Paris is the city of love, light, fashion, food, and art. Its inhabitants exude elegance, culture, and confidence to near-goddess status. They eat carbs, take lovers, and embrace all their imperfections. What sets French women apart is that they are unapologetically confident. They never leave the house without looking elegant, they roll their eyes at mediocrity, and they believe in living a quality life, full of passion, sensory exploration, and style.
To live like a Parisian you must ooze chic, look perfectly imperfect, take pleasure in everything you do, kiss in public, slow down and enjoy yourself. Want to capture all that effortless glamour? Here are a few of the tips I’ve picked up during my visits to Paris:
Parisian Beauty
Parisians find beauty in their imperfections. A gap in her teeth is a sign of character and would never be closed with braces. The idea of the Parisian beauty routine is to have the “I woke up like this look,” meaning natural makeup and tousled hair. Makeup should look natural, except for the lips. French women generally steer clear of eyeliner, but the lips are usually a shade of red. Contouring is a no-no because it changes the shape of their face, instead, aiming for both natural and sensual, they catch light by using a highlighter on their cheeks, brow bones and Cupid’s bow of the lips.
Dress like a Parisian
Effortless elegance, tomboyish charm, crisp minimalism and sophisticated tailoring — these are the attributes of Parisian style in a nutshell. French women are deliberately simple, versatile and practical. To dress like a woman of Paris, spend your money on a few quality staples to mix and match. Wear neutral tones that include darks like navy, black and grey. Avoid cheery shades and patterns. Flats are a popular shoe choice, probably due to the uneven cobblestone streets of Paris. But it goes along with the less is more philosophy. Elegantly flattering sunglasses, a silk scarf and understated earrings are all essential Parisian accessories.
Dine Like a Parisian
It’s all about moderation when it comes to dining. Parisians eat proper lunches and buy fresh groceries each day. They love farm-to-table eating and spending time in cafes sipping dark espressos. The key to dining Parisian style is drinking water. If you do this, you can drink all the wine and eat all the dark chocolate, baguettes, croissants and cheese you desire (or, in my case, vegan cheese and pastries!). Avoid processed foods and opt for locally produced veggies, fruit, nuts, and olives.
Live like a Parisian
The best way to capture and bring home the Parisian aesthetic and way-of-life is to experience it yourself — like a local. So hop on a plane to Paris, and choose a luxury home rental over a hotel. Specifically, when in Paris choose to stay in a house in the city. We found the super-charming Pecquay Townhouse (Paris’ 4th oldest townhouse) through a vacation rental company called Luxury Travel Book. Staying in a real Parisian home is the best way to really live (and learn about) the Parisian lifestyle.
The Parisian Attitude
Speak loud, speak proud. Speak your mind … if you feel like it. You might call a Parisian arrogant, but it’s only because they have the “Je ne sais quoi” attitude that charms and delights those she encounters. Sulking is only appealing if you do it the French way — with good posture and a twinkle in your eye.
Home Décor, Paris-Style
Naturally, the sophisticated French style extends to interiors. The rules include:
- Don’t over-style. It’s undone but done. In other words, it shouldn’t look like you bought everything in one store.
- Incorporate touches of lavishness like silk drapes, complex wallpaper and an oversized mirror.
- Add sparkle with a vintage crystal chandelier.
- Integrate aromatic and aesthetically pleasing elements like seasonal/local flowers from the market and a wooden essential oil diffuser.
To truly live a Parisian lifestyle, you have to adopt the attitude of minimalist hedonism. If you’re not sure what that means, just remember that quality trumps quantity, old trumps new (in most cases), and classic trumps trendy. Simple, right?!
I like Parisian style.French women don’t think they need a lot of other makeup if they’re wearing red lipstick. It makes the only statement they need. Thanks for sharing information about it
French women dress for their body type, no matter what it is, and they enjoy slim-fitting clothing that accentuates curves. They don’t try to hide their curves in too-baggy clothing.
Great article! Paris is my favorite place for shopping. I like Parisian style. Shoes help complete the overall look in Paris. You’re not going to see a lot of Parisians slumming it around the city in tennis shoes. Cheap or scuffed shoes will give you away as a tourist.
Their are simple yet elegant. They uses simple make ups and mostly saw them with a “no make up” look. Confidence is really the key to become beautiful. Thanks for such informative post. You literally unlocked living the effortless elegance of a Parisian.
You have definitely capture the essence of why and how French women are effortless elegant. I always like to read your comments and posts on the French lifestyle view thru an American eye. French like to enjoy life. They like to appreciate their life. That is one of the main reason why I loved being friends with them. 🙂
I always love when a French woman stops by to add to the conversation whether they’re my friend or not. I realize I will never be French, no matter how hard I try. However, I love taking the fashion and lessons from their culture and infusing them into my life. You are a sweet soul sister and I truly feed off your inspiration. It leads me to keep searching for more.
I felt every sentence of this article in my being. I will re-read it as often as needed. I believe that if I pursue them little by little every day, I will find the quality of my life increasing dramatically.I thank you so much for your inspiring words. I love everything you have to said. 🙂
I love this! Every single point rings so true. I’ve always wanted to travel and visit Paris. I may need to print it out and slap it up on the wall so I see it every day. You have a beautiful way of expressing how to live a luxurious yet very attainable life. Thank you so much for this Hilary! I needed this so very much.
OMG! Paris! My place for shopping 🙂 A place where many of the boutiques tailor on the spot in-store. What I noticed is that Parisians dress for their body type — dowdy jackets, too tight pants, or ill-fitting dresses.
Oh no! Your article is so inviting that I’d like to book a trip to Paris (for the nth time) and put these tips into action…
Jealous! I love your writing style, Hilary! Haven’t been to Paris but I can conclude that Parisians are simple but beautiful and stylish. It’s all about one fabulous piece and a dramatic red lip for Parisians.
I was reminded of Coco Chanel’s words: “before leaving the house, a lady should look in the mirror and remove one accessory.”
Yeah! Parisian fashion style reminds us, women, to be feminine without being overly sexy or have excessive extras!