My grandmother, a fellow enthusiast of Paris (and perhaps the queen of all Paris enthusiasts!), gave me How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits by Anne Berest, Audrey Diwan, Caroline de Maigret, and Sophie Mas, after a girls trip to Paris several years ago. There is certainly a lot of mystique around the life of a Parisienne, and I’ve always been rather fascinated by it. This book takes you on a fun journey through the specifics of what makes Parisian life so glamorous; however, also gives insight into the less endearing mannerisms of the Parisienne (being snobby, playing games with men, etc.) in a very tongue-and-cheek and unapologetic way that makes you smile and roll your eyes at the same time. It’s very entertaining, and while it does remind me the reasons I’m glad I’m not Parisian, it is filled with a multitude of inspiring and brilliant tidbits on all sorts of topics that I would love to exemplify in my life.
Here are a few of my favorites directly from the book:
On style:
“You don’t have to spend a decade’s worth of salary on your wardrobe, or flaunt designer brands the whole time. All you need is one signature item: the one you wear when you need to feel strong.”
“The Parisienne never gives too much away. When it comes to revealing herself, she follows one golden rule: less is definitely more.”
“You don’t choose between comfort and elegance; for you, it’s all or nothing.”
“If you own only one sweater, make sure it’s cashmere.”
On beauty:
“Skin should look natural. Freckles can appear in spring along with the first rays of sunshine. Sometimes your cheekbones blush when you lie, and your whole face flushes when you are intimidated. You must not stifle the stories behind the natural coloring of your skin.”
“Her hairstyle is never ‘immaculate’ and it’s rare that she goes for a blowout.”
“Despite all these routines, the Parisienne retains her little imperfections, cherishes them even (the gap in her smile or her slightly crooked tooth, her prominent eyebrows or strong nose): these are the signs of a certain strength of character and allow her to feel beautiful without being perfect.”
On love:
“Be your own knight in shining armor.”
“When it comes to kissing, the Parisienne does it the same way she does everything else: with cinematic flair.”
“The Parisienne is in love with the idea of love.”
On living life the Parisian way:
“Always put on perfume before going out, especially on the nape of your neck and your wrists.”
“Eat croissants and buttered toast for breakfast – because it’s Saturday morning and you burned enough calories last night, damn it.”
“Agree to (at least a little) exercise but only in ‘beautiful’ surroundings: a run in a picturesque public park or swim in a historically listed pool.”
“Go to the market on Sunday morning with your wicker basket. Prepare a delicious lunch with vegetables, fresh bread, and salted butter.”
On being pregnant:
“You buy things in extra-large at H&M rather than go to a maternity store: you have flair.”
“You take advantage of your newfound cleavage to experiment with the décolleté: you are sexy.”
“You replace your Bloody Marys with Virgin Marys, but that’s it: you’re no saint.”
“You are not defined by this stage of your life. This is a period of growth. You are a pregnant woman, which means you are above all a woman. With a little extra something.”
On raising children:
“The Parisienne does not stop existing the day she has a child… Indeed, she doesn’t give up anything, because she also embraces her role as a mother. She wants to be there to educate her child, to watch him grow up, to pass on her values, her culture, her philosophy.”
“Her child is not king, because he is a satellite to her own life. At the same time, her child is omnipresent because this satellite follows his mother everywhere, and together they share valuable moments.”
“According to the Parisienne, this joie de vivre is the best way of inspiring children to grow up. And also the best way for mothers to never miss the lives they led before they had children.”
On aging:
“Either go all gray or no gray hair. Salt and pepper is for the table.”
“And as your face gets messier with age, your hair can get neater, for balance.”
“Don’t be afraid of aging. As the saying goes, don’t be afraid of anything but fear itself.”
I love the candidness of Parisians. There were so many other thoughts and words of wisdom from the book that I would have loved to share, and it includes cool photos too. This book would be a great gift for any Francophile! I thoroughly enjoyed the little snapshot on life from the Parisian point of view.
P.S. French-inspired clothes and accessories for Valentine’s Day.