A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 2 – Fun Glamour
April 21, 2020
“Choose Glamour” is the Day 2 in 30 More Chic Days by Fiona Ferris. I reviewed this chapter when I first read the book here. Back then, I liked the “concept” of glamour…. I just wasn’t sure how it could be applied in my “suburban soccer mom” type existence. Then I reread Day 2 for yesterday’s post. The mental picture of my “inner Paris Girl” (a mix of Roselind Russel’s character, Auntie Mame, from the film Auntie Mame and Juliette Binoche’s character, Viane Rocher, from the film, Chocolat) popped fully formed into my mind. Okay, now we’re talking Glamour with a capital “G”!
But how can Auntie Mame and Viane Rocher introduce a few elements of glamour into my daily life? (My daily life includes teenagers, laundry, vacuuming and Paris’s Corona Virus lockdown this Spring.) Auntie Mame brings humor and an unquenchable joie de vivre. She also introduces some good ideas for dressing – colors that suit her, dresses with distinct waists, and a bit (or more) of sparkle. Like the Queen of England, Mame always has a look finished with earrings and a brooch. I took a quick mental review of my “finishing touches”: earings and pins (that came with me to Paris.) Hmmm. I stopped wearing earings when the children were babies and wanted to pull on them. Brooches? I used to wear them back in the late 80’s and 90’s on my suit jacket lapels. But then the workplace went “casual” and skirt-suits went the way of the do-do bird. Also, I don’t have any pins/brooches with me. I do have three pairs of large-ish stud-style earings with me – pearls, gold knots and cubic zirconium. I put on the gold knots this morning.
Earlier toda,y I saw a recent photo of Queen Elizabeth. Both Her Majesty and Auntie Mame dress up a wool coat with a big brooch. I’ll keep that in mind. Maybe that’s a way to put a bit of sparkle into the day even though we are all much more casual than people were in the 1950’s and 1960’s. (PS. I have a down puffy jacket to throw on in a hurry – down doesn’t go with a brooch – but my heavier winter coat, which I wear often here in Paris, has a wool exterior with a thin down inner layer. I could easily do a pretty brooch by the neckline.) I don’t have fabulous jewelry like the Queen (who does?) but one can find pretty pieces at Hotel Drouot (the auction building) in Paris for very reasonable prices. I also like the costume jewelry at the different flea markets around Paris. (Nothing is open right now but hopefully, I will be able to wander the auction houses, flea markets and broquants (pop-up flea markets) again!) The idea is something appealing to your eye that can be a “signature” piece and add a bit of sparkle to your daily look.
But what about summer? Light-weight tops don’t lend themselves to pins. I could do like the Parisiens and embrace the scarf – either silk or cotton depending on the weather. Okay, “one and done” as they say – scarves can act as the finishing touch at the neckline.
What else can Auntie Mame and Vian teach me about glamour? Skirts and dresses. Yep, those girls do skirts and dresses like there is nothing else. Vian wears full skirts cinched in at the waist. Auntie Mame emphasizes a shaped waist in everything she wears. I’m feeling good about the idea even though at the moment I’m basically living in my narrow-cut jeans. Skirts and light-weight dresses paired with sandals are terrific for warm weather. I have three lightweight summer dresses (that are worn with self-tie belts) with me. I will have to wait until the shops open before I can find a solid-color skirt that has a full skirt, cute waistband and goes to the knee. Until then, maybe I can use a culorful scarf as a belt with my dark trousers to add a “shaped” silhouette feel to my look.
Vian brings a terrific “natural” made-up look complete with a cute haircut to the table. I already have a good daytime “smokey-eye” look going courtesy of Fiona’s first 30 Chic Days book (Day 4). My hair? Well, I’m several months over-due for a trim (CoVid-19!). My inner glamour team inspired me to do a coconut oil hair mask last night and brush it out (right as it was almost dry) with a large, natural bristle, round brush. This morning, my hair is smooth and wavy. Yea, team! (I was getting a bit down about the split ends and the dry, frizzy look.)
My glam team also prompted me to take a look at my recent meals. Even though I have been eating “real food”, fresh and healthy, what I’ve been cooking has been a bit ho-hum. I took a leaf from yesterday’s post and made a large quiche this morning – Emmental cheese, minced ham with some sauteed shallots. Served alongside a lightly balsamic-dressed salad of rocket (a dark green, spicy green leaf), my slice of warm quiche today at lunch was delicious and pretty! Energized by my (extremely easy and fast) quiche, I threw together another fast and easy but elegant looking dish – sugar-free creme brulee (using a mixture of mostly Swerve erythritol and about one quarter xylitol sweetener.) There is nothing ho-hum (at least to me) about a decadently rich and velvety creme brulee.
What is surprising is that there is nothing inherently difficult or tiring about putting a bit more polished spin on everyday activities like dressing or eating. I’m not quite sure why but somehow I just get in a rut sometimes. Thank heavens, my inner glam team, Auntie Mame and Vian, spoke up last night while I was reading Day 2!
Here a few more door numbers that I noticed today – who knew I have been surrounded by these beautiful door elements every day and never noticed! Talk about the idea of glamour – every house has a house number but these buildings put some style in it.
