Four Reasons why You should Read How to be Parisian wherever you are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits

Have you ever had someone tell you that you should never judge a book by its cover? If you have, then you should apply this rule to the book How to be Parisian wherever you are: Love, Style, and Bad Habits. I never expected this book to teach me so much about life itself; I thought it would only teach me about French food and Parisian fashion. I was so inspired by this work that I decided to write a lengthy entry on the four reasons why you should read this book. I promise you that both the book and my blog post are worth reading!



1.) Showing off your imperfections makes you look-perfect?

At first, this tip confused me. Why would I not be afraid of hiding something that isn't the greatest aesthetic part of me? But after reading a bit more on this, everything clicked.
Whenever someone uses the term "fashion", some people think of Paris. Other people picture those {French} models, such as Coco Channel or Brigette Bardot, who can roll out of bed, scurry out the door, and still manage to look flawless.
(Also, notice how many times I use the word "flawless" in this blog entry.)
When I think of French fashion, those are the things that come in mind to me. But is this sophisticated bedhead look something only the French {women} can master? Fortunately, it is not and it is all thanks to this book!
I took away a lot of tips from the makeup section of this book. Generally, the beauty section of this book advised its readers to not hide the body & the imperfections that Mother Nature gave them. For example, the skin on you face should be treated like a canvas; the skin on your face should be a work of art that you proudly present to the world.
"You should only use concealers or a BB cream to hide any imperfections such as the bags under your eyes, the side of your nose, & pimples. If you really can't live without your foundation, then mix it with a touch of moisturiser to mute its effect."-Pg. 34.
If we take away this tip, it seems like the French woman only seems to use makeup in emergencies & not to accentuate her features, for she already knows she looks more impeccable without the extra concealer. Besides, why should anyone waste their time hiding something so beautiful?

2.) Less is more.

This applies to all things French.
The typical Parisian woman always wears very little jewellry. If you're wearing an outfit with a busy pattern, you should wear either a modest statement piece or no jewellry at all. (Insert quote from pg. 203).
Speaking of statement pieces, the Parisian woman loves to wear jewellry that has a story to tell-such as a small wrist watch or a ring passed down from generation to generation.
And going on with that, has Emma Watson read this book?
I am only wondering because I found this quote from the inspiring ambassador.

How to be Parisian wherever you are really emphasises the idea that less is more, with home decour & especially with your choice of clothing. In today's generic fashion world, crop tops and {extremely} revealing tops have taken the scene. This is probably something that the four authours of this book deeply despise. The authours of this book teach us that if you follow the golden rule of "Less is More", then not only will you be doing a favour to the general public, you'll be doing a favour for yourself. 

3.) Parisian women are not perfect.

Uh, pardon me?

Yes, I am serious. Parisian women are not perfect human beings. 

It may seem like all Parisian women are impeccable, unblemished, & unbroken, but even Parisian women have flaws. Of course, Coco Chanel & Simone Signorets have left us with the impression that a Parisian woman's life is like that of Kate Middleton's, but we need to remember that every rose has its thorns. 

"'She says hello to everyone but wants to talk to no one.'

'She buys very expensive shoes but never polishes them.'

'She behaves insufferably and is flabbergasted when she gets dumped.'"-Pg. 46

She never goes to the gym. 

She is a part of the antisocial social club, but she is also a social llama.

She will probably never live in the Parisian flat of her dreams. 

There will always be that one man who will never fall in love with her, the one who got away. 

"She doesn't wear a gold watch that costs as much as a fancy car. In fact, she doesn't own a fancy car."-Pg. 104

These are only a handful of examples of how paradoxical a Parisian woman can be. However, if you look closer at her imperfections, you will find that her imperfection are-perfect. 

And so are ours!

The Parisian woman learns to be happy with how she looks and what she already has. And with that, she is happy. 

4.) Embrace the simple things in life.

How to be Parisian wherever you are taught me that the simplest things in life should be the most cherished things in life. From walking to work instead of riding the subway on a gorgeous day to a blurred Polaroid shot, from hosting a Friday dinner party for your six closest friends to Saturday mornings at the farmer's market, or from spending a rainy afternoon at an art museum to breathing deeply, the Parisian woman "[Takes] the time to take time because nobody else will do it for [her]."-Pg. 126.

I believe that us ladies should live by this example. Today, our consumerist society teaches us to never be fully satisfied with what we have. After buying a fabulous outfit, a football jersey (American or European ;) ), or your favourite flavour of gelato, we find that we do not feel complete. However, we must learn that we will never complete ourselves by shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue or the Lafayette, buying Chanel No. 5, buying your favourite bottle of Chardonnay from Bourgogne, or buying the latest Iphone.
Spending a rainy Saturday morning wrapped in a blanket, drinking a cup of Earl Grey tea, while reading your favourite book will complete you. Exploring the city that you live in with your friends will complete you. Donating money to a good cause will complete you. Spending the holidays with your family will complete you.
Remember that life is a gift & like the Parisian woman, we should all learn to live life with zest.
Au revoir!