Amelie Dresses For Herself and So Should You

It took me a long time to understand that clothing is a channel of self-expression. Growing up and watching beauty gurus I never comprehended the need to dress in a way that was true to myself. Rather, I thought that jumping onto the latest trends and trying to emulate my idols or my friends was what I was supposed to be doing. I only realized in my final year of high school that clothing was a channel of self-expression. Like many others, University was my opportunity for a fresh start. I began dressing better, got a funky pair of (prescription) glasses as my eyesight deteriorated, and moved away to a new city to start a new four-year journey. These traits became my signature, something that I never had before. This left me with a sentiment that was both weird and satisfying at the same time. Amélie encompasses this feeling by effortlessly styling each character in their truest form. Amélie follows an eclectic waitress based in Paris who, after being homeschooled as a child, develops an overactive imagination to keep herself busy. This ultimately leads to her whimsical view of the world, where she constantly betters the lives of others while pursuing her true love through the streets of Paris.

It’s the perfect film for this moment in time: for those of you who want to enjoy the little moments in life; or those who dream of running through Paris freely and spontaneously. And for the rom-com lovers, it’s a unique love story where almost no words are spoken. Amélie is a French film and although I grew up speaking fluent French, I also grew up disliking French cinema. Growing up with Canadian French, it was never considered cool when comparing it to its romanticized Parisian counterpart. Surprisingly, I enjoyed Amélie even more because it was in French (and felt a mild sense of accomplishment for not needing subtitles). This film altered my view of fashion from being an accessory of sorts to being a physical representation of ourselves — after all, it is the first thing that people see. The costumes in the film don’t feel like costumes, they feel like the people. Amélie often pairs long tops with midi skirts and cardigans; forming a silhouette that doesn’t conventionally flatter the body. Nonetheless, it works well and fits her imaginative and spontaneous persona. Her red dress, long black coat, chunky boots, and short hair are an extension of her eccentric views, only proving that we can bend and break styling rules. It’s easy to play it safe or fall into trends when styling myself. I admire Amélie who stays away from these pitfalls by unapologetically mixing feminine and masculine elements of different lengths while remaining effortlessly ‘Amélie’. Outfits compliment who you are but also make up a part of who you are. She makes me want to push the guidelines of fashion; make my pieces truly my own and dress for no one but myself. To inspire myself to take risks, I’m going to start by mixing pieces I have never paired together before — like shopping in my closet, and I invite you to do the same while we have the time. Although I often show off more colourful fits complete with statement pieces on my Instagram, when I scan through my closet in the morning, I reach for toned-down pieces more often than I’d like to admit. Whether I’m not feeling inspired, don’t want to stand out or it isn’t a special occasion — I limit myself by not taking risks or dressing as true to myself as possible, something I’m trying to do more of going forward. Even if you were in French Immersion and hated it, the language of the film should not stop you from experiencing extraordinary cinema and effortless style. So, turn on the subtitles, put on an outfit that feels truly you, and soak up the little things in life while running through Paris with Amélie. Amélie is available on Amazon Prime Video and for rent or purchase on iTunes