The French Woman’s Secret to A Simple Life of Style and Grace

Having had the wonderful privilege of visiting an array of many different cities around the world, I always come home with so many inspirations to incorporate in my everyday life. One of the places that most transformed my way of thinking and lifestyle is France. Among all the wonders there, like the Eiffel Tower and the Notre-Dame Cathedral,what left me most intrigued was the French woman. She is the epitome of beauty and grace. I predict that as we brace ourselves for the lingering repercussions of COVID-19 and adjust to life after a pandemic, our world may be in desperate need of a refreshed idea of beauty and style. One that is timeless, simple and effortless; all things that the French woman has mastered. Here’s what we can learn from her.

Simplicity. 

To the French woman, less is more; they are way more selective of what they buy to wear. Unlike in America, women in France are not always on the go with hectic, full capacity schedules.  French women like to take time to enjoy the simple yet beautiful things that bring them joy. Who has time to wash several boatloads of clothes all day Saturday? Definitely not the French flaneur– especially when she has those café au laits and pain au chocolat waiting to be enjoyed at her local café. 

This relaxed, simple lifestyle is translated into the french women’s wardrobe. Instead of trying to keep up with all the fast fashion trends, they value having classic pieces that will last through the years. A Chanel Bag, A Hermes scarf, and some designer sunglasses are examples of timeless items French women love. You will barely see the average french woman with a huge closet full of purses or shoes. In fact, closets are either very small or non-existent there. The average woman may have only own three bags at a time – a main bag, a more casual one, and a summer straw bag. Also, French women don’t flirt too much with bright colors or over the top patterns. They would rather keep it simple with more classic colors like black, navy, cream, gray, etc.   

Embracing a life of simplicity can add more joyful and graceful moments into your life as you start to focus less on your outfit and more on the life you’re living in them.

Authenticity.  

This is the quality of being real and not pretending to be something you are not. Again, French women don’t like to work very hard to follow trends. Neither do they like spending all their time and money in the ever changing world of fashion and beauty to fit in. Most tend to be more content with being who they are, flaws included.  Unlike America where we always try to look perfect and done up, the French aim to look effortless. They are not trying to cover up with endless hair and makeup rituals; they try to be themselves as much as they can. They would rather invest in taking care of their skin with good quality, tried and tested products than cake on the makeup.  

The classic French woman is not only particular about what she puts on her body, but what she puts in it. She loves eating great food that is real and authentic food- not substitutes.  She wants real butter and real desserts with real sugar, and real bread. Besides, what would a fruit tart be without real fruit?  Or a crème brûlée sans sucre caramélisé? 

Authenticity leads to graceful living as you will stop letting stress and the burden of what others think to paralyze you. 

Confidence.

Last but not least, French women exude confidence.  Their confidence is the product of knowing who they are beyond all the materialistic stuff. Living without being moved by the latest and greatest creates a more defined identity and self- awareness. They are free to flaunt their own assets, create their own style, enhance their beauty and accept their flaws. They try to embrace who they are individually.  A confident woman is a graceful woman.   

Which of these timeless secrets are you going to implement into your lifestyle to be able to have a more simple, joyful and graceful life?