Why France?

In high school I studied French much to the dismay of my parents. Living in Texas there was a case to be made for Spanish but, I just couldn't. The truth was I wasn't going to be a doctor so I couldn't argue my way into Latin. I can't remember how I finally got the "yes" to register for French but it happened! Fantastique!

I entered my French class my freshman year and chose my new French name, Madeline. Mademoiselle Madeline is what I was called. It was a rude awakening some 22 years later when I entered the country of France and they now referred to me as Madame. 

There was always a certain je ne sai quoi about France. They seemed to speak in a  manner I'd never seen, they had croissants and champagne and everything they wore was classic and beautiful. The clothes seemed to compliment the culture. The clothes effortlessly spoke the beautiful words of the French, day in and day out. 

When I visited France, I realized what that je ne sai quoi was that I hadn't been able to put my finger on years before. It was intention. Everything in France is done with intention. From the way one eats, to how they spend their time and how they dress. This was a firm departure from America where I threw on whatever clothes fit my body and looked "professional"  and rushed out the door to be at the office at 8am. The intention behind everything the French did was a concept I was enamored with. 

It was that concept that started this store. 

I wanted to take my love of France and bring it to my closet in quality items that I could invest in and knew would be in my closet year after year. I wanted to go into my closet in the morning and look at the clothes that would inspire me to live more intentionally.  I wanted to bring those things from France and from greater Europe into my closet and into yours. 

My greatest hope for Belle Aujourd'hui is that you too feel beautiful today.