Style Inspiration: Coco Before Chanel

I have to admit, I didn’t love Coco Before Chanel as much as I thought I would. It was depressing, really, and sort of made me feel like Coco Chanel lived kind of a sad life. Still, everything about this film was beautiful: the French countryside, Audrey Tatou, and of course, the costumes. It was interesting to see how Chanel’s clothing slowly became the classically feminine brand that it is: the tweed, the simple lines and the cuts that are somehow both androgynous and feminine. You could see how it had transformed from her own clothing, a lot of which was inspired by menswear.



I also noticed in one scene, when she’s in Normandy with her beau, that she totally created the little black dress. All the other women are wearing these frou frou ball gowns and big hats, and Coco’s wearing a simple, elegant black dress and is the prettiest woman in the room. You can see so much of her work in today’s fashion, and it would be almost impossible to create an inspiration board big enough to encompass it. Still, here are some pieces loosely inspired by Audrey Tautou's wardrobe in the film.



1. Anthropologie Herald's Trumpet Boudoir Set, $42
2. Cartier Women's Francaise Stainless Steel Watch, $3,075
3. Smythe Wool-Blend Equestrian Jacket, on sale for $486.50
4. J.Crew Solid Schuyler Dress, on sale for $79.99
5. Forever 21 Silk Bow Headband, $3.80
6. Gap, Nautical Tunic Top, on sale for $17.99
7. Chanel Vintage Double Chain Bag, $2,295
8. Steven by Steve Madden Mellin Shoe, $99

It was also good to brush up on my French while I watched this. The only problem was I felt like I didn’t know what was happening half the time because I was trying to figure out what they were saying rather than reading the subtitles. I guess I’d better start watching some more French movies…