I love reading and have a tendency to post recommendations for books, but I have decided to write a bit about French beauty products and fashion for a change.
I was lucky to teach big groups of employees at the ‘L’Occitane’ headquarters (not far from Oxford Circus) in London. One year, one of the students gave me a bag full of full-size l’Occitane products to try. The ones I particularly enjoyed were the small perfumed hand creams that you can carry everywhere in your handbag(s). My skin can get dry in winter, so these little tubes feel like a nice, easy, and delicate remedy for everyday use. The lovely scents are a real bonus.
I usually keep my beauty rituals to a minimum, and a few Clarins and Chanel products are part of my daily routine: Chanel face and eye creams and a touch of Clarins for makeup.
I feel many beautiful women I see in London unfortunately wear far too much makeup or have too many beauty surgery procedures, which can be counterproductive. When I think of my Parisian female friends, all of them wear very minimal make-up (or at least I cannot see it), all of them can be very feminine and elegant (when needed), and all of them are slim. I obviously cannot generalise too much, and I am not an influencer, but it is good to reflect on the possible differences in attitudes and perceptions.
When I arrived in London roughly twenty years ago, I was invited to go out in a nightclub not far from Leicester Square (still in London, UK). The dress code on their website indicated ‘Dress to Impress’. With my French friend Élodie, we arrived in ultra-elegant outfits, as chic and feminine as possible. We were shocked to see many women there wearing very tight, very short, and ultra-revealing outfits. So the ‘Dress to Impress’ indication did not mean the same for us all.
There are many books to advise about French fashion, how to be Parisian or how to dress like a Parisian or else. I am not a fashion specialist, but I was really impressed by the Chanel exhibition currently at the V&A Museum up to February 2024. Each garment is beautifully cut and designed, and each outfit exudes a real sense of style. Chanel totally revolutionised the way women dressed at the time, from unpractical, big and heavy dresses to streamlined cuts and lighter (but still stylish) outfits. Chanel’s life was also interesting: Financially independent, never married but with influential lovers and a very unclear position during the Second World War, which cast a shadow on her legacy. I had read her biography and seen some films about her life, but seeing the clothes and outfits in person really added to my understanding.
The exhibition is sold out, but you can still see it if you are a member of the V&A or if a member invites you. It can get extremely crowded, but it was fine when we visited on a Monday afternoon.
Have a beautiful day or night whenever you read this post.
Bonne journée, bonne soirée ou bonne nuit.
Annie
Written in Palma de Mallorca and London in November 2023
PS: The exhibition has been extended to March 2024, so you have another chance to get a ticket if you are fast.
