"Perfection Is a Nightmare"

Ines de la Fressange embraces the idea that perfection doesn't exist, at least in the way that we consider "perfection" through our American lens. de la Fressange's guides to french style reveal the Parisienne schism from "perfection." A believer that "perfection is a nightmare," de la Fressange bans matching outfits and a sense of comfort, opting instead for what we might consider to be unusual or nonsensical combinations of "a chiffon print dress with battered biker boots, not brand-new ballet flats" or "a tuxedo jacket with sneakers, not femme fatale stilettos." By adopting clothing items that may traditionally seem better suited for men (biker boots and tuxedos), she subtly encourages women to free themselves from societal gender boundaries and to express their equality with men by wearing clothing originally designed for them. She herself elected to bring a tuxedo to Cannes! This action concurs with her claim that "fashion is constantly evolving."

I think that Americans are drawn to the Parisenne because we think they are perfect - their deportment, style, and behavior all seem so put together from the outside. However, according to de la Fressange's guidance of how to be the perfect Parisienne, the key is confidence in doing what one wants for herself. I think American women wish they could be more confident in order to stray from the trends. There seems to be more comfort with individuality among French women than among their American counterparts.

Susan Loomis admits her fear to make an imperfect setting. When her boss/friend Patricia asks why she never takes a piece of the cake she made for herself, Susan reflects that she had never considered doing so because she "loved leaving a perfect looking, perfectly frosted cake in the middle of a clean kitchen" (16). Are American women too caught up in doing everything the "right" and "orderly" way to validate their work as good enough? In striving to be perfect like the Parisenne, American women neglect to find confidence in their own ideas, therefore passing by a key element of being "the perfect Parisenne" - not being perfect at all.