
      Because I feel like we wear lots of sneakers but you don’t see a lot of running shoes. A from acrostiche point of view it really is different. I think you’re talking about Stan Smith when you talk about Addidas. It’s an urban look, it’s not sporty.
      Same goes with sweatpants… Except form girls running or out of the gym, I rarely see them in the street.

      But you are right, not all Parisians dress well

      And this come from someone working in the 5th arrondissement, living currently in Ivry sur Seine and formerly in the 18th and the 15th arrondissement ! 😀

      PS : 8th arrondissement is a super bad example. Most people living there are old bourgeoisie. Plus it’s a really boring area

      • I live in the 8th, lived in the 4th, 5th, and 9th. People wear Nike air maxes, not just the Sam smiths, the gazelles, the shell toes, Nike air maxes look just like trainers. And yes I’ve seen girls in yoga pants. Not going to the gym. I had an ex that lived in the 20th, one who lived in the 19th and one in the 18th. It gets progressively worse the farther out you go. Don’t even get me started on Montreuil and La Defense.

      • Em' says:

        @iseepinkelefants

        I love the Nike Air Max, would wear them everyday. They are really cool.

        20th, 18th, Montreuil are a wonderful melting pot with many different cultural and aesthetic’influences. That’s what I love about Paris. Lots of people might not fit the très cliché parisian chic (on that we agree, it’s a cliché) but they are still stylish.

    • Sofia says:

      You are so right! I’m reading people saying they have been and Paris and confirming what Natalie said but that’s only if you go to the touristic and expensive areas. Paris is a huge city and if you look and SEE there’s much more than what the marketing hype you! (And it’s not that pretty).

    • Isabelle says:

      Dumb question maybe, but how warm does it get in Paris, in the summer?

  21. Amy says:

    A few years ago the shorts and tights look was super popular in the winter for women and then slowly made its way here. They also wear loose, breezy pants too and those drop crotch genie pants were all the rage a few years ago. If French people go to the beach for the summer/casual summer resort towns, they will break out the shorts. It can get hot in the south of France.

    But it doesn’t get humid in Paris like it does in NYC so shorts are not really a staple. Not to mention Paris has an ugly cat calling streer culture which most tourists may not realize. I have a few dresses/skirts in my wardrobe I would never wear in France because I’d be afraid to attract unwanted cat calling. In NYC, they’d leave me be apart from some staring but I’ve heard too many stories about harassment on the metro.

    I know a lot about French wardrobe because my dad is French and I’ve been to France a gazillion times to visit family. I probably broke the rules and wore shorts at one point or another but I’m a bit more careful now.

    • lucy2 says:

      Ah, I remember the shorts and tights thing! That must have happened during one of my trips, and I remember saying that I hoped the trend wouldn’t spread to the US.

      • Amy says:

        I actually liked that trend haha! And I’ve worn it a couple of times myself and it’s super comfortable. It’s much better than the crop tops from last summer which have mostly disappeared thank god.

    • Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

      My sister had to punch a guy on the Métro. Not saying that it’s a typical French male behaviour that necessitated the punch, just saying she gave that fool one right in the eye. She told him she would.

  22. ToodySezHey says:

    ISEEPINKELEFANTS:

    Nailed it!!!

  23. Dancinnancy says:

    In defense of the French, I just spent a week there and I did not encounter one rude or snobby person. Many people did not speak English but were very patient with my rudimentary and awful French. I generally did not have any difficulty communicating.

    While there I did wear black pants (it was March) and black Mary Jane Naot walking shoes, but my bag and cheap scarf clearly screamed tourist.

    I get really annoyed at the stereotype of Nasty French and their smelly city. Very undeserving in my opinion. And I DID venture out past the 1st and 8th…

    • Tough Cookie says:

      ^^THIS^^

    • Em' says:

      Thank you so much.
      France and Paris are not exclusively populated by a$$holes

    • JenniferJustice says:

      And in defense of the American “sloppy”, the work culture and dress code in America is different than most other countries. In the early 90’s, there was a clear break from formal wear in the workplace for most. Courts, attorneys, politicians, and other positions of influence still wear suits for the most part, but a lot of companies went “business casual” in an effort to create a more relaxed atmosphere. Flexible work schedules followed and an overall more “comfortable” environment. Khaki’s and button downs replaced suits. Many businesses here allow employees to bring their pets and even children to work (babies). It started with the tech generation, but it spilled over into the rest of the business world as a stop toward the “happier employee”. It was also considered more economical than having to wear a suit everyday as suits are usually more expensive than separates.

      I don’t know what’s going on with people at stores and on the street wearing basically pajama’s that I see sometimes. I grew up having to “clean up” for dinner, especially if eating out – which meant a skirt and mary janes. Now I see people eating at restaurants looking like they just came from working in their garden. People don’t dress up for church much anymore either, but again, churches are pushiing for a more relaxed environment because it’s not as intimidating for newbies who may not have a formal warddrobe – they’d rather you came sloppy than not at all. But this is my take on the midwest where I live. People probably dress better on average in the bigger cities and the coasts. I don’t see shorts going out of style in the U.S. any time soon. America likes to be comfortable and we have no qualms with showing a lot of leg.

  24. Kath says:

    I find the emphasis on being ‘chic’ in both France and Italy (at least in the major cities) to be exhausting. I’m not saying that I prefer knee shorts and bum bags (or ‘fanny packs’, in America-speak), but I found it strangely alienating for some reason – especially when I was a frazzled student with no money.

    I also hate all that “French women don’t get fat” bollocks. Yeah, but the men do. How is that fair?

    It the same as that “the French don’t get drunk” stereotype, which neatly ignores the existence of Gerard Depardieu.

    I guess the difference is that for some countries, ‘culture’ is embodied by fashion, food etc., whereas I prefer the Anglo idea that you can be both cultured AND scruffy.

    • blanche says:

      Well said. Besides, I personally find ( and this is just my opinion) that those “fashionable” people all look like clones! I can always spot them as tourists in nyc – the all look the same.

      There doesn’t seem to be much individuality in that kind of chic – people may not look perfect all the time in ny – but they are individuals and I appreciate it.

  25. M says:

    I used to live in Paris and would wear dresses in the summer (shorts just don’t flatter me). Every so often I would wear my flip flops even though they are not deemed chic enough. I’ll never forget this one time a truck driver got my attention. I thought he was going to hit on me but instead he screamed (in French) “you forgot your shoes!”

  26. FingerBinger says:

    I like Natalie but she sounds a bit pretentious. Some of these comments sound pretentious too.

  27. Micki says:

    There’s something to be said about fashion sense of Parisiens. The girls there mix and match effortlessly.I don’t think that all clothes I’ve seen there are expensive designer pieces but the simplicity of the cut and mostly non-fussy prints are doing wonders.

  28. JenniferJustice says:

    Interesting. I know if I ever go to Paris or Europe in general for that matter, to pack skirts for hot days.

    Eva Mendez would like skirty Paris 🙂

  29. Em' says:

    I am Parisian and I do wear shorts during the summer. I even wear them at work. And I am nearly 30, not a teenager.
    Parisian looks are really eclectic but mostly casual or effortlessly chic

  30. Ameoba says:

    I absolutely love all the talk of shorts going on above. How I wish! Summers here are terrible. It’s April and I’m soo feeling it in my pants already. Where I live I can only wear shorts when I am at home. Cause wearing shorts in public = inviting men to rape you. Its infuriating but you can’t really make the dumb cows over here understand. So my mom says to just go with it. Besides, a lot of men (including balding grandpa’s) do give strange stares while chewing mouthfuls of tobacco (Its disgusting!), I first hand witnessed. So now, even if I have to go down to a shop to get some milk, which will at most be a five minute workout, I have to change to full pants. I want to migrate!

    • JenniferJustice says:

      Time to get some skirts maybe? More comfortable than pants in summer, but not drawing un-wanted attention from the old fogie tobacco chewers?

    • snowflake says:

      oh, wow! where do you live?

      here in america you can walk around with your buttcheeks hanging out of short shorts. unfortunately

  31. Kim1 says:

    She was obviously joking.Of course some of them wear shorts.The comment reminds of the book,” French women don’t get fat”.Obviously some French women are fat.

  32. Anastasia says:

    This is far from unique to Paris, though. I was in Frankfurt last summer, all over that city, and people dress incredibly nice. Even people who just seemed to be out enjoying a weekday afternoon and not getting back to work. Lovely skirts and scarves, and very tailored looks. They were dressed to the nines. I’m from Dallas, and used to seeing people dressed nicely, but I was agog at all the awesome clothing on display. So I hardly think Paris has the market cornered on this phenomenon.

    • garciathes says:

      I used to teach English in Europe, both West and East, and, from my experience, you nailed it! Americans (grossly generalized) have a deficit of tailoring. Good cuts, not necessarily on expensive cloths, do wonders for the silhouette and appearance.

      The issue of shorts as it was explained to me there: not appropriate street wear. Short skirts are fine, but shorts are for indoors, hiking, and the beach. Flip-flops are for the beach also or gyms.

  33. CatJ says:

    We were in Paris last September, and, I can remember commenting to hubs, that the women dress so effortlessly, simple shift dresses, a lovely scarf, flats or low heels, and very clean, unfussy hair…. and I noticed very few overweight native Parisiens, (but many overweight tourists, in their shorts and garish t-shirts, and robust walking shoes). The French men, the locals, I noticed, were very well dressed, but very slim, almost what I would describe as petite….with very trendy haircuts…. just my observations…. enviable chic….

    • mar says:

      yes and every young girl sits outside puffing on smokes, yet has perfect skin. Go Figure!

    • Isabelle says:

      The men aren’t always in suits either. Nice dress shirts, clean cut, sweater, maybe a jacket, nice pants. In America we think dressing up requires a 3 piece suit, tie, etc…

  34. O-)(-O says:

    Who is she fooling, she has a terrible sense of style. Just because she lives in Paris doesn’t mean all of a sudden she has become chic or sophisticated.

  35. E says:

    Meh. Portman is not too chic. She gave the interview to the Wisconsin Gazette, after all.

  36. EN says:

    All Europeans dress nicely compared to Americans. It took me a while to start buying so-called “casual” clothes in the US. Normally I wore the same clothes you’d wear to the office.

    However, if you are a tourist everyone is going to know it anyway, so what is the point of trying too hard? If you live there, you’ll eventually get used to the way people dress and fit in.

    And you can never go wrong with black +white. When in doubt – black pants, white shirt + some accessories or a scarf. And nobody will know any better unless you open your mouth to speak.

  37. mar says:

    I did a European trip last Summer, I started off in the Mediterranean in Italy, Monaco, Corsica, and Spain, and my last stop was Paris ( not in the Med). I left scorching hot Barcelona to fly to Paris, in my beautiful tie dye long dress, let’s just say that I was totally not dressed appropriately for Paris. Nobody dresses like that there!!!! It was dreary, chilly ( yes in July) and raining. Thank goodness I had brought some long sleeve muted color clothing for my 4 nights there. It was a learning experience Ill say. Ill be going back in June very prepared!

  38. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    Audrey Hepburn wore tennis shoes, make of that what you will.

  39. Elsie says:

    They obviously do not wear socks with mocassins like she does in this picture.

  40. DottieDot says:

    Natalie looks like a little Audrey Hepburn wanna be in this picture.

  41. Miran says:

    Starlets who marry french men and then become authorities on French culture are just as if not more insufferable than the ones who marry Brits and then adopt fake accents.

  42. BooBooLaRue says:

    Honestly, I apologize to the entire nation of France, but I am SO HAPPY she is not here. Work in French films? I totally support that. Now go away now.

  43. American In Oz says:

    A lot of my friends here are from Europe (Scotland, England, France, Ireland) and I have to say that the two with the best fashion sense are the two that grew up in England AND France. I asked one of them one time why the girls that we know from France dressed so atrociously and inappropriately and she told me that girls outside of Paris have terrible taste/fashion.

    As for the shorts thing- It’s hotter than hell here. I don’t LOVE shorts but I have a few pairs that are nice and tailored. I’ve found that either through age (I am nearly 30) or living around and being friends with mostly Europeans…I’ve begun to choose looser cuts of things.

    As for men, when I first met my husband who is Irish we were at my parents pool (still dating at the time) and he walked out in shorts for the pool and LOAFERS. I kid you not. Flip flops are atrociois to him. I love mine though.

  44. Veronica says:

    She does sound really happy, eh? Portman always struck me as a tad pompous, but she never annoyed me as much as she did some people. I’m not surprised about her comments about dress – I’ve had more than one European buddy mention that Americans are very casual (or “sloppy,” if they’re feeling blunt) in our dress code.

  45. moon says:

    I’ve lived in Paris and the general sense there is casual but chic. Everyone makes an effort, but not over the top. Unlike in america where people are either sloppy or ridiculously overblown hair etc.

  46. Mrs. Darcy says:

    It is just the usual “fat American tourist” veiled reference. I’m sure she feels right at home in Paris, it is super snobby (I still love it despite this, don’t get me wrong!). I’ve been twice and never have my outfits been so blatantly eyed up and down by other women so critically- I was walking down the street one night with my Mom and she got all excited because she noticed a French woman checking out my shoes!

    It’s funny because when I first moved to NYC my friend informed me that real New Yorkers didn’t wear shorts (we were young East Villagers so it was all very arty farty hipster circa 90’s). And so I didn’t wear shorts, I sweated my butt of all summer, but I looked like a “real” New Yorker by god! Cities are super weird about having little “in” trends that only inhabitants adhere to. Sounds like Natalie is just trying to prove her Parisian mettle, not difficult with her access to designer everything I’m sure. Kind of cruel of her to look down her nose at the plebs, but not surprising to me in the least from a woman who had no cake at her wedding!

  47. HoustonGrl says:

    I grew up in Paris, but I now live in the states. This is one time where I feel qualified to chime in. What I would say about Parisians, and French people in general, is not so much that they are “high fashion”, wear labels, or avoid scrubby sweats and shorts. But they do generally sport classic cuts that are simple and elegant. It’s not about having a lot of expensive clothes. It’s about being simple and chic.

  48. Snarky says:

    I’m glad she’s off the ‘I’m so smart’ kick. Every time this girl opens her mouth, it is to see how well her foot fits in it.

    Living in a country that is neither The USA or European, I can say the following: –Most French people are lovely.
    Sometimes, a few of them may seem aloof because they don’t feel that their English is where it should be-but for the most part, I get the impression that France finds Portman as insufferable as anyone else.
    –Europeans outside of Europe dress casually (or ‘sloppily’, if we are going the critique other people’s clothes like HS mean girls route) like Americans…which makes me think that the ‘nicer’ style of Europe is more of a response to social pressure to dress well than anything else.
    –People who make tedious moral judgement calls on other people’s clothing must be materialistic snobs.

  49. ukbound says:

    So many people want to believe that Paris is superior. I stayed there for 3 weeks and was deathly ill from the cigarette smoke. You can barely walk down the street without being asphyxiated. I did not find people to be chic. I’m sure there are a lot of tourists, but I went to several cultural meetups and people dressed pretty normally.

    You will be surprised how many monuments and pretty buildings are covered in grafitti. I found most people nice, except the cab drivers and waiters. They have a reputation of being surly and getting by with it, for some odd reason.

    I think Natalie just wants to feel superior and is using this as a reason. She and Gwyneth need to get together.