Marvelous finds from coast-to-coast like L.A.’s Maison Nathalie help us lucky Yankees exercise our inner Parisian in true style.
Paris was my first international trip, for immersed French study in college. I skipped Spanish as the only other foreign language offered in my small town’s school district’s middle school. I knew then I was a future writer. Paris is a near rite of passage for Black artists; in order to definitely go one day, I had to know the language.
But luckily, we don’t have to dig up old vocab flash cards and hop Air France to get our “Oui oui” and “Merci” to France on this Bastille Day. This one of America’s strongest and earliest allies also provided some of its oldest settlers, creating entire French regions in the States. Just search for a local French alliance, cultural society or commercial chamber to fast track to Francophone eateries, boutiques or businesses in major and even minor U.S. cities.
Here’s a feature of one of the most delightful American fashion finds a la française.
Los Angeles: Maison Nathalie
Go West. Chase compulsory pics of your best cheesy face against the Hollywood sign and your toes at your favorite actor’s name on the Walk of Fame. Have a fun day at Venice Beach risking to surf and reliving volleyball days. Then, get into the homegrown people and character making Los Angeles one of America’s most rustic and diverse inner cities at Maison Nathalie.
The pandemic cost the brand its whimsical storefront boutique brimmed with home décor and jewelry, with a quaint cabine d’essayage after you pick through one-of-a-kind garments. Owner and Principal Designer Nathalie Seaver powered through via her loyal following online, even selling London’s epic Liberty print face masks like those made visible by none other than Kate Middleton in 2020.
She even has intimate invite-only, old-school yard sales where lemon trees and provincial clotheslines provide the hangers. How chic is that? Join her mailing list for news of the next. Her French roots, years living there and love for the culture account for joyful effort to help people shop for a mélange Francoise… baby clothes, socks and home décor in one swoop. While her proudly made-in-America clothing ships nationwide, be sure to check on whether heavier items make sense to ship.
Everyday and formal including bridal
As for the clothes, you will immediately discern the country’s famous effortless sartorial character in tops, skirts and dress silhouettes. Seavers sketches, cuts and sews these herself— often custom for weddings and red-carpet events.
(All upcoming and aspiring brides: We owe it to our maids to dress them in an easy but unforgettable grown woman frock to re-wear, not a prom dress in disguise. Owing to elegance in bare minimalism, Maison-Nathalie.com is a treasure of affordable custom couture our stressed squads may thank us instead of ditch us for.)
Demure or quietly playful collars, hemlines and flirty accents are just some of Maison Nathalie’s signature details. Sustainable fashion is another. Discarded rayon crepe is what helps these pre-washed solid and romantic prints hold without dry cleaning. The bestselling Stanwyck Dress just sings “Je ne sais quoi”: plain simplicity near to boring, yet magically one can’t help but still be excited by it. For a more overt attempt to stand out, the figure-hugging Weston Dress fits.
So light and soft are these dresses you may forget you’re wearing clothes, until maybe you get nonstop compliments like I do if I step out in my own black-white flower print Stanwyck or solid slate blue Tea Dress. All cuts accept and beautify the full spectrum of body types. Most qualify for both every day and fancy fêtes. And (drumroll!), they wash-n-go with scarcely a wrinkle, so travel well. No merci necessary. Thank yourself for finding a new favorite online gift and dress shop.
Follow Maison Nathalie on Instagram @nathalieseaverdesigns or Facebook @nathalieseaverboutique, with Nathalie’s so not boring weight loss journey recipes on Instagram @slimgourmandise.
