Drownout France

The Frenchman's Garb

Sweeping the nation. 05 Juillet.

Here is a look that a Frenchman loves. Look around the streets of Paris. You will not miss this distinctive striped design, usually blue stripes on white, shirts with boatnecks, but of course with variants.

Mysterious: on old and young alike, shirts and skirts, with many variations.

But completely unrelated to fashion; not at all momentary (I conclude, since even the least modish are wearing it).

It is, the official French casual uniform. The politicians wear windowpane shirts with light colored suits (the MPs, that is; Chirac looks more serious and grave in the American style).

Of every stripe. 05 Juillet.

Sorry so many o these pictures are of poor quality; I had to take them discretely (I thought) to avoid explaining why I was photographing innocent frenchmen.

Let me point out the bottle of Gaultier cologne. It's called "Le Male". And that stripey pattern is meant to be a tight sailor's shirt gripping the upper body of this chap. And indeed, in the streets of the Marais, there are many gay fashions displaying the whole "sailor look" this summer. Sleeveless and closer-fitting than what I've photographed here.

See below for some stuff on Daniel Buren, French conceptual artist. There has got to be a connection.

Posted by amol at July 5, 2002 02:19 PM