Tips for attaining Gallic chic and poise
French women. How do they do it? That effortlessly chic look and perfect poise, those whippet-thin bodies … Why doesn’t the creme patissiere and croissant dough stick to them as it would us? It’s a familiar enough refrain from envious British women, who didn’t exactly need Brigitte Macron to turn up and remind them of all the ways in which we fail to measure up.
But despair not, mon amie, for our Gallic cousins are no more beautiful than us — they just have a different mindset when it comes to how they present themselves to the world.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the cool and soignee Brigitte, France’s new First Lady and incoming glam godmother of the nation. Skinny as a sun-baked grissini at the age of 64, her show-stopping outfits are all topped off with her artfully tousled blond swishy hair, megawatt smile and coquettish confidence. How on earth does she do it? Here’s how to get out your inner Brigitte.
1 2 Learn to have French confidence:
There is no mistaking a French woman when she walks in the room. Her inner monologue may be saying, “Mon dieu, I wish I hadn’t eaten that second slice of Pont-l’Eveque at lunch”, but outwardly she gives off nothing but effortless elegance with a hefty side order of sex appeal.
Being groomed at all times is practically hardwired into the French’s DNA:
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Channel, we have just about managed to drag ourselves out of bed and pull on a skirt that we can still zip up and makes our tummies look flat. If we want to do sexy, we smear on a bit of lippy on our way out the door.
Our French counterparts wouldn’t dream of stepping out without a perfectly made-up face, hair coiffed, heels on. Being groomed at all times is practically hardwired into their DNA.
Middle age is no excuse to pull on a comfy hoodie (even if it is cashmere) and retire to the sofa with a pot of tea and a plate of toast. Non! There is no upper age limit to French sex appeal — Brigitte is living proof. La femme d’un certain age luxuriates in her maturity in a way that a British woman does not. For further evidence, look to fellow French midlifers Emmanuelle Béart, a sex symbol at 53; or Inès de la Fressange, who will celebrate her 60th birthday in the summer.
3 Learn to be an age-appropriate rock chick:
When you think 64-year-old British woman attempting doing rock-chick look, the image most likely to be conjured up is “mother of the bride on a hen do in Hull” instead of a smouldering Carine Roitfeld. But, goddammit, Brigitte attempts it and manages to look like she’s just stepped out of French Vogue. Nowhere to be seen are the matching pastel suits, waterfall cardies or “art teacher” jewellery that many assign to women who once they have passed their big 6-0.
Lessons can be learnt here. Keep it simple. Step away from the garish clunky necklaces. (You think they say: “I might be middle-aged, but I’m still fun.” What they really say is: “Will this detract attention from that awful old skirt I have just pulled on?”). Ditto anything sparkly, or anything that shows too much flesh.
Instead, pair a classic beige jump- er with a pair of tailored trouses, and don’t forget the long, well-tailored jacket — practically a uniform in Paris. Otherwise, try head-to-toe black. The French love a figure-hugging black jumper, and so should you (within reason). Team it with a pair of black sunnies, ballet flats and a Gallic shrug. You could even try shoulder-robing the jacket and pretend you are an extra in a Nouvelle Vague film.
We strive for equality, in France they strive to keep their priapic husbands in check. After all, you don’t want him indulging in the fashionable cinq-asept (French for extramarital affair-o’clock).
This means expensive sexy lingerie at all costs. Think La Prada undies, even on weekdays.
Second, give your inner coquette a full airing. Brigitte Macron may be a woman 24 his senior, but that
4 Your man is a God:
doesn’t stop her hanging onto her husband’s arm like a fragile waif. And I doubt she has ever clipped her toe nails in front of him either. Keep the mystery. Do the slow reveal.
Home Counties chic? I’m not saying it’s an oxymoron, but there’s room for improvement here. A floral dress that comes mid-calf, topped off with a pearl necklace and a pair of mimsy kitten heels will get you to safe and sensible. It won’t get you to “Ooh la la”. If you want to compete with the Mme Macrons of this world, the right attitude is crucial. Whatever you think is smart/chic/sexy, dial it up a few notches and you are somewhere in the French ballpark.
This means getting rid of anything shapeless. Hiding what you’ve got is a sartorial own goal. Ditto midlife practi-fashion. We may see a fleece that gets us through the walk in the park with the dog; they see
5 Never dress down:
slovenly slob. And I say that as a 53-year-old woman who is a confirmed devotee of athleisure tracksuit bottoms. Do as I say, not as I do. Know that a casually tied Hermès scarf will give a touch of je ne sais quoi to any outfit.
British women are brilliant at being funny and playful. They also see the middle years as a time to mix it up. Satin dress with a chunky boot and a parka? Whyever not? We’re also queens of self-deprication. “Oh, this old thing …” we say about a new dress we’ve bought. “Found it in the skip in front of the house, haha.” You wouldn’t hear a French woman say that, and not only because she would be speaking French. Think your lack of effort says: “I’m too busy thinking great thoughts to care what I wear?” Think again. Even great French female thinkers have time to look
6 Ditch the irony:
fabulous on a bad hair day.
7 Poise is more important than personality:
Over here, we crow about growing old disgracefully — throwing caution to the wind, saying what we really think and behaving badly. A French woman would never be caught draining the dregs of a bottomless Champagne brunch, doing her best (worst) impression of her mother-in-law, or loudly discussing her last medical ailment with her book club getting pleasantly sloshed on a bottle of pinot noir.
You woudn’t find her belting out her best rendition of Hey Jude at her sister’s landmark birthday. This is not sophisticated. But, whisper it, it is fun. And doesn’t fun make you happy?
It just would be great if we could just have a little bit more of that, but look like Mme Macron while we’re doing it … but if we can’t then vive la différence.