Hello everyone and désolé for the hiatus. :)
Well I got a bit bored (..umm basically out of topics) of doing those erudite posts on little luxuries and decided to break it up with some shorter, less meaningful and more fun How To posts for much needed inspiration here and there. And this is for you, my dear ladies!
We have to admit, no one carries off that je ne sais quoi vibe as well as our ladies in France. It permeates all age, social class and other demographic and is recognisable from as far as the corner cafe where you see them go by as you sip your espresso. If I could sum it up in one phrase in English (although je ne sais quoi is by far the most apt description), it would be - I have cared a hell lot about my I-couldn't-care-less look and well hello, the rest is because I was born French. What does that even mean? The French, with their carefully cultivated passion for the slow and good life, quality over quantity and the ability to genuinely appreciate the petite pleasures of natural living, are actually a little less bothered about the real pressing concerns of the world than the flavour profile of the saucisson (artisanal sausages) bought at the neighbourhood boucherie. This certainly adds in good measure to their alluring charm to an unsuspecting audience too consumed with his routine, boss, parents, relationship status and other trials and tribulations of life. It's simple logic, focus on the little things and the larger ones will take care of themselves. Cute no?
So how do you bring on this cool French appeal wherever you are and whatever you might be doing? With my 5 essential tips that follow which will cover all aspects of mastering it - the clothes, the make up, the hair, the lifestyle and the attitude, and improvising on how you lead your life as much as the on way you look.
Alors, on commence :
1. The Clothes : Black, black and black. Black over black. Head to toe black. Black in multiple textures. There is no such thing as too much black in not just a French, but any self-respecting wardrobe. Intersperse the blackness with :
- The Breton - you know the sailor tops with horizontal blue stripes
- Finely knit grey cashmere pulls
- Sheer white tops/tees - made of great quality cotton, and perhaps some lace and crochet
- Distressed cropped blue denims
- A fantastically fitted black leather jacket
- A fantastically oversized camel coat
- A fantastically well cut navy blazer
- A colorful, preferably silk, prerferably Hermes scarf
- Ballet flats in black, blue, camel or a tres shocking fluoroscent
- Pointy heels
- Black booties with stud accents
Pin-up French woman for fashion : Vogue France Editor Emmanuelle Alt is the perfect embodiment of this classic French chic and a personal style icon and barely stirs away from the elements mentioned in the list above.
Pin-up French fashion quote : Having just a handful of clothing items that fit perfectly is better than having a whole closet full of items that aren't all that great.
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| The Vogue girls after show with Alt (second from left) - Get the drift on black? |
Pin-up French fashion quote 2 : Androgyny is forever trés chic.
2. The Makeup - Au naturelle all the way. French ladies are big time believers in good skin being the essence of good looks and hence don't really use too much makeup, despite being home to the world's largest beauty major - L'Oreal! When it comes to skincare, they rely on good pharmacy or pharmacosmetic brands - Avene, La Roche Posay and Nuxe to name a few and average in the top 5 women nationalities in terms of daily time (and euros- a staggering 2.2 bn per year) devoted to skincare. A French woman's bathroom mantle is full of a dedicated battalion of hydrating creams, serums, sunscreens, night creams, cleansers, toners, peels, masks and essential oils to be used religiously and starting at a startling early age. Self care is an absolute top priority and no wonder French women are known worldwide to age really gracefully. You can use this damn useful link to guide you through French pharmacy skincare wonders and buy them rightaway!
The makeup thus acts only as an accentuation to the really fabulous skin and normally consists of only the following:
- A light, well blending, moisturising foundation
- Cream-base rose-tinted blush for a pretty pop to the cheeks
- Some highlighter on the cheekbones and under brows
- A line of black mascara for nicely defined eye lashes (French women are not too big on eyeliners)
- Soft natural pink or strong red lips
Pin-up French woman for makeup : Marion Cotillard, the Oscar winning French actress and Dior ambassador at large. Her makeup at any red carpet appearance is the perfect case study of looking naturally beautiful and radiant and never ever overdone.
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| Marion Cotillard at Dior SS'14 show looking barely made up. |
3. The Hair - Carefully unkempt. Heavily blowdried or perfectly straightened is just not a French. thing. Leaving home without brushing hair is. Hair must look and be as natural as the skin with the wave and the out-of-place strand right where it's supposed to be. Yes we are talking the 'I woke up like this' bed-head. French women never die their hair, never use a hair dryer, never shampoo their hair daily and never leave their house with wet hair. Most women rock their natural brunettes without any hair accessories except perhaps a dash of perfume to make sure you and your hair smell seamless.
French women normally leave their hair open but if you must try a hairstyle, opt for a messy French braid or a messy French chignon (bun) and go from day to night.
Pin-up French woman for hair : Caroline de Maigret, need I go any farther? Naturally tousled, messy hair with those perfect bangs that are styled exactly the same way no matter where she is. She has also recently authored the instant bestseller - How to be Parisian Wherever You Are and is these days your go-to French babe on all things parisienne.
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| Caroline de Maigret and her perfect 'rough night' mane. |
Pin-up French haircare quote : I just had some great sex.
4. The Lifestyle : It has long been a topic of debate and endless frustration that French girls eat all they want without ever wanting to or needing to go to the gym? Is that true? Well yes. French women walk (and talk, especially during meals) a lot and shed their pain au chocolats as they traverse the rues on the way to work every morning and evening. French women spend tonnes of time outdoors. They also smoke a fair bit (how is one ever supposed to pull off a je ne sais quoi look without blowing a stylish puff?) and we all know that helps us stay gloriously thin!
A French woman has her portion control down pat, and she knows that a little baguette and brie never killed anybody but any foodly overindulgence is promptly followed by a day of conscious eating. Petite isn't just a dress size but a serving size as well. They love to eat farm fresh, organic foods as much as possible (going to the sunday marche is national obsession and a thoroughly gratifying experience for all senses) rather than mass produced supermarket snacks. French women love cooking their meals with fresh market buys keeping natural flavours high and seasoning low. And finally the trick is in savouring every bite (quality over quantity as we spoke of earlier) thus by by all means eating well.
Wine is paired (not poured) with meals and is had as more as a meal accent. Sugary sodas are avoided while sparkling water guzzled by the gallon essentially to to feel more full without pounding the excess calories. I still remember my American boss at L'Oreal ate a bottle of sparkling water and a few springs of rocket leaves for lunch everyday enviously eyeing the 5 course meals of all French girls ate in office. Life sometimes is unfair!
Besides, strict hours of lunch services closing at most restos force them to not delay lunch while store services closing promptly at 7:30 pm every evening forces them to have dinner on time, sleep on time, wake up on time et viola that's great well being right there!
Pin-up French woman for lifestyle : Garance Doré. A fashion photographer, illustrator and writer known for her eponymous blog, Garance Doré on fashion, beauty, travel and culture.She is charming, witty and just the perfect picture of cool elegance combined with cool job. A creative polymath, she shuttles between Paris, NY, Milan and London capturing it all on her blog with genuine anecdotal stories, inspiration moodboards and slice of life episodes straight from her friends, a gang of cool French girls who along with Garance, embody the live the good life attitude. Garance herself and her blog offers daily French girl secrets on eating well, working out and simply being beautiful while leading a very active life.
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| Garance, doing what she does best - being totally herself. |
Pin-up French lifestyle quote : Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup. (Eat well, laugh often, love abundantly).
5. The Attitude : The ultimate art to be truly French girl lies in improving our day to day attitudes towards things around us and more importantly towards ourselves. Here are a few places to start.
a) Be self-indulgent - French women love themselves and are unabashed about cooking themselves a great meal, buying themselves flowers or spending weekends together simply taking care of themselves. After all, you are your own favourite!
b) Treasure the small pleasures - A freshly baked croissant from the bakery, fresh roses, an espresso at the cafe, good cheese, good olives, good meat, good wine, good music, good conversation and including all of the above, picnics. It is these small things that make our lives deliriously happy or the joie de vivre.
c) Let light in - Don't underestimate the myriad powers of the sun. Keep your room, your house, your office and your demeanour light and airy.
d) Old is beautiful - Wine that has aged well, smell of old furniture from your parents, postcards you send to friends, the cheque you write at the supermarket in France and the heritage lift you take to your office are all quaint joys that make life a wee bit more interesting.
e) Vacation more - Take your vacation time very strictly and don't compromise on its quantity (3 weeks at the minimum) or quality (Corsica or Portofino?).
f) Be culturally evolved - Always good to know your Proust from your Plato, your Merlot from your and your Montepulciano, your Monet from your Matisse and your Fauvism from your fashion. Visit gardens, museums, churches and cemeteries with the ardent vigour and surprise of making a discovery about yourself everytime.
h) Create the balance - In work, love and life let there be spaces in between.
i) Be natural - Take all your time to be moody, melancholic or reticent on a not-so-good day or week. But then also always look your best, invest in your beauty and own your body. In life as in art, original version is the real masterpiece.
Pin up French girl for Attitude : They are everywhere.
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| Girls at a cafe in Paris the 1920s, as in today. |
Have fun working on your French-itude ladies and here's an amaze Nouvelle Vague playlist to slip into the night!
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| La vie est faite des petities bonheurs. Paris, 2013 avec Valerie Bucek |
