Imperfect Women

Lessons From Madame Chic

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Several years ago, I started following Jennifer L. Scott on her blog, The Daily Connoisseur. At the time, she was a young mom living in Santa Monica, California with her husband and two little girls. Her blog was about her experiences living in Paris with a French family which included cultural events, book reviews, makeup and creating a beautiful home. She also wrote about something called the “10 item wardrobe!” Even though we had nothing in common (I am probably twenty years her senior) and I know nothing about fashion and am constantly trying to get more organized, I found her blog and it’s contents just delightful. I started following many of the suggestions. When her first book Lessons from Madame Chic came out, I ordered it immediately and read the book in less than three days. She has since had two other books published,  At Home with Madame Chic and Polish your Poise.

Lessons From Madame Chic by Jennifer L. Scott

Jennifer lived with two French families as an exchange student. Originally from California, she quickly became aware of the differences between her laid back lifestyle and the way the French lead their everyday lives. She found this new lifestyle elegant, organized, cultured and much simpler. In her writings, she shares twenty “stylish secrets” she learned.

Here are a few that really impacted me:

The Ten Item Wardrobe

While in Paris, I observed the beauty of the ten item wardrobe. I noticed that French people whom I saw on a regular basis (mainly my professors, shopkeepers, and friends such as Famille Bohemienne and, of course, Famille Chic) wore the same clothes in heavy rotation unapologetically and with great panache.

Her first suggestion was to clear out the clutter and get rid of anything you don’t love, that isn’t in the best condition, and doesn’t fit. It took me two days to clean my closet and I filled eight garbage size bags of clothing, shoes, and purses that were smashed in my closet. There were so many things that didn’t fit, were stained, were the wrong color, or were purchased on a whim and were just wrong! The ten item wardrobe does not include T-shirts, sweaters, outerwear or evening wear (like I have that)! I cannot even put into words how freeing this has been. Every morning I wake up and have clothing that I truly love and is my style and color. I no longer spend an hour combing through clothes trying to find “something to wear”! Are my clothes a size 2 and designer brands? Absolutely not, but they are perfect for me!

Always Use The Best You Have

Famille Chic used their best for every meal. Every evening the table was set with their good china and crystal tumblers. They didn’t have a separate set of wine glasses for special occasion dinners-it was crystal or nothing. Setting the table with their best elevated what would have otherwise been a mundane quotidian experience. It made every day special and luxurious.

Am I using crystal and china…usually not. However I loved the idea of using the “best you can afford” when it comes to choosing items for your home or your wardrobe. In a recent blog post I wrote for Imperfect Women called Ways To Bring More Joy Into Your Life, the most popular suggestion was to “treat yourself like a guest” and the French seem to do this on a daily basis.

Cultivate Your Mind

Intelligence is highly revered in France. People want to hear what you have to say-and what you have to say will preferably be relevant, interesting and witty. Living in Paris I found myself for the first time in my life, separated from all my favorite television shows, addictive gossip magazines, and other mind-numbing forms of entertainment. I found myself instead passing my time in museums, reading books, and discussing life with my fellow expats. It was exhilarating.

I really liked this chapter because I agree we need to “cultivate our minds”. Here are some suggestions: read books, read a variety of newspapers (I read them online), watch films, follow the arts, watch less television, improve your vocabulary, and stop watching the news.

I really enjoyed this book and had so many other takeaways. I also found some great suggestions and advice for simplifying my home in At home with Madame Chic.

On thing I learned while on “the road to reinvention” is that if you want to really become the woman you were meant to be, then your environment, your wardrobe, the people you associate with, and the way you treat yourself, all have to change to fit the new you.

Check out more of Holly’s posts where she shares her journey on her Road to Reinvention.

Holly Zucker is a wife, mother of a grown son, business owner and on the “Road to Reinvention”.  After feeling like she had “lost herself” she has spent the last few years bringing back joy, pleasure, passion, fun, and community into her life. Her mission is to help other women “reinvent themselves” and start living their dreams and desires. We’ve done so much for everyone else, it’s our turn now!

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Comments

  1. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    I love the style of Parisians, I think they always look so stylish and classy over there 😉

  4. Catherine S says

    This sounds like a great book. I need to go through my closet and get rid of stuff that doesn’t fit.

  9. aimee fauci says

    Good tips and so true about using the best of what we have. Why store our best away in a box for a ‘special occasion’ when everyday is a special occasion. Right?

  11. Aeryn Lynne says

    Oh, I need this book! I’ve always admired the street styles of Paris, and the mentality behind their fashion and ideas. Truly love the excerpts you’ve shared. The Ten Item Wardrobe is something I’ve heard vague references of before, and have been wanting to adapt my closet to that concept for a few years now. It probably became a cultural concept as there is such little room in Paris, you don’t have the space to entertain a full closet. I’m going to really step up on that idea now, thanks! 🙂

  12. Liz Mays says

    These are awesome tips. I tend to pair the same items of clothing together every time. I have a bunch of clothes that I can’t remember ever wearing.

  13. Jeanine says

    This sounds like a really great book. I think a 10 item wardrobe would be pretty fabulous. I actually really like fashion like this. Way classier than I’ve ever dressed.

  19. Pam says

    A ten item wardrobe is a really cool idea. I don’t know if I could pare mine down that far, but I could definitely pare it down some!

  22. Lisa Rios says

    Sounds like a wonderful book for sure & I can see that you have got a chance to learn so much from it. I would love to grab a copy of the same & I am sure my kids too would love it.

  24. KATHARINE C says

    IT’S CALLED THE MIX~MATCHES
    3~PAIRS OF JEANS
    3~PAIRS OF SHORTS
    3~SKIRTS LONG
    3~SKIRTS SHORT
    24~DIFFERENT LONGSLEAVES SHIRTS
    24~DIFFERENT SHORTSLEAVE SHIRTS
    14~DRESSES~7~SHORT~7~LONG
    30~PAIRS OF SOCKS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
    AND EITHER YA GO CAMANDO OR COVER YOUR ASS ENOUGH FOR THAT TO

    SIMPLE ENOUGH FOR ME QUICK PAINLESS THE MIX~MATCHES SHOULD WORK OUT SO THAT EVERYTHING WILL WORK WITH EVERYTHING ????????????

  28. CourtneyLynne says

    Oooo this sounds like a pretty fabulous book! I’m all about fashion so I really need to check it out.

  33. Kimberly says

    I would love to cultivate my mind in Paris! I’m a fan of the 10-20 item mix and match wardrobe. It ensures that you love what you wear ?

  34. Tina says

    What a great sounding book! I am a huge fan of a simple wardrobe of things that you truly love. For many years I struggled daily to get dressed for the day simply because there were too many things to chose from.

  37. Trisha says

    This sounds like a really good read! I’ll have to add it to my list. I’m really interested in that ten item wardrobe! Thanks for sharing her suggestions!