Along with Yves Saint Laurent, Gabrielle Coco Chanel is one of the greatest figures in French fashion in the 20th century. Coco was a pioneering French fashion designer whose menswear-inspired women’s clothing and the will to move women’s fashion from the uncomfortable corseted styles of post World War I to understated elegance, simplicity, and comfortable chic, changed women’s fashion. She once said:
Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. – Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel was born on August 19 1883. She was one of five children and lost her mother at the age 11. The children were abandoned by thier father, which led to them being raised in a Catholic monastery where Coco learned the trade of seamstress and the first fashion inspiration came.
Coco found her inspiration in men’s clothing as she herself often enjoyed wearing her lovers’ clothes.
The No. 5
A fortune teller once told Coco that her lucky number was five, which led to each of her collections being 
introduced on the 5th day of the 5th month. Also, her first perfume, published in 1923, was also the first perfume ever made by a female fashion designer, was named Chanel No. 5, which is to this day the most sold perfume in the world. Chanel once said that women should wear perfume on the places that want to be kissed.
HOW TO PUT ON PERFUME – ADVICE
- Apply perfume to the pulse points of the wrists and neck. Do not apply too much perfume thinking that the scent will last longer – it won’t.
- Spray your perfume at arms length away from your body, and then walk into the mist, in order to achieve an even and light fragrance.
- Refreshing your perfume throughout the day is not always a good idea – even though you can’t smell the scent, others can, so don’t overdo it!
In 1955 Chanel created something women to this day dream of owning; Chanel’s most famous bag named 2.55. 
The idea was to free the hands from small bags and create a shoulder bag.
She found the inspiration for a bag that could free her hands in soldier’s bags and added thin straps to it so it could be worn on one shoulder. The bag was introduced in 1923 and produced in 1955 and even in 2009 you can spot this bag on every celebrity. It really is a timeless (and expensive) luxury product! Along with great clothes and bags, the house of Chanel is known for many its great beauty products.
Chanel Style
We’d probably still be strapped into small corsets if Coco Chanel hadn’t opened her fashion house in the 1920s. She redefined the way women dressed by introducing items like the little black dress, the tweed skirt suit and her signature long pearl necklace!
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous. – Chanel
Tailored jackets and skirts, beautiful gowns and fabulous bags are Chanel. The colours are mainly black, white, pale pink and off-white, making Chanel items easy to recognize. The house of Chanel is today run by Karl Lagerfeld who doesn’t seem to disappoint the luxurious, feminine and quality vision that Coco Chanel had when she introduced her design!
All in all we have to be thankful to the lady who changed women’s fashion forever! She has shown a new way for emancipation and given women an opportunity to be comfortable, classy, luxurious and sophisticated all at the same time! Coco Chanel didn’t follow fashion – Coco Chanel was fashion and you should be too! Learn how here.
In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. – Chanel
If you, like me, can’t afford to dress in Chanel from head to toe, we can at least get inspired by what Coco Chanel introduced. Here are some fairly cheap items that can give you the Chanel look!
STYLE INFO Jacket, Dress, Pearls, Sunglasses, Shopper Bag, Small Bag, Flats no. 1, Flats no. 2
Look out for the upcoming movie Coco Before Chanel for even more inspiration from this incredibly inspirational woman!
So, what do you think about Chanel and have you or are you going to see the movie?
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I love Coco Chanel — have admired her and her accomplishments for years. What an incredible lady. You’re right. We, as women, owe her a lot.
She really is a huge inspiration! To change the fashion like she did is really amazeing!
Coco Avant Chanel was an amazing movie. Chanel is such an inspiration has changed the world of fashion for women.
I can’t wait to see it! :) I’ve heard some mixed reviews – good to hear someone actually likes the movie! :)
I own a black 2.55 Chanel handbag. I keep it in the cloth bag that was provided when I am not carrying it. When I do carry it I can count on people who know about the bag to take a good long look at it then at me. I like it because it is subtle yet luxurious and full of history. I love the little zipper compartment in the top flap. I was told that Coco had so many admirers that she kept little pieces of paper in that compartment with names and notes of her gentlemen callers.
Haha great story about Coco! She was extraordinary! And so smart to put it in the cloth bag when you don’t use it! Thanks for sharing! Xx Milana