What taughed my French mum and Coco…
So many people often ask me what it is to be French because, let’s admit, French haute couture, lifestyle, and language have always been pretty fascinating.
Being French, it feels more complicated than easy to understand or explain why, since for me, it’s something natural : this is the way we dress, behave, speak, eat... In my world.
Though I must say that all this is created by education and feminine teaching from generation to generation.
My mother has always been a source of admiration. As the only girl in the family, I share so much with her, and growing up with someone like her has been the most valuable way to understand what it is to be a true French lady. It's all about education, and this is why it's hard to explain it.
This doesn’t mean that sometimes I also make exceptions to the rules, but I never forget my education and the richness and honor of this knowledge.
Coco Chanel, Simone de Beauvoir, Mademoiselle de Scudery... These are only a few names of French women who have been a source of inspiration. They build the identity of French women's culture and character : feminine, independent, elegant though natural, and cultivated. They own their success by themselves.
As you understand, a woman with depth, with a core that can hold a conversation without only looking beautiful (like any Barbie doll), and who is not afraid of expressing her vision with honesty and using a slight sense of irony in order to make it clear, to laugh or tease, and sarcasm if necessary.
A sense of humor is something very proper to a culture, and we French people can use such a slight way to joke, balancing between irony and sarcasm that sometimes no one understands the joke.
These French ladies are the ones who inspired so many extraordinary men's fashion designers. You probably know most of them : Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Pierre Balmain etc.
So, what is the mystery behind all these women ?
10 principles of what a true French lady does or doesn’t.
Let’s take a look !
A little makeup, light perfume, a little jewelry, a simple outfit—only then can you start your day, and this is always even on Sunday! Yes, my mom has always looked wonderful 7/7, no matter her mood. (As Coco said, if you are sad, put on more lipstick and attack).
Before going out, watch yourself in the mirror and take away one thing from you, less is more. My mom always says to never wear three pairs of jewelry at once (otherwise you start looking like a vitrine), and then watches are forbidden for evening out (they're only for day life).
A French woman knows her value; she assumes the way she is, she embraces her true beauty, and between us, this is actually the only way to actually love who you are, and when you love yourself, then you respect and value yourself.
We never wear too high heels, but rather small or simple, cute ballerinas.
We never wear push-up bras; of course you can, but you usually choose to look just the way you are. Anyway, if you pretend that you have more than what you have, imagine the deception of the man who will take it off. Ladies, it's better to be liked or not, at least for who you truly are.
We never wear skin-colored pantyhose (sorry, my Russian ladies); it’s terrible, or you wear bare legs or black pantyhose.
I remember my brother saying, “What’s wrong with this girl? Why does she have a painting on her face ?” We never wear too much make - up, on the contrary, we privileged nude natural makeup, and red lipstick is supposed to be only for evening (if you have class and education).
We avoid flashy logo accessories—bags, jewelry, eyeglasses—and we privilege maybe smaller designer brands (if you can’t afford the big, and even if you can afford the big, you don’t choose the pieces with big logos). So we wear it not to show off; it looks cheap, sorry. We like simplicity. And… Ladies, no fakes, please. Everyone who knows these brands immediately recognize a fake item. (They will never say it, but they will think it loudly, I promise.) If you want to look fancy and try to upgrade your status with fake bags, then... you mistake...
As Coco again said, “Dress shabbily, and they remember the dress; dress impeccably, and they remember the woman.” It’s valuable for anything that is too provocative by being too short, too open, too trashy, etc.; be elegant ! Don’t try too hard, just be beautifully yourself !
Buy less often, but classics are timeless and quality items.
Ladies, I hope you will enjoy this French vision of elegance and beauty, and maybe one day this advice will help you.
We live in a world with so many choices, and it's sometimes hard to figure out what we truly need to look gorgeous.
I believe, though, in the vision of these great ladies from the past, who still manage to inspire us.
