TYMBITK: Secrets of Le Parisienne

Here in South Africa, almost everyone has a limited amount of internet usage every month (no Americans, I am not joking). For me, this presents quite a dilemma, seeing as the internet is my sole connection to the outside world and method of keeping occupied (ok, so I’m being a wee bit dramatic). I tend to spend my days “researching”, AKA looking up things of interest to myself, including but not limited to: beauty, makeup, French “stuff” (I’m obsessed with anything French), fashion, Facebook, travel blogs, food blogs, etc.

I’ve decided that, instead of keeping all of this useful information inside my head, why not share it with you! I could get creative and call these types of posts, “Things You Might Like to Know Thursdays”, but seeing as I’m not clever enough to come up with this idea on a Thursday, I’ll be entitling these posts:

“Things You Might Be Interested to Know (TYMBITK).”

As previously mentioned, I am quite the Francophile, which my uncle (you know who you are) would abhor (I try not to mention it to him) J. To be more specific, I really love the romantic vision of le Parisienne- the sleek, chic, croissant-eating, wine- sipping, alluring, mysterious seductress who can put together the most beautiful outfit in her sleep and never, ever gets fat. I have to admit that during my trip to Paris, this ideal of a woman is not to be as commonly found in the subways and streets of Paris as one might hope. However, the image of le parisienne is still something a girl can admire and aspire to, right? I always try to. Key word: try. Being chic and effortless is not as easy as it sounds. There are whole books written about it! I firmly believe that le parisienne would scoff at the idea that books are written to instruct others to be like her, but let’s not tell, mm-kay? 

Although the French look is supposed to be natural, unforced, and mixed in with a little ennui, there are tons of faux pas and incorrect things one must never do. But there again, whole books.

If you now feel intimidated by the idea of trying to be chic like a French woman, don’t, because here are some ideas that should get you started on the right path. If you’re traveling to Paris, keep these things in mind so as not to stick out like a sore thumb.

What to Wear

Dark jeans. Contrary to popular belief, the women of Paris do wear jeans. A dark wash is best because its classic and can take you from casual to smart.  

Trench coat. Aahhh the trench coat. It’s so stylish and can be worn in cool weather over a blouse and jeans or layered for cold weather. Don’t wear the belt buckled, ever. Tie it in the front or back for a more relaxed look. 

Ballet flats. Every girl needs a good pair of flats for walking the streets of Paris. Parisian women do wear stilettos like we see in the movies, but not if they plan on a whole day of shopping. They are practical and chic at the same time. Ballet flats can go with anything from black crops to jeans to a date night dress. Perfection.

Minimal makeup. Have you ever wondered how Parisian women look like they roll out of bed looking fantastic? They know how to wear makeup that enhances rather than covers up their natural beauty. A little concealer, mascara, bronzer/blush, and red lipstick is all you need to look completely pulled together. As a general rule: pair made-up eyes with nude lips and bright lips with a toned-down eye.

 Skincare. This is how you get away with minimal makeup. French women DO NOT skimp on skin care. This means taking your makeup off every night, cleansing, moisturizing, and ALWAYS wearing sunscreen. Le parisienne is terrified of wrinkles.

Scarf. French women have this amazing way of always incorporating a scarf into their outfits every season (Even in summer. Hurray for cotton!). It pulls a look together and looks so sophisticated. There are countless websites and videos on how to tie a scarf. This one is my favorite: 25 Ways toWear a Scarf.

LBD. Every woman should have a little black dress. You never know when you will have a spontaneous date, dinner with a friend, or an art gallery opening to attend. It can be dressed down or glammed up with pearls depending on the occasion. Tres chic. 

Anything classic. If it’s been in style for decades, you can pretty much count on it being stylish in Paris (i.e. well-cut blazer, black leather gloves in winter, basic black heels, a cashmere sweater, black pants)

Anything that makes your look unique. Le parisienne does not want to fit in with the crowd and neither does she want to stick out like a sore thumb. Rather, the chic Paris woman wants to stand apart. Wear a colorful scarf, a vintage broach, or quirky shoes to make your outfit your own and not something out of a magazine.

And last but not least. Confidence! Which brings me to my next point:

How to Act

You can dress as Parisian as you like, but if you act like a clown, no one is going to take you seriously.

Rule #1 Confidence and more self-confidence. You never see a Parisian woman looking at her feet in the subway, fidgeting with her clothing, or saying she’s too fat in front of everyone. Whatever she’s wearing, whether it is striking heels and a sleek black dress or just leggings and flats, she wants and knows that everyone is looking at her. And she likes it. But, she also acts like she doesn’t care what people think, even though she really does. Ahh the art of being indifferent (Sorry to confuse you, men).

Rule #2  Moderation in EVERYTHING. Le parisienne is never extreme about anything. She doesn’t speak to loud or too much. She doesn’t eat too much. She doesn’t work too much. She doesn’t drink too much. She doesn’t worry too much. Not too much perfume. Not too much jewelry. Not too much makeup. Get it? Moderation people. (As a side note, they smoke wayyyy too much. But I guess you’ve got to have your vices, right?)

If you’re planning on going to France, I hope my advice is useful. If you just want to look like a French girl (I do!) then ditto.

For a more in depth guide to all things French chick out French Women Don’t Get Fat.

Ratatouille with Chicken

As a self-proclaimed food connoisseur (Ok, not really, I just love good food), I am always looking out for new recipes, new chefs, and new cookbooks. For Christmas, my lovely mumsy-in-law got me a new cookbook in light of my upcoming move- Food Lover’s Mediterranean. Unlike most cookbooks, this one has a photo to accompany each recipe AND all of the recipes are healthy. How can you beat that?

Tonight, I tested one of these scrumptious concoctions. A new twist on an old favorite: Ratatouille with Chicken. I must confess, I’ve never thought ratatouille was particularly special, just because I feel like its just spruced-up roasted veggies. However, this dish puts in into a whole new light.

So without further ado:

Ratatouille with Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, about 3 1b/ 1.25 kg (or chicken pieces
• 1 eggplant (aubergines)
• 2 zucchini (courgettes)
•  2 red onions
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt &pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 tsp tomato paste (puree)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup/ 250 ml chicken broth (stock)
• Fresh basil leaves to garnish

Method:

1.  Heat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C.
2. Divide the chicken into eight pieces.
3. Trim the eggplant (aubergine) nd the zucchini (courgettes). Cut the eggplant in healf lengthwise and slice thickly. Cut zucchini diagonally into thick slices.
4. Peel the onions and cut into wedges. Remove the stems from the tomatoes. Halve and deseed the peppers and chop. Peel the garlic and cut in half.
5. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and fry in hot oil in a flameproof casserole until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
6. Fry the onion, eggplant, and zucchini. Sauté the bell peppers and the garlic, then add the tomato paste (puree) and pour in the broth (stock). Add the tomatoes (yes, whole) and paprika and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Put chicken pieces on top, skin side up and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Pour a little broth over the chicken from time to time.
8. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, sprinkle some basil leaves over the top and serve

Devour and enjoy!

This was a delicious and warming dish and the family loved it! As a side note, I would have added a few more herbs (i.e. thyme, oregano, parsley). I’m gonna play around with it next time.