I love to pretend I'm French

I do like to pretend I’m French. I wrote on a previous blahg about not using the hashtag #iliketopretendimfrench and I’m now backing up a bit. I have been trying to come up with another version. I have had people comment on my art as being very French and some people think I am French without even knowing me. I am not giving up a part of myself that loves to pretend I’m French. The whole sensibility appeals to me and my lifestyle.

The first very obvious trait that I have is that I wear stripes in shirts, pants, and even my carryall bag. I have worn stripes since Kindergarden when my best friend had on a red and white pinstriped horizontal t-shirt and she let me try it on because I loved it so much. I went home and told my mom that I wanted some striped t-shirts. Voila! The little French girl persona was started. I did branch out into plaids as my mom made all of my school clothes. We would go pick out a pattern for my various jumpers (a sleeveless vest like dress garment) and then we would peruse the aisles of fabric. My mother would pause and suggest a staid solid navy blue or maroon wool and I would shake my head no. I would then start pulling out the plaids and my mother sighed and obliged. She would then begin the difficult task of lining up the plaid pattern to match at the seams and pleats. I chose all of the tartans and as I got older my color palette got more adventurous. I recall a very beautiful blue gray plaid with a light mustard pin stripe plaid that was sewn into a plain straight A-line jumper always worn with a crips white blouse. My play clothes were always stripes of some kind. I still recall the seersucker shorts in a soft tan and white stripe that were very roomy and long and billowy. I wore those for a couple of years. I also had a fantastic wide striped t-shirt of white and a delicate sky blue with matching sky blue shorts. Going back to the plaid, I had a little Madeline thing going on for elementary school with a plaid trench coat and a different plaid schoolbag and then a different plaid lunch pail. My best friend had a black vinyl Barbie lunch pail to give you some perspective of my style really not being trendy. My favorite sandwich was liverworst (a poorman’s Fois gras) which is another clue that I was French at the age of 6.

So at the ripe old age of Never-You-Mind, I am still wearing stripes and the occasional dot. My favorite color is Payne’s Gray and my favorite sandwich is pâté and cornichon on a baguette with butter. I do not wear ballet flats but I do wear sturdy walking shoes. I have a French oxford that all the school children used to wear. I first saw this particular style of shoe on a French architect in my office named Lionel. For everyday I wear silver shoes. I have 3 pair (and one on the way) of silver Stan Smith Adidas. These shoes I can wear for over 20,000 steps as I traverse across the bridges of Paris to get from the left to the right bank and everywhere in between.

Now that you think that I have exhausted the subject of being French I would be remiss if I did not mention THE SCARF. I started wearing scarves in Italy because they were in every shop and they were affordable. I loved the patterns and would agonize over which ones to purchase. I loved the cheap scarves that were 3 for 10 Lira. Those were the days. Of course now I would love a vintage Hermès scarf but if I bought one I would probably frame it. Snort. I have lots of scarves and I also have a Baby Buddha Studio scarf line. I have a two styles in stock now, the Librarie and the Diwali, and several are on order. They are silk and are printed with French storefronts. The scarf I’m wearing below is of my painting, Hotel du Nord.

Other things going on in the studio is a couple of commissions of storefronts and a residence! Workshops are available by appointment and I’m working on a new workshop for those of you who have taken my first workshop. It is going to be fun! As I am updating my website with fresh content and working on my never ending card design project I do it all whilst pretending I am French. Snort.