"Elegance is a discipline of life."
-Oscar de la Renta
There was a time, not long ago, when many young American women dreamed, desired and sought to replicate ladies. The sort of women that Truman Capote described perfectly in his October 1959 article for Harpers' Bazaar. In this article, A Gathering of Swans, he quotes from the journal of a young Mr. Patrick Conway who was visiting Bruges in the year 1800.
"As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy."
-Emma Watson
The Parisian woman made The Capsule Wardrobe famous. Droves of American women, in particular, fell in love with the idea of creating a small, chic, simple, quality wardrobe that could stand the test of time. The revolving door of cheap trends and unconscionable waste began to weigh heavy on many of us. Our closets seemed to take on lives of their own, as we hoarded more and more fast fashion. We couldn't help but look admiringly to our sensible French sisters for guidance. French women, especially La Parisienne, has a rich history of always being well turned out, at the height of chic, and yet never conspicuous.