Home and Away: Olympique Lyonnais

I must start off with some major apologising for my long hiatus - uni, life, blahblah. I received Lyon as a request aeons ago and it's been sitting in the queue for weeks, waiting for finishing touches.

When France is brought up in conversation, the Eiffel tower, croissants and other calorific pastries, seductive accents, and bustling city streets are most likely some of the common images that may come to mind. We've balanced the delicacies with the perfect bold tones. Blue, white, and red are often tricky to combine, but hey, we're in one of the most fashion-forward countries in the world, where "risk" is fashion's middle name.

Of course, as the title subtly hints, these two outfits are based on Lyon's home and away kits.

To start us off, we draw inspiration from the home kit for a more casual ensemble. We're not big fans of matching our tops and bottoms but the delicate and contrasting lace patterns make it acceptable in this case to have both a lace tee and lace skirt. Nude pumps and a similarly neutral handbag help ease the eyes gently away from the lace, while we accessorize with a simple, loose strand of pearls around the neck and a fleur-de-lis inspired cuff for a splash of colour.

Flats, Bloch, £75;

Top, Topshop, £33;

Necklace, Astley Clarke, £247;

Cuff, Antonio Marras, £810;

Skirt, Moschitto, £24;

Bag, Salvatore Ferragamo, £1066

For our away inspiration, we focus on the ruched, slightly asymmetric silk dress as our centrepiece. The cream blazer is essential for a chilly night and contrasts nicely, not offensively, with the dress. The McQueen clutch has the same effect and adds a sparkle to your look. Toss on matching earrings and a cuff and you have a perfect balance of dark blue. The trapeze necklace brings a bit of structure to augment the lack of symmetry, while the two-tone heels bring a bit more excitement into the picture.

Bangle, J. Crew, £18;

Pumps, Zara, £56;

Blazer, Malene Birger, £281;

Dress, Azzaro, £428;

Earrings, Larkspur&Hawk, £94;

Necklace, Madewell, £30;
Clutch, Alexander McQueen, £1529

Team Togs: Olympique de Marseille

After a quick jump to the French league, there was no stopping on the many teams that come to mind! One that have been continuously suggested by a good friend of mine is none other than Marseille FC - one of the most famous and successful teams France has to offer both domestically and continentally. I personally have a nostalgic relationship with the team as I admit to have been quite enticed by them circa Samir Nasri. Why, yes. I have moments of oestrogen-induced blindness. I'm not proud of it, but the city itself has always been a favourite of mine to watch. 

The city of Marseille have long been associated with multiculturalism. It was and still remains to be one of the crown jewels of Mediterranean commerce. The city saw itself evolve from a gateway to France to a home to the future faces of France - one that reflects the long history of its empire. Zinedine Zidane, one of France's greatest export is a Marseillais, whose Kabyle Berber roots is a perfect example of the city's status as a melting pot. Nasri too, who is a Marseille native is of Berber ethnicity. 

L'OM too is a wonderful reflection of the city's multiculturalisme. Like the French national team, its ethnic diversity is a consequence of colonialism. While France is certainly not the only nation responsible for colonialism, there is a clear difference on the French mindset on its colonised nations in comparison to say, the British and Spanish. Its almost idealistic and romantic attitude to colonialism led to, among other things, the face of France today. 

The outfit is what I call a melting pot in itself. It features prominent Lebanese-French designers such as Rabih Kayrouz and Elie Saab to reflect that. We start with a beautiful neutral-coloured dress as the canvas and thrown over it is a jacket with a beautiful bold African print by eco-conscious label, Fair + True. Marseille's colours are a beautiful powder blue-turqouise and as not to let the colour overpower the whole look, we chose bold accessories to pay tribute such as the clutch and cuff. We finish the look with a statement necklace and neutral safari-inspired wedges. 

Dress, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, £1488

Jacket, Fair + True, £75

Clutch, Azzaro, £706

Necklace, Elie Saab, £290

Bracelet, Amrita Singh, £63

Shoes, Chinese Laundry, £50

Team Togs: AJ Auxerre

Since I'm quite surprised (more shocked and appalled, really) that we have yet to touch Ligue 1 - a Team Togs emergency was needed to cover this void. I could probably proclaim myself a Francophile - I do love the language, the food, the culture, the men, and of course, the fashion yet I probably won't go so far as saying so. Another thing I love from France is but of course, the wine. Say what you want about the growth of Australian, Californian, and Chilean wine - nothing beats a good bottle from Burgundy.

Our Team Togs this time is AJ Auxerre, a team based none other than in the Bourgougne region. For Arsenal fans, this was the team Bacary Sagna grew up and flourished in. He talks about his hometown, Sens sentimentally in an interview, and one thing I've always noted was his constant mention of the vineyards in it. With that in mind, I attempt to infuse the feel of country chic in this winery inspired outfit.

Auxerre's colour is a beautiful powder blue though the team dons an all white kit with this very same blue trimmings. Without being too literal, powder blue and white are two very true colour themes in this look. We add a dose of none other than burgundy to pay tribute to the wine making culture of the region where AJ Auxerre is from.

Think spring afternoon walking through the Burgundian vineyards, picnics under a tree, your very own Bacary Sagna optional, though recommended. This is a perfect outfit for a relaxed atmosphere, girly yet not high maintenance. The printed tee plays down the pastel floral skirt, add a leather satchel in that beautiful powder blue once more, stacked bracelets, burgundy brogues, and a straw fedora.

Tee, J. Crew, £26
Skirt, Acne, £220
Shoes, Miu Miu, £335
Bag, Chloé, £340
Leather bracelet, Presh, £44
'Rope' bracelet, Aurélie Bidermann, £245.50
Bangle, Kenneth Jay Lane, £238
Fedora, Biltmore, £36