Brightest Young Things

Disclaimer: This is not a style-guide. This is not about fashion. This is not even judgmental. This column is about people on DC’s streets. People, who seem as if they put a thought or two into their outfits before leaving the house. People, whose look is working – for them, in their own opinion.
Every day we follow passersby at their heels for five minutes to find out where and how they shopped and have them answer five quick questions about their look.
No particular scheme. No particular price range. No particular beauty standards. Just an outfit that for any reason caught our eye.

Marie, 23, studies Cultural Management in Nantes, France. In DC on exchange.

Why her? The way she nonchalantly held the purse in her 90 degree bent arm. ( Later she told me that this is the "French" way of bag carrying ). And: Her looking so awake without the faintest touch of make-up. On a Monday morning at 8 am.

Coat: $100 from Filene's Basement

Dress: $60 Euro, Kookai
Grey Cardigan: 10 Euro, Vintage

Purse: 300 Euro, gift from her family on her 20th birthday

Shoes: 15 Euro, vintage

Your bag costs almost twice the price of the rest of your outfit. How come?

It's a tradition in my family. While other kids get a car for their 20th birthday we get our first "real" purse that is supposed to last forever. After that a girl is officially considered a woman.

You are not wearing any jewelery or make-up, is that a dogma?

I never wear any make-up, I'm too lazy to get up early every morning. And jewelery... I guess I'm just to timid.  It's easy to look cheap with wrong accessories.

Is there something you don't like about the way Americans dress?

I don't like how college girls wear pajamas by day and really, erm, open-minded dresses by night. There is nothing in the middle.

Where do you get the ideas for your outfits?

I read French fashion blogs like The Cherry Blossom Girl and Garance Doré. Sometimes I skim through facehunter. I also like to be inspired by people on the street or movies.

Who is your favorite movie character, fashion-wise?

Margot Tenenbaum.