“une femme d’un certain âge”

Mastering the Boy-Girl Mix for More Interesting Outfits

What does it mean: Une femme d’un certain âge is a French expression (“a woman of a certain age”) that suggests a positive attitude toward age, and alludes to the wisdom, experience, and elegance that we acquire along the way.

I found a blog recently written by Susan Blakely that not only defined this French term, but gave it meaning.  

By Susan Blakey March 18, 2024

One of the things I’ve always loved about the French style aesthetic is that there’s often a mix of masculine and feminine elements in an outfit. Today I’m sharing an easy striped sweater outfit. And I’ll break down how I balanced the masculine / feminine elements to hit my style sweet spot.

I think a little bit of contrast or tension in an outfit can be what makes it interesting. Outfits that are too much one thing can look a bit formulaic and expected. I love mixing masculine and feminine, rough and refined, polished and relaxed, or classic and quirky to achieve a certain vibe. (And I’ve never been comfortable in a strictly “girly” look, anyway.)

Nowadays, many types of clothing have become more unisex. (Jeans, for example.) And whether an item of clothing “reads” as masculine or feminine may depend on the viewer’s culture, region, upbringing, and traditions. It’s not my intention to perpetuate rigid gender stereotypes, and your perception of an item may differ from mine. And each person will have their own idea of what feels “balanced.” But here’s my breakdown, and why this look hit the balance and vibe I was going for.

The boy-meets-girl outfit breakdown

Starting with the base, the jeans and tee alone would read as masculine. (Especially a cuffed, straight-leg jean.)

The bandana pattern of the scarf leans a little masculine, but the soft, silky fabric is more feminine, so that’s a nice mix right there.

The softer shape and crocheted texture of the cardigan read as feminine, though the stripes temper that a bit. (Straight lines and shapes tend to read as more masculine, curved lines and shapes more feminine.)

The shoes…definitely feminine with that pointed toe. (I could also go slightly more androgynous with a pair of sneakers instead.)

And the soft bag with the drawstrings also reads as more feminine.

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What opposing elements (if any) do you try to balance in your outfits?