Who knew the line between education and fashion could be so defined?

It's D block. French.  End of the day.  Completely tired, and Ms. P tells us we are starting a new unit.  The clothing unit.  My ears perk up at once because after all France is the fashion capital of the world and our textbook is called Discovering French so I'm pretty hyped...


.... and then I see this: 

Valette, Jean-Paul, and Rebecca M. Valette. Discovering French Nouveau. N.p.:
     McDougal Littell, 2004. Print.

It's not just the awk positions these two 'average french teens' are 
standing in 
that makes this photo interesting Let me tell you about what

those shirts say.

Yellow stoplight 1: 'speak to me softly'

Red stoplight 2: 'hug me I'm French'

Later in the class a girl was asked if she would wear either of the shirts.  
She responded with a pitiful look at the models and a 'no.'

 Valette, Jean-Paul, and Rebecca M. Valette. Discovering French Nouveau. N.p.: 

     McDougal Littell, 2004. Print.

Yeah...ummm.. no.

Valette, Jean-Paul, and Rebecca M. Valette. Discovering French Nouveau. N.p.: 

     McDougal Littell, 2004. Print.

A pink, silk, leave dress most likely isn't gonna work.  Oh and I 

wouldn't be counting on Mr. Dark Blue shirt on denim for any tips.

It doesn't stop at french books:

Greenes, Carole, Mirism A. Leiva, and Bruce R. Vogeli. Mathematics. N.p.: 

     Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Print.

Looks like even my sister's math textbook is capable of providing 
fashion iconoclasts.

It's these moments.  The moments when you open a textbook to 
find a snapshot of a 'fashionable young french individual' wearing a 
solid tee and capris that make you (or me)chuckle.  I sincerely thank
the color coordinated stylist on set at any of these shoots.  And come on 
maybe there are worse things in the world (or at least the world of fashion

and expression)than looking like a put together youth.....even if you 
are stuck on single colored tee's.