How to be more Parisienne

Lately I have been on this whole, “I must be more French” kick. I am not just talking the French Women Don’t Get Fat book, granted I read it and it completely makes sense. I am talking the whole "je ne sais quoi" aspect about every Parisienne that I passed by on the streets of Paris.

They weren't fake. I didn’t see strands of bleached-out hair, overly tanned or even worse, Oompa Loompa orange skin. No silicone lumps lingering under silk blouses. The females oversea just carried themselves so well. Simple. Elegant. Timeless. And for me; perfection.

So that has been my new obsession. To just keep it simple. For example, I have been yearning to dye my hair. Boredom creeps into every girl, and all they want is that new pick me up, something different. Resisting that urge is not fun. Knowing that I am saving the $150 at the salon helps.

Ok, so there seems to be about ten golden rules to follow to be more Parisienne.

1)      Lose the smile. Unless they were sitting on the banks of the Seine at about 5pm, manger du fromage et boire du vin, you're not going to see those pearly whites flash at you when you walk by. It helps to keep that air of mystery.



2)      K.I.S.S….the acronym I heard almost every day in construction management class..wow that sounded a little butch…These ladies have it down to a science. Clean complexion, the up-done, but “un”done bun, the layers of classic, yet highly sought after designer clothes and the timeless staple: the purse. Investing in skincare products that make you feel like Grace Kelly everyday are always a treat! Caudalie, L'Occitane and of course Aveda are always winners.



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3)      Be a skinny bitch. You’re not going to find a BMI of more than 17 when you are there, and if you do, instant red flag that those people just flew in from the good ol’ U. S. of  A. That is where I come in.

4)      A bit of a contradiction to no. 3, but indulge. There are pastry shops, fromage markets, meats, sugars, and carbs galore! You don’t want to just drink your master cleanse diet mix and take some laxatives. You have to eat in moderation and ENJOY it when you do!

5)      If you can’t beat em, join em. I am totally opposed to this one, but unfortunately EVERY person here smokes. Once you pop out of the womb, you are spanked and then handed a pack of Gitanes. The true trick of how they stay skinny.

6)      Enjoy every second. No matter what time of day it was, there were couples, friends, singles, all out enjoying the weather, the food, the architecture, everything that is beautiful about being in Paris.

7)      While you are out enjoying the beauty, try not to do it alone. There was definitely a feeling of, “there is somebody for everybody”. Ladies, get a man, or woman, whatever you prefer - and enjoy it!

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8)      PDA. Lots of PDA. I thought I would be a little grossed out by this one. I am not a PDA person, hand holding is pushing it. However, there was something so sweet, innocent and endearing about couples just looking and acting like the world stops when they look at their partner. It was just a constant since of being in love and embracing that feeling.

9)      Un café s'il vous plait. This one got me in a little bit of trouble while there, but coffee is lurking around every corner. I am not talking Starbucks, granted I fall victim here and did go into some, I am talking the hand pressed, tapped and pulled shots of liquid gold. These little bolts of France in a cup are amazing. Europe actually has laws about dairy and being human, as humane as you can when it comes to this, about raising their cows for humane consumption. So every café au lait had a taste of earth and grass. It may sound strange, but if you are actually going to be drinking milk from another species, you might as well have it be as natural as you can!

10)  Read. You won’t survive if you’re not educated beyond a Bachelors degree.