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’m hoping for a “Part 2” of this article. Would that be possible? I mean probably you can write about Parisian fragrance, how women date, etc.
I love how simple French women are in the way they dress, they are simple, polished, yet fashionable.
I enjoyed reading this! It’s interesting to see an article detailing ways to achieve the Parisian elegance! Your article made me realize that I was mostly Parisian before I even knew what the term was ???
Great article, Hilary! You look elegantly beautiful!
I’ve worked with a lot of “Parisian” models. One thing I’ve learned from them, especially when I was starting — it’s all about the attitude, be confident! I admire them because they don’t ask for opinions for their style choices. They dress for themselves, for their own comfort!
Hi Hilary, HUGE thumbs up for this fantastic article! You really captured the french spirit in a poetic way ? ? ?
French women do not leave the house unkempt, ever. Sounds like a heck of a lot of work to me!!
French women look good because they believe in themselves as being the most stylish and elegant women in the world. It’s a touch arrogant but it works. You have faults? We all do. However, the secret for French women is not only to not care less but to accentuate the fault as a beauty feature. You can only do so when you feel confident about who you are inside. So get your confidence on and love every part of yourself!
I refuse to believe they don’t wear onesies or joggers because they instinctively understand that such garments insult human dignity! However, my knowledge of French women is gleaned mainly from literature and cinema..
This article correctly identifies the French women; and they of course cannot take the truth that takes them down from their pedestal, on which they have elevated themselves. Sadly, applying their art of manipulation does work.
I love Urbanette, you always offer inspirational and easy-to-read articles! I especially love your travel and international-focused articles. I love seeing the world through Hilary’s eyes.
Great tips… not super easy to implement, but I’m going to give it a shot. Well written article, Hilary.