A review by nlfrey
Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris by Jennifer L. Scott
4.0
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.
I "discovered" Jennifer Scott a few years ago when I watched her "10 item wardrobe" TEDx talk. That video transformed the way I approached my wardrobe. It sparked my interest in capsule wardrobes, dressing well, quality over quantity, etc, etc. My closet is still a work in progress, but I have a soft spot for Jennifer Scott, as I credit her video with getting me started on that journey.
I enjoyed this book. There were a lot of things that made me rethink how I live my life. We could all use a reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things in life, and that's a big part of what this book boils down to: slow down. Appreciate what you have.
If you want to be more "elegant" and "chic," this book also points you in that direction as well.
On the downside, some of the suggestions and takeaways do seem a bit extreme, unless you actually are a wealthy, aristocratic French woman (or man) living in Paris.
I love the idea of classic elegance. But I don't think it's an "all or nothing" commitment. Sure, embrace elegance (I try to), but also realize that life itself isn't always elegant. There just wasn't much acknowledgement or acceptance of that fact in this book. This book seemed to show a standard of "chic" perfection more than dealing with reality in an elegant way.
Because reality is that at the end of the day, chic or not, when I get home the shoes and bra are coming OFF. And if that makes me a less elegant person, so be it.
I "discovered" Jennifer Scott a few years ago when I watched her "10 item wardrobe" TEDx talk. That video transformed the way I approached my wardrobe. It sparked my interest in capsule wardrobes, dressing well, quality over quantity, etc, etc. My closet is still a work in progress, but I have a soft spot for Jennifer Scott, as I credit her video with getting me started on that journey.
I enjoyed this book. There were a lot of things that made me rethink how I live my life. We could all use a reminder to slow down and enjoy the little things in life, and that's a big part of what this book boils down to: slow down. Appreciate what you have.
If you want to be more "elegant" and "chic," this book also points you in that direction as well.
On the downside, some of the suggestions and takeaways do seem a bit extreme, unless you actually are a wealthy, aristocratic French woman (or man) living in Paris.
I love the idea of classic elegance. But I don't think it's an "all or nothing" commitment. Sure, embrace elegance (I try to), but also realize that life itself isn't always elegant. There just wasn't much acknowledgement or acceptance of that fact in this book. This book seemed to show a standard of "chic" perfection more than dealing with reality in an elegant way.
Because reality is that at the end of the day, chic or not, when I get home the shoes and bra are coming OFF. And if that makes me a less elegant person, so be it.