The instructive Inès: How not to look like a tourist

This photo of the French fashion icon (and recent Légion d' honneur recipient) Inès de la Fressange was featured on The Sartorialist blog. Lagerfeld's muse and a designer herself, she is often a reference point for French chic but was born and reared in Argentina.

Those of us who wonder, "Why do I look like a tourist when I'm in France?" need only observe.

Here's your decision point: look like a tourist, so what- or adopt a more local attitude. That's your call, and if you yearn for the latter, Inès obliges with a few lessons.

Of course you'd think, "I can't take white pants, they'd be ruined after one lunch" and you'd be right. So roll three pairs together in your bag and check out the nearest cleaner. You get a break during the other seasons- everyone's in black- but in summer, tough tourist noogies, cherie!

There are other touches to borrow more easily: an eccentrically-cut jacket that will go with everything, a stack of Indian bangles, only $5 for twelve from
Profoundia.

If a jacket's too warm, look for a top like this by Isabel Marant, miles more polished than a tee.

For sunglasses: high end is essential (as with the bag). The quality is visible from across the street. You might be tempted to 'leave the good ones at home' which is precisely what creates the tourista look.

Sale season's here, you can pick up great summer sunglasses for a song. I found designer brands (from Fendi to Marc Jacobs) on sale at Winners, for $50-$90, at least a 75% reduction.

Inès favours flats with pants, perhaps Tod's sandals like those shown above, never running shoes or those running-shoe-hybrids, like these Privos, gaaah.

If you want to walk for miles, compromise and at least change them for lunch or dinner in a restaurant. A pair of ballerinas or fine sandals tuck inside a bag.

Note the easy, almost messy hair. I spot so many North American women who spend time (a lot of time, when they could be strolling by the Seine in beautiful morning light) obviously doing the hot rollers, flat iron, supercoif thing.This is not hairdressing, it's taxidermy.

Hair should look like someone (Mathieu Almaric?) could run his fingers through it.

Mlle. de la Fressange celebrates her 51st birthday next month. The last truc is to relax and smile like that!