A few weeks ago, novelist and cookbook writer Sanaë Lemoine was eating dinner with friends. They were going around the table describing each other’s styles. “When we got to me, they all jumped in at the same time,” she told us. “They said, ‘Your style is so French!’ I was kind of shocked. I was born in France, but I’ve lived in the U.S. since 2007.” Here, she shares four looks…
Dress: Zara, similar. Earrings: Louise Damas. Boots: Everlane.
On meaningful outfits: My novel, The Margot Affair, came out on June 16, 2020. On the publication day, I put on a red jumpsuit from Loup and went on a beach picnic. A friend once told me that, when it comes to dressing for events, it’s important to wear something comfortable that you’ve worn before — this Zara dress is one of those pieces for me, as well — since you don’t want to be thinking about your outfit during a big life moment.
Dress: Zara, similar. Earrings: Louise Damas.
On a signature dress: I bought this dress in early 2016, and it’s still my favorite. One day, I was watching Blue Jay and realized that Sarah Paulson was wearing “my” dress! You can imagine my excitement.
Blazer: Souer, a few years old, similar. Pants: Everlane, “I have them in a few colors.” Shoes: Margaux. Earrings: Louise Damas.
On the joy of…ironing: This makes me sound old-fashioned, but I can’t live without my iron. My mom and dad both ironed everything, so I saw how it can completely change an outfit by giving a linen shirt or pair of white pants a crispness that I love. I splurged on a nice iron with weight and use a small Ikea board. It’s easy and satisfying.
On a mini flashback: My obsession with irons started at a young age, but why am I ironing outside?
Top: Thanx God I’m a VIP. Shoes: Margaux. Pants: Everlane. Earrings: Louise Damas.
On looking dressy without dresses: In my twenties, I relied on dresses because I wanted to feel elegant. Then I realized that pants with structure or a cool shape can also feel dressy. In a closet clean-out, I also got rid of the incredibly uncomfortable shoes I used to wear. I walk everywhere, so these days it’s a non-negotiable that my shoes feel good. Margaux is a godsend for my very wide feet, since they make shoes in three widths that feel like slippers.
Top: Thanx God I’m a VIP. Pants: Everlane. Shoes: Margaux. Earrings: Louise Damas.
On a Paris gem: This silk top is from a vintage store in Paris with a ridiculous name: Thanx God I’m a VIP. But my two most stylish friends — Emily and Raven — swear by it, and now I have to limit myself to one visit per trip!
Shirt: Reformation. Jacket: Pierre Cardin, similar. Pants: Le Bon Shoppe. Earrings: Louise Damas. Shoes: Heschung, similar. Socks: Tabio, “They have a lovely discreet shimmer and elevate the simplest outfit.”
On mother-daughter style: For a long time, my mother’s style felt inaccessible to me, maybe because we had a somewhat fraught relationship throughout my childhood and adolescence. My father would say, ‘Your mother is the most elegant person I know,’ and I’d look away. She has an eye for mixing and matching colors. Often there’s an unexpected detail, like a scarf tied around her neck or a wide belt. She’s also a uniform person, who will wear the same things over and over. We’ve grown closer, and a few years ago, I realized that I’d started to dress like her. Now, I wear these pants several times a week. My mother loved them so much that she requested a pair.
Shirt: Reformation. Jacket: Pierre Cardin, similar. Pants: Le Bon Shoppe. Earrings: Louise Damas. Necklace: Aro, “I wear it every day.”
On hand-me-downs: I love ‘shopping’ my friends’ closets, and vice versa. I inherited this jacket from my grandfather’s closet after he passed away in 2020. It’s soft from years of wear and wide enough to fit over a sweater. This top was a hand-me-down from my friend Janet. I’m always eyeing her style, and I couldn’t believe my luck when she let me have this.
Jumpsuit: Alex Mill, “they have incredible jumpsuit sales a few times a year.” Socks: Le Bon Shoppe.
On dressing in Paris versus New York: When I’m back in Paris, I’m a bit more buttoned up. I gravitate towards blazers and pack my nicer shoes. Sometimes I look around and think that everyone looks elegantly dressed but also a bit similar? When I’m in New York, I feel freer — there’s such variation in peoples’ styles.
Jumpsuit: Alex Mill. Socks: Le Bon Shoppe.
On a strange skill: Funnily enough, I have a very precise photographic memory for clothes. Even 15 years later, I will recall exactly what a friend was wearing when we met. It seems eerie if I bring it up. The same applies for my own clothes, although it’s not very useful!
Thanks so much, Sanaë, and congratulations on your beautiful recent cookbook!
P.S. More women share their weeks of outfits, and a dessert recipe from Sanaë’s new cookbook that she wrote with her friend, Olga Massov.
(Photos by Julia Robbs.)
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