S1 C1-C2 JANE BIRKIN-IFIED: BECOMING THE FRENCH GIRL

to be taken by sb/sth

deeply attracted or charmed by sb/sth

a touch of ennui

a slight feeling of boredom or dissatisfaction

to trump American It-girls

to surpass trendy American girls

to catch the Francophile bug

to develop a strong love for French culture

to churn out sth

to produce sth quickly and in large amounts

trademark messy hair

a signature, intentionally unkempt hairstyle

dewy

having a fresh, glowing, slightly moist appearance (often skin)

to embody the stereotype

to perfectly represent the stereotype

to embrace the ethos

to fully adopt a particular attitude or philosophy

unabashedly alluring

confidently and openly attractive/charming

purposefully undone

deliberately styled to look effortless or casual

je ne sais quoi

a hard-to-define, appealing quality (French: “I don’t know what”)

to strut

to walk confidently, often to show off

to streamline one’s style

to make one’s fashion choices simpler and more cohesive

to trade in trends for flattering pieces

to stop following fads and wear what suits you best

to go on a rampant search for sth

to obsessively look for sth

incessantly

without stopping, constantly

to indulge in romance

to enjoy romantic ideas or experiences freely

to latch onto sth

to become strongly attached to an idea/trend

to fulfill the self-prophecy

to make a personal belief/expectation come true through actions

vice

a moral weakness, bad habit or guilty pleasure

elusive French woman

hard-to-define French feminine archetype

elegantly dishevelled hair

artfully tousled locks

smattering of red lipstick

a small, casually applied amount of lipstick

crystallised into collective imagination

solidified in shared cultural consciousness

the epitome of sth

the perfect embodiment of sth

canonised through innumerable films

immortalized by multiple films

to exude French girl chic

to radiate Parisian cool

a slew of sth

an overwhelming quantity of sth

to don picnic attire

to wear countryside-inspired clothing

to satiate one’s Francophile senses

to satisfy one's craving for French culture

sartorial inspiration

fashion inspiration

a pantheon of it-girls

a group of the most influential it-girls

to solidify sth

to permanently establish sth

to receive backlash

to face significant criticism or opposition

to diminish a woman's power

to reduce female agency

self-perpetuating cycle

a cycle that continuously reinforces itself

buttressed by a lucrative industry

supported by a profitable industry

to hone in on the coveted aesthetic

to target the highly desired style

to distill the routine

to break down the routine into essential parts

enduring prowess

lasting cultural influence, strength and relevance

imbued with sth

deeply infused with a particular quality

to buy into the myth

to uncritically accept an idealized narrative

a few spritzes of Chanel No 5

a few sprays of Chanel No 5

in the cultural zeitgeist

in the public consciousness

to capitalize on the allure

to profit from the appeal

tarnished legacy

damaged reputation

embedded within the trope

deeply ingrained in the archetype

to recast Parisian women

to reframe French femininity

Parisienne insouciance

Parisian carefree, effortless attitude

it cemented our obsession with all things Paris

it solidified our strong fascination with Parisian culture

to engender a feeling/result

to cause a particular feeling/outcome

institutionally Parisian snobbery

the deeply ingrained Parisian elitism

innate

natural, inborn, not learned

ephemeral

fleeting

sacred cow

an unquestionably revered but sometimes overrated idea

indisputable timeless chic

undeniably classic and eternally stylish

vice-like grip of Parisian chic

the strong, unrelenting influence of Parisian style

to wane

to gradually weaken or fade

chain-smoker

sb who smokes cigarettes continuously

market saturated with guides

a market with an oversupply of guides

countless tomes on French beauty

endless books about French beauty secrets

it feeds us the same narrative

it reinforces the same overused story

to dispel the myriad myths

to debunk the many false beliefs

constitutionally unimpressed

naturally hard to impress, as if it’s a part of your character

self-fulfilling fantasy

an idealized belief that perpetuates itself

propped up by Birkin

supported by Jane Birkin

discerning

having refined taste, selective

infectious guileless manner

a naturally charming, unpretentious attitude that draws others in

to emulate a fantasy

to imitate an idealized version of sth

yearning for the Parisian dream

a deep longing for the Parisian dream

lingering enthrallment with Paris

a lasting fascination with Paris

effortless elegance

appearing sophisticated and refined without visible effort

model off duty

a deliberately casual yet fashionable aesthetic that centers everyday sartorial choices made by models

rigid

strict, inflexible in style or attitude

somber

dark and serious in tone or color

creams and ivories

soft, neutral off-white color palette

Chanel pumps

classic heels by Chanel

put-together

appearing neat, coordinated and polished

understated

subtle and restrained in style

with a sprinkle of chaos

with a small, intentional element of disorder

with a smidge of sth

with a tiny amount of sth

trust fund kid

wealthy young person living off family money

smudged eyeliner

messy eye makeup

muted color palette

soft, subdued range of colors

staples of the aesthetic

essential, defining elements of a particular style

lacy lingerie

delicate, feminine undergarments decorated with lace

beat up books

worn, loved books showing signs of use

opulence

luxurious richness and extravagance

entitled

behaving as if one deserves special privileges

disposable income

money available for non-essential spending

to stem from sth

to originate or develop from sth

to curb one's appetite

to reduce or limit one's desire for sth

to bleed into sth

to gradually mix with or influence sth else

to pull from an aesthetic

to take inspiration from a particular style

dainty pieces

delicate, finely made clothing or accessories