Forever Chic by Tish Jett: Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style and Substance Book Review

Striped Tees...Ballet Flats…Designer Handbags…Beautiful Sunglasses…These are just some of the classic things that come to mind, when we think of Frenchwomen. I just finished reading ForeverChic: Frenchwomen’s Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style and Substance by TishJett and there’s definitely a whole lot more that makes French women so chic! I really enjoyed reading this book. Tish Jett did a fabulous job interviewing French women and doctors, suggesting beauty products and overall giving you a close-up view as to how French women think and live. This book was formulated for a mature age group, but I think it would be beneficial to all women. It makes you look at things differently and evaluate your life. This book is far from shallow. It gets deep and specific. I generalized it for you below, but this book offers so much more. Here are 12 lessons I learned from reading this book.

Lesson #1 YOU are Priority #1! YOU are your own best investment!

Life gets hectic, crazy and busy, but always make YOUrself a priority. If you don’t take care of yourself, how can you help others?

Lesson #2 Get Organized! Be Disciplined!

Discipline + Organization will help eliminate: wasted time, stress, chaos and confusion.

Lesson #3 Au Natural

‘Naturel is the mantra of Frenchwomen. They want their hair, their skin, their makeup, their figures, their style, their comportment, and their confidence to appear ever and always naturel – an extension of who they [actually] are.’

Coco Chanel “I don’t understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little – if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that’s the day she has a date with destiny.”

Lesson #4 Clothes

French women believe their clothes (style) should look ‘natural chic’. What they wear shouldn’t look ‘stilted, contrived, or consciously put together’, or ‘that a great deal of effort went into pulling together their looks.’ ‘Pulling together a workable, elegant wardrobe will dispel time-wasting panic attacks and as a result, bring you new self-assurance.’ Take pride in how you look every single day! ‘No one is invisible!’ Whether you’re at home, going to the store, headed to work etc. Frenchwomen have ‘too much self-respect and self-esteem to be unconcerned with [their] appearance. ‘You must begin with [a] wardrobe assessment, rejection, deconstruction, and reconstruction. Harsh decisions must be made. Emotional attachments must be resolved.’ ‘Does your wardrobe function? Is it [YOU]?’ Take good care of your clothes (seamstress, dry cleaning, laundering). French women know what works for them! They know their body type! Buy what works for YOU, not what looks good on someone else. When buying clothes, think of them as investment pieces! Buy clothes that will pair well with other clothes in your closet. “Frenchwomen “recast” their favorite pieces. They mix ‘the old with the new or the old with the old in new ways.’ Buy designer pieces on sale or through consignment shops. “Chic is an eclectic mix of high and low, new and old, scrambled together to reflect a woman’s personality. Chic does not come from an overflowing closet, bursting with big name labels.” Also, getting dressed should not be a chore. It should be pleasing. “Frenchwomen build ‘their wardrobes upon a foundation of neutrals. A solid foundation is neutral. With neutrals, a woman can always pull something out of the closet and pull herself together without hysteria in record time. Everything goes together naturally. No mess, no stress. Color can come from a shoe, handbag, jewelry, scarf (accessories) or even mixing a neutral with a color.

Karl Lagerfeld “Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.”

Lesson #5  Don’t Draw Attention To Your Negatives!

Stop asking your husband or companion if your derriere is big etc. “Why would you [draw attention to] point out anything negative?” Accentuate and focus on your positives. ‘A Frenchwoman knows her strengths, conceals her weaknesses.’

Lesson #6 Beauty & Self Confidence

Beautifying yourself should not be a daunting task! It shouldn’t be looked at as a chore. It should be pleasurable. ‘Frenchwomen do not see the process of caring for themselves as an onus; It is their pleasure to pamper and primp’. ‘Don’t you feel better after a pedicure, a facial, a great haircut, when you wear divine underpinnings, spritz on your favorite perfume? Frenchwomen understand this intrinsically.’‘Taking care of oneself is what builds…CONFIDENCE’. ‘Self-pampering is something you deserve’. ‘The rewards are immediate.’ ‘Daily skin maintenance regimes (skin, hair, body care) [is] a woman’s investment in herself…the best investment she can make.’ ‘Confidence is constructed over time. First you must BELIEVE you are exceptional, youthful, stunning, and interesting. Emphasize the POSITIVE.’ It’s ok to concentrate on your face, but ‘not one millimeter of their [Frenchwomen] skin is neglected.’ Frenchwomen believe, beauty is from face to feet! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Argan Oil and Sweet Almond Oil is widely used! Sun protection is key! Be sure to put sunscreen on your hands (prevent aging). Get sleep! ‘Sleep rejuvenates not only the soul, but also the body.’ The French believe in MEDICAL pedicures, instead of regular pedicures.

The Magic Equation / Effort + Discipline = Major Rewards

Lesson #7 Simplicity

French women ‘appreciate the beauty of simplicity, and they understand that the essence of luxury is always QUALITY over QUANTITY’.

Lesson #8 Dermatologist

Schedule an appointment with a dermatologist annually, just as you would a gynecological or mammogram exam. It’s often covered by insurance. A dermatologist can tell you if you have oily, combination, dry or normal skin. They can tell you exactly what products to use to benefit your skin (instead of you guessing and spending unnecessary money). A yearly visit is important, because your skin changes as you age. They can adjust what you’re using. Remember, nothing will look good, if you don’t have an “impeccable canvas”.

Lesson #9 Hair

Frenchwomen ‘spend serious money on their hair, which they consider an essential investment.’ It’s important to get a really good style, hair cut and color. It will save you from bad hair days and frustration.

Lesson #10 Culture and Personal Enrichment

Patronize local museums, galleries and the arts (ballet, opera and symphonies). Travel locally and abroad. Read the latest books. Take a class (painting, photography etc). Learn a second language. Take long walks. Spend quality time with family.

Lesson #11 – Food, Diet and Exercise

Diet’s are too time consuming and exhausting! Be mindful of what you eat and move. ‘Food is not the enemy!’ ‘Overindulgence and thoughtless eating are the enemies.’ Prepare food in the kitchen. Delicious and nutritious meals help successfully maintain weight. Fresh produce! Shop at local markets! Choose seasonal fruit over sugary confections. Vegetables, soups, fruit and fish! Natural…NO processed foods. To overcome impulses, Dr. Lamboley suggests ‘immediately doing something for twelve minutes, like polishing your nails, or making a phone call’ before indulging into something caloric. Eat yogurt for dessert! Get moving: yoga, tai-chi, bicycling, walk to your favorite places, swim, aqua gym classes, take a sports-related vacation.

Lesson #12 Embrace Each Birthday

Don’t dread your birthday! Frenchwomen “see the day as an excuse for a celebration of a life well lived, full of experience and adventure.”

Sweet-Bittersweet-NotSweet

supersweet(run & buy it) sweet(really good,buy it) bittersweet(ok, issues)not sweet(not good,don't buy this stuff) 

  Forever Chic by Tish Jett is Sweet.

credit: all quotes are from Tish Jett's Book, Forever Chic: Frenchwomen's Secrets for Timeless Beauty, Style and Substance