In the Manhattan offices of Quality Magazine,
editor Maggie Prescott and her band of assistants brainstorm to come
up with an inspirational theme for the latest issue of their fashion
publication. Maggie decides that the color pink will be it,
and soon offices, buses and even airplanes are being painted that
color. While all America is being outfitted in pink, Maggie,
still in her gray business suit, decides that her next issue will be
dedicated to "clothes for the woman who isn't interested in
clothes."
In his studio, photographer Dick Avery is having
little luck in capturing Maggie's concept, so they decide to change
locations and do the fashion shoot inside a bohemian Greenwich
Village bookstore. Never one to stand on formality, Maggie and
her troupe proceed to take over Emery's Concepts Bookstore, going so
far as to lock Jo Stockton, the store's clerk, out of the shop.
With the bookstore is in shambles following the photographic
session, Dick stays behind to help Jo pick things up. The two
soon begin talking about Paris, but while Dick extols the beauty of
the French city, Jo tells him that she wishes to go there merely to
meet philosopher, Professor Emile Flostre.
Later, Maggie decides to create "the Quality Woman,"
a model who will have a collection of clothes designed especially
for her by the noted couturier, Paul Duval. Dick suggests Jo,
but neither she nor Maggie are initially enthusiastic about his
idea, until Jo learns that the job will entail a trip to Paris.
As soon as they arrive in France, Jo, Dick and Maggie split up to
secretly do some sightseeing, only to run into each other at the
Eiffel Tower.
Afterward, when Jo misses her first costume fitting,
Dick finds her in a bohemian café, and angers her by pointing out
that her fellow philosophers have only been listening to her because
she has been paying for their drinks. The two soon make up,
and the next day, after hours of hair and makeup in Duval's salon,
Jo is transformed from a plain bookworm into a high-fashion
butterfly.
For the next week, Dick and Jo travel throughout
Paris, as he photographs her in Duval's new collection at such
historical locales as the Louvre Museum. Overcome with emotion
during the final shoot, in which she finds herself wearing a wedding
gown before a small, country church, Jo professes her love to Dick,
and though the older photographer is surprised, he admits he feels
the same way toward her.
Back at Duval's salon, Maggie coaches Jo on how to
act during the upcoming fashion show, with particular emphasis on
how the young girl should handle the press. The night before
the show, however, Jo learns that Flostre is appearing at the café,
and is completely overwhelmed upon first meeting the handsome, young
French philosopher. Dick then embarrasses Jo by dragging her
out of the café, arguing that Flostre is more interested in her body
than her mind. Jo and Dick continue their fighting backstage
at Maggie's press party, with disastrous results.
Now the laughing stock of all Paris, Dick, Maggie and
Duval face financial ruin if the missing Jo does not appear at the
fashion show. Disguised as beatnik folk singers from Florida,
Dick and Maggie crash Flostre's party, where they are required to
perform a spiritual. After a brief skirmish with Flostre, a
frustrated Dick announces he is leaving both Jo and Paris to return
to New York.
Soon thereafter, Flostre attempts to make love to Jo,
and the disillusioned girl rushes out of his house, arriving at
Duval's salon just in time to appear in the fashion show.
Meanwhile, Maggie tries to stop Dick from leaving France, but is
unable to catch him either at his hotel or at the airport.
Dick, however, meets Flostre as they board the same plane and, upon
learning that Jo rejected the Frenchman, Dick rushes back to
Duval's. Told that Jo has already left the show, Maggie
suggests that Dick use Flostre's philosophy of empathy to ascertain
where she has gone. Dick then rushes to the country church,
where he finds Jo, still wearing Duval's wedding dress, and the two
lovers are united.