How to Dress like a French Girl, Thanks to Madewell

Oct 23, 2014

We’ve tried to pin down the secrets to dressing like a French girl before. But it seems like between the stripes-on-stripes-on-stripes and the rich jacquard textiles, something’s getting lost in translation. That’s where Madewell is stepping in to lay down the sartorial blueprints, with help from the cult-favorite Parisian label madewell Sézan. They’re launching an exclusive 14-piece collection of rue style must-haves.

The limited-edition garments are just as wearable and polished as anything Madewell has ever offered, but elevated by a certain je ne sais quoi from Sézan designer Morgane Sézalory. The dresses are laid-back, the knits are warm and the bags are sophisticatedly simple, giving off a cozy-chic vibe throughout. And if there’s one major takeaway from the impossibly cool lookbook — besides to live in its famous Le Superbe sweatshirt (*if* you were able to snatch it before it sold out in a flash) — it’s to wear these effortless pieces with a matching tomboy attitude.

Muted tones and unfussy silhouettes make pieces from the collaboration — the first ever available stateside! — easy to add into any wardrobe, proving that when it comes to style, French girls really are flawless.

What pieces are you saying oui to? Tell us your favorite French girl-inspired styles in the comments below.

"Outer Banks" Season 4 Could Premiere As Soon As This Summer

Outer Banks fans got a treat during 2023's Poguelandia event (which took place on February 18 in Huntington Beach, California). While celebrating the release of Outer Banks season 3, the cast took to the stage to announce that we were also getting Outer Banks season 4! As a native Outer Banks-er myself, this is one teen drama I will never be able to get enough of — so keep the seasons coming Netflix!

I'm already dreaming about my annual beach vacation, so naturally, I'm thinking about what hijinks the Pogues will get up to in Outer Banks season 4. Here's everything we know about the new TV show, including the cast, the plot, and the Outer Banks season 4 release date!

When is Outer Banks season 4 coming out?

Image via Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

We don't have an official Outer Banks season 4 release date yet, but the cast has been filming since 2023. And Netflix's co-CEO recently revealed (via The Hollywood Reporter) that, in addition to the new seasons of Squid Game and Emily in Paris, we'll see Outer Banks season 4 during the second half of the year. That means we could see our favorite Pogues this July or August! This is the perfect release window because summer is all about beachy vibes and summer adventure — just like OBX.

Who's in the Outer Banks season 4 cast?

Image via Netflix

We're expecting the main cast to return for Outer Banks season 4, including Chase Stokes as John B., Madelyn Cline as Sarah, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Rudy Pankow as JJ, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Drew Starkey as Rafe, and Austin North as Topper.

Since Charles Esten's Ward ends up (spoiler!) dying at the end of season 3, he probably won't make a return — unless the show ventures into ghost territory. Honestly, I wouldn't even be surprised. But even if he's not on set, he recently reunited with Madelyn Cline and Drew Starkey!

"That thing where you’re playing your 4th Annual WARDJAMMER...and your amazing friends who also happen to be your @obx son and daughter surprise you by showing up and hanging out all night and even coming on stage to sing 'Left Hand Free,'" Charles writes on Instagram. "What an absolute joy to wrap my arms around these two! The bond is real and my heart is grateful."

The First Look At Outer Banks Season 4

Image via Netflix/YouTube

After Netflix's Tudum event showed off the Pogues' new style (and confirmed that all of them will be returning, thank goodness), we got a brand new look at some Outer Banks season 4 scenes thanks to Netflix's 2024 preview. It's a brief clip, but we hear just how excited the Pogues are to go after a treasure they've "spent [their] whole lives hearing about] (same, TBH) — and get to see them lounging around on a day off. Treasure hunting is hard work, after all!

This first look gives us an idea of what we can expect from this upcoming installment because while season 1 had the golden overtone of our favorite 2000s dramas, season 2 featured warmer orange tones, and season 3 featured a little bit less saturation, it looks like Outer Banks season 4 is youthful, bright, and colorful. And thanks to this clip, we also know for a fact we'll see Madison Bailey, Rudy Pankow, Jonathan Daviss, Madelyn Cline, Chase Stokes, and Carlacia Grant come back to their iconic roles.

What is season 4 of Outer Banks about?

Image via Getty Images for Netflix

Outer Banks season 3 ended with an 18-month time jump — meaning the characters will be a year and a half older in Outer Banks season 4 than in previous installments of the show, which works in the series' favor because the characters will be closer to the cast's ages. Plus, being post-grad gives them more flexibility to go treasure hunting without the repercussions of skipping school...like they did the entirety of season 2.

Thanks to some important details at the end of the season finale, we know Kie is working with turtles, JJ bought a charter boat, Pope is going to college, and John B. and Sarah are running a surf shop. But things take a turn for the adventurous when the Pogues are given a new quest to hunt for Blackbeard's treasure. The real Blackbeard loved hiding his treasure on places like Ocracoke Island, which is on the real OBX. I'm super excited for this plotline because it means we'll be back on the Outer Banks for (hopefully) the whole season!

"It’s not going to be the usual Blackbeard story," according to co-creator Josh Pate, and (spoiler!!) we actually have our first plot details. According to Wrightsville Beach recreation program supervisor Katie Ryan (via Wilmington StarNews) and the shows filming permits, we know that one scene will involve "two people jumping from the pier," while a second "involves individuals finding a body on the beach."

While Outer Banks season 4 promises to be as adventurous as ever, Chase Stokes promises People the show will also go back to its roots. “The writers talked about how there was a real want for a lot of the authenticity and the characters in season 1. So I will say that they do a good job this season of that,” he says.

After the death of Sarah and John B.'s fathers, the show's golden couple will have to figure out what their future looks like. “It really will force them to evaluate everything," he says. "Where they are, what their purpose is, what their intentions are, and what was the actual value of it? Was it worth it, in hindsight? If they could go back and change things, would they?"

"[The Pogues have had] a huge, huge shift in lifestyle in a very, very short period of time," Chase continues. “And I think when you go through that level of trauma, for sure, it'll make you start asking those deeper questions.”

Where is Outer Banks season 4 filming?

Image via Netflix

Outer Banks season 4 has been seen filming around Charleston, South Carolina and Wilmington, North Carolina, which is where other titles like Dawson's Creek,The Summer I Turned Pretty, andOne Tree Hill have all filmed! Because OBX has never filming in Wilmington before, it makes me think the Pogues will truly go on an adventure we've never seen.

Is Outer Banks season 4 the last season?

Image via Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

Netflix hasn't officially announced whether we'll be getting an Outer Banks season 5 or 6 yet, but creators Jonas and Josh Pate have enough story for another two seasons. "We’re going to fill in some gaps in the 18 months," Josh tells TUDUM. "We felt like we needed to migrate them out of school. We think about the first three [seasons] as a trilogy and then we’re starting over on [another sort of] trilogy now. We just needed to clear the decks. We’re going to have new villains, a new treasure hunt, a new life situation."

I'm excited to see what kind of roots the characters put down in Outer Banks season 4 — and how they flourish as the story continues!

Are you excited for Outer Banks season 4? Check out our interview with costume designer Emmie Holmes and The 14 Best New TV Shows Coming In 2024 before you rewatch OBX season 3 again ;).

Lead image via Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix

This post has been updated.

TikTok Loves Complex Female Characters — Elena Ferrante Writes Them Best

Though Elena Ferrante is a pen name, and while the author prides herself on anonymity, her books shouldn't be a mystery to you. The Italian author's beautiful work transcends the need for a face attached, as raw emotions, complex characters, and unforgettable narratives define Ferrante's unique voice. From the intense friendship at the heart of the Neapolitan Novels to the unsettling psychological depths plumbed in The Days of Abandonment, prepare to be surprised, challenged, and utterly engrossed by the brilliance of Elena Ferrante.

Neopolitan Novels

Though Ferrante's entire body of work is worth a read, the first thing that should be on your list is the Neopolitan Novels. This is a four-book series that explores the complex female friendship between Lila and Elena. The two start off as young girls who are being raised in a poor and tough neighborhood of Naples in the aftermath of World War II. The novels chart their complex bond as the two girls grow up, start families, begin careers, and deal with societal pressures and personal struggles.

The Lost Daughter

The Lost Daughter is a brilliant standalone novel of Ferrante's that is centered around a middle-aged woman named Leda. While on a solitary vacation on the coast, Leda observes a young mother named Nina who is struggling with her relationship with her daughter. This awakens memories of Leda's own struggles with motherhood, making for a raw and honest depiction of the complexities of parent-child relationships.

The Days of Abandonment

In The Days of Abandonment, Ferrante delves into the raw emotions of a woman named Olga after her husband abruptly leaves her and their two young children. The story follows Olga's descent into despair and rage as she grapples with his sudden absence and tries to maintain a sense of normalcy for her kids. Faced with a challenge she never expected, Olga goes on a quest to learn about her own identity and find strength within herself.

The Lying Lives of Adults

As the title indicates, this novel deals with the concepts of honesty, disillusionment, and family secrets. It follows the story of a young woman named Giovanna who becomes obsessed with her estranged father after learning a shocking secret about her parents' past. As she continues to delve deeper into their hidden world, she uncovers a web of secrets that shatter her perception of her family and her ideas of adulthood.

Incidental Inventions

Incidental Inventions isn't a novel, but a collection of essays that were originally published in The Guardian. Here, Ferrante offers a glimpse into her thoughts and observations on a variety of topics. Expect insightful and thought-provoking reflections on everyday experiences, personal fears, and the creative process itself!

Troubling Love

Troubling Love centers around Delia, who returns to her childhood home after her mother, Amalia, is found dead under mysterious circumstances. As Delia grapples with grief, she confronts repressed memories of her childhood that were made difficult by her mother's volatile relationships with abusive men. The narrative unfolds as Delia pieces together the events leading up to her mother's death and confronts the lingering effects of her complicated upbringing.

Frantumaglia: A Writer's Journey

"Frantumaglia" is a word borrowed from Ferrante's mother and means "a jumble of fragments". This collection of Ferrante's writings does not feel like a jumble, but rather a rich body of work that provides insight into the challenges and joys of her writing process and the inspirations behind her novels.

In The Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading & Writing

Another collection of essays, In The Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading & Writing is Ferrante's exploration of the joys of being both a writer and a reader. She dives deep into her formative experiences with literature, her masterful approach to writing, and the challenges that can come with crafting meaningful stories.

Looking for more book inspo? Be sure to check out our storefront for more fab reading recs!

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Header image via Amazon

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Reading Emily Henry? There's A Taylor Swift Album For Every Book.

If you're a rom-com fan, then it's probably safe to assume that Emily Henry books check all your boxes: they're funny, they're emotional, and naturally...they're romantic. I never got into rom-com literature until I picked up People We Meet On Vacation in 2022. From then on, my reading life — and honestly life in general — was forever changed.

When Taylor Swift's 10th studio album Midnights dropped in 2022, Henry posted an Instagram story assigning a song to each of her titles. I wholeheartedly agree with each of pairings, and it got me thinking beyond just a song — which Taylor Swift album goes with each Emily Henry novel?

In honor of Funny Story hitting stores on April 23, the ongoing Eras Tour, and the hope that we'll get some Taylor music in Emily Henry's upcoming film adaptations (plus my own Emily Henry x Taylor Swift fanaticism), here is the ultimate soundtrack for your reading. These pairs go together like wine and cheese...which also happen to be the perfect snacks for your reading.

Funny Story — Taylor Swift

Let's start with the newest title: Funny Story! I have to be honest and say the fact that this story starts out with Miles and Daphne planning to get revenge on their exes (who immediately get engaged to each other after dumping them) definitely reminds me of the sass in "Picture To Burn," which is one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs of all time.

But even without the revenge plot there's so much about Funny Story that feels youthful and full of life. Taylor Swift's first album might be all about high school heartbreak and teenage angst, but she writes in a way that feels relatable, no matter how old you are. Daphne and Miles mourning their relationship at the beginning of the book feels like "Teardrops on My Guitar," while goofing off in the car is totally giving "Our Song" and Daphne's struggle to fit in and find community is inseparable from "A Place in this World" in my mind.

Even in the face of major heartbreak and betrayal (the kind that is anything but juvenile), Daphne and Miles find comfort in one another, and they really bring out each other's best personality traits. In my opinion, the best kind of relationships are the ones that make us feel safe enough to act like kids, and that make us want to get as much out of life as possible.

Happy Place — Midnights

Henry herself assigned "Maroon" to her 2023 release, and that's exactly why I'm linking it to Taylor Swift's 10th album. Both Midnights and Happy Place are layered, intricate, and vulnerable looks at both love and loss.

The news of Taylor Swift's recent breakup left fans guessing whether Midnights is actually a breakup album, making it even better for this pairing. Considering Happy Place's Harriet and Wyn are trying to play it cool when it comes to their own past relationship, there is a lot of reminiscing between both artists.

Midnights and Happy Place are complicated and emotionally-charged, and they bring feelings together that almost seem contradictory. But that's what I love about both Emily Henry and Taylor Swift — they show that our experience as women is multi-faceted, as both titles magnificently marry happiness, longing, sass, and melancholy.

Book Lovers — Reputation

At first, I thought Book Lovers should be 1989. After all, leading lady Nora is a business woman at the top of her game in Manhattan. (I know the book mainly takes place in North Carolina, but I stand by the sentiment). I realized, however, that just like Nora herself, Reputation is often misunderstood. The shock we all felt as a fandom when Swift announced the controversial era — partnered with all the drama surrounding the album — kind of overshadowed its actual themes and message. As much as Reputation is sharp, cunning, and shady...the lyrics are a vulnerable look into Taylor's mind, while the upbeat production makes it feel like she's hiding.

Just like Reputation seems prickly and unfriendly (when it's really complex and emotional and loving), Nora craves love but is afraid of it at the same time. Throughout the album, Taylor talks about her anxiety that the world wants to keep her apart from her lover, and that she's afraid she'll scare him away. If you ask me, Nora would have "Delicate" and "Dress" on repeat.

People We Meet On Vacation — Speak Now

Thanks to the album insert, we all know that Taylor's intention with Speak Now is to encourage listeners to say what they need to say, and go after the things they really want. And that's exactly what Poppy and Alex need to do in People We Meet On Vacation. Plus, both the book and the album explore different kinds of emotions, between Poppy and Alex's friendships, fall-outs, and romances, and Taylor's "Sparks Fly," "Long Live," and "Never Grow Up."

Instead of nuanced, soulful romantic musings, both Speak Now and People We Meet On Vacation feel more physical, which isn't to say they're any less complex. Both titles are about learning to be honest with yourself and with the people around you, and to take risks — especially when they're scary.

Beach Read — folklore

Beach Read is my favorite of Henry's novels so far, and I think the escapist mentality of both main characters is the perfect fit for Taylor Swift's 2020 surprise album folklore. January's romanticism and Gus' realism are the exact themes woven throughout folklore. Even when both the album and the book deal with betrayal, they're done in an intentional and careful way. Not to mention the fact that (spoiler alert) Gus' difficult romantic history sounds a lot like the Betty-Augustine-James love triangle found in folklore.

Once they feel comfortable around each other, Gus and January continually push each other to be their creative bests, and to think outside the box. That perfectly encapsulates the magic of folklore because of how the music is dreamy yet grounded, fictional yet so detailed that it sounds like a diary entry. Plus, both works are just absolutely beautiful.

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This post has been updated.

All images via Amazon.

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