We've Reached the End

When I was faced with the options of choosing a final exam format for my class- French Culture Through Film- on that fateful day in September, I automatically decided to make a website. A website in a blog format, centered around fashion. Why, you might ask, did I make such a quick- and quite specific- decision for a final project worth so much of my grade? Well, the fashion part was simple. The fashion industry holds my passions, and one of the main reasons I love France is for it's fashion capital, Paris. I know what a huge part of the  French culture that I would be learning about fashion is, and so the choice was easy. Why a blog? It's a fresh way to express my thoughts on the films I watched, and an enjoyable format to write and read. I also have experience blogging (a link to my style blog, Fashion Fille, is in the sidebar), so I knew I would have fun with it!

So, here we are, a whole semester behind us, with just one final exam ahead. In front of you lies my final thoughts of FR 138.

Decade of Excess

The whole decade of the 1980s had a huge influence on A Nos Amours, other than just in the specific ways I showed in previous posts. Large prints, loose and boxy shirts, sport coats, metallics, stripes, pastels and bright colors, puffy sleeves, high-cut jeans and layering are important aspects of the 80s fashion scene. Check out some of these screenshots to see for yourself how '80s the film really was.

Dressing like the typical '80s teen, Suzanne was the perfect character in a great film to show the French fashions from the 80s. Her drapey skirts, mid-height heels, and boxy tees all worked to portray a teen trying to make her own way during a time of her life when everyone around her was trying to hold her back. What she wore was one thing in her life she had complete control over, and it was obvious that she was aware of that. She knew what to wear to get what she wanted- from men, from her friends, and from her family- even if she was still trying to figure out what exactly she did want.

Shopping in her Closet

Here's a scene from A Nos Amours, beginning with Suzanne trying on clothes from her closet. She asks her mom where a piece of clothing is, and once her mother replies by saying she threw the dress out becuase it was "whorish," a fight between the whole family escalates into a violent scene.

All because of one dress!

Growing Up Fast

What Suzanne wore while out with her friends and with boys sure was opposite of what she showed her family while hanging out at home. Suzanne's style evokes the sexy insouciance of youth in revolt, and the stripes, knits, bright colors, and metallics (which were also a big part of her younger sense of style) were worn often, in body conscious shapes accentuating her womanly form she was so proud to bear.

The movie opened up with his shot of Suzanne. Though you can't see much of her clothing, she's giving off a rebel-without-a-cause vibe and it's already known by the audience that trouble is brewing.

On her first tryst with her first boyfriend during summer camp, she's wearing an '80s mini skirt and striped, wide-cut ringer-tee top. The shapes of both pieces evoke a youthful yet confident mood- exactly where Suzanne was mentally sitting.

At the party where she meets the American that leads to her fate, she's dressed very sexy for a 15 year old girl. Her slinky one-shouldered dress- with striped accents!- gives off a sultry vibe the '80s is known for.

Note: These screenshots show an error in the movie! In one part of the scene, her dress is black and white striped along the one-shouldered neckline, while in the other part she is wearing a black skirt with a black and white striped one-shouldered top. Whoops!

Her other party outfits- one from the beginning of her bad-behavior spiral and one when she's finally matured- are the perfect outfits to identify the decade she's grown up in. The stripes (again!), leather, metallics, bright colors, and womanly silhouettes are so very '80's, just like Suzanne's screw-all attitude.

Home Front

The main character, Suzanne, in A Nos Amours finds herself exploring her own limits with boys and men as she grows up in the 1980's, but needs to stay the same little girl her family knows her as while she's at home. Suzanne's at-home wardrobe is as slovenly and girlish as her street clothes are provocative. In order to keep these personae of herself separate, she dresses very sweetly at home, and a bit more risque while out socializing, which will be explored in the next post. 

The bright colors, loose fits, and layers shout to her mother, father, and brother that she is still young and playful. She stays covered up and innocent in her house to avoid suspicion, even just pulling at the neckline of her sweater to cover up a potential hickey from her secret boyfriend.

Reds, browns, and pinks were most popular with Suzanne. A huge trend for youth during the '80s was chunky cardigans and heavy jackets, which is obviously very apparent in Suzanne's at-home ensembles, like her fur trimmed leather bomber over the baby pink sweater she's wearing just above.

Pretty Ladies

Unlike their mothers and male peers, the young girls in this film didn't dress like adults. They all maintained a cute and girly style from head to toe- with pigtails and curls in their hair and flat shoes. While the boys were perfect clones of their fathers, the girls' style reveled in the youth and joy of being a little girl.

They wore ruffled sleeves on their pastel, gingham, or candy striped dresses, often channeling a milkmaid or a prairie girl. Ribbons in the hair was a must!

Of course, there were still some girls growing up too fast, trying to dress like their beautiful mothers. Laurent had a friend that was wearing the defined waist to emphasize her bust line and hips. She also wore her hair piled on top of her head, as opposed to the sweet curls the other girls wore.

Mommy Dearest

As I said before, Laurent's mother was the perfect character to show the preppy glamour of the '70s. She was always extremely put together and well accessorized. Not like a typical mother, she was intimidatingly beautiful and gave off an air of wealth and sex appeal.

Arriving at the spa for Laurent's treatments, Clara is wearing a monochrome camel look, complete with sleek pantyhose, a utilitarian clutch, and a head scarf. She never looked tired or had a hair out of place, and was sure to make an appearance with her outfits.

Take a look at her outfit for dinner with her son. She looks beautiful, and the word that bears repetition, glamorous constantly, something that wasn't uncommon for wealthy women in the '70s.

Prepster Rascals

The boys in the film were always getting into trouble way over their heads, usually with ladies and cigars, but there is no doubt they didn't always maintain their style. They looked preppy and put-together, and usually appearing to be wearing expensive clothing. They fit right into the "preppies" category from the 1970s- wealthy and well educated, even as young teenagers.

Sweater vests, plaid, linen, khaki, and scarves are all key parts of the film's wardrobe, as were they important accessories in the '70s WASP/Prepster trend. The accessories were almost more key in the boys outfits than the main pieces of clothing- leather belts, scarves, and ties pulled their looks together.

Bird and Diz

Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, jazz musicians of the '70s, were very important to Laurent. See them above dressed in '70s glam!

Clubwear

The scene of the film when the movies visit the brothel/disco club is a turning point. Not only for Laurent and his life, but for the fashion in the film. He makes his transition into manhood while the movies' fashion matures, as well. He is spending time with older women, who's job it is to look sexy. The boys dress in their most preppy clothes for the night, wearing dinner jackets and sport coats, sweater vests, and ties.

This scene is also a great display of the general trends of the time. Take a look at the colors, shapes, and accessories worn by the women in the screenshots.

Reds, blues, and browns are popular, as well as metal-buckled belts and wide necklines. Large earrings or necklaces accent the facial features of the women.

Opposite of the '70s, women were much more empowered to wear what they wanted without restrictions to form fitting dresses with a tightly cinched in waist. Thin sweaters and trousers were much more popular, as you can see in the screenshots above.