How to channel your inner Mme Macron

With her effortless style, France’s new First Lady is a she-woman masterclass in how to do sexy and soignée, says Kate Mulvey

French women. How do they do it? That effortlessly chic look and perfect poise. Those whippetthin bodies. Why doesn’t the crème pâtissière 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 us 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 soignée Brigitte, France’s new First Lady and incoming glam godmother of the nation. Skinny as a sun-baked grissino at the age of 64, she wears show-stopping outfits all topped off with her artfully tousled, blonde hair, megawatt smile and coquettish confidence.

How on earth does she do it? Here’s how to get out your inner Brigitte.

Learn to have French confidence

There is no mistaking a French woman when she walks into the room. Her inner monologue may be saying, “Mon dieu,

I wish I hadn’t eaten that second slice of Pontl’évêque at lunch,” but outwardly she gives off nothing but effortless elegance, with a hefty side order of sex appeal. 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.

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 âge 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 Brigitte Macron, 64, is a regular on the front row at fashion shows, right. Below, impeccably turned out, with her husband La Fressange, who will be celebrating her 60th birthday in the summer.

Learn to be an age-appropriate rock chick

When you think of a 64-year-old British woman attempting to do a 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 assigned to women once they have passed their 60th birthday. Lessons can be learnt here. Keep it simple. Step away from the garish clunky necklaces. (You think they say: “I may 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 jumper with a pair of tailored trousers, and don’t forget the long, well-tailored jacket. Otherwise, try head-to-toe black. The French love a figure-hugging black jumper and so should you. Team it with a pair of black sunnies, ballet flats and a Gallic shrug.

Your man is a god

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 à sept (that’s French for extramarital affair o’clock).

This means expensive, sexy lingerie at all costs, even on weekdays. Second, give your inner coquette a full airing. Brigitte Macron may be a woman 24 years his senior, but that 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.

Never dress down

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 oh là là. 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 ball park.

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 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.

Ditch the irony

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? Why ever not? We’re also queens of self-deprecation. “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. You 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 fabulous on a bad hair day.

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 doing her best (worst) impression of her mother-in-law or loudly discussing her last medical ailment with her book club while getting pleasantly sloshed on a bottle of pinot noir. You wouldn’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 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