Upon my arrival in Paris, (for the first, second, and third time), once of the first things I noticed was how incredibly well-dressed its natives were. Even the children were dressed to the nines, decked out head-to-toe in designer duds. Needless to say, my dirty canvas Keds were suddenly lookin’ insufficient.

Having lived among Parisiens for the past three months, I can honestly say that my first impressions were spot on; I’m here to tell you that they look this good all the time. Bravo, sexy librarians on the metro and svelte looking hipsters in scarves and red pants smoking nonchalantly while taking out the trash.

However, if you, like me, don’t happen to belong to either one of these categories, fear not! I’m here with five tips for lookin’ French or at least blending in.

1) Red pants. An absolute must. (If you want to be fashionable, that is)

2) Wear glasses, even if you don’t need them. In fact, especially if you don’t need them.

3) If you are a woman, carry a Longchamps bag. If you are a man, carry a man-purse.

4) Wear a trench coat!

( hound dog and magnifying glass,  optional) 

5) Ride a scooter! Be you child, teenager, or married mother of three. Wee!

Alas, have I followed any of the above advice? Well no. I am still wearing my dirty Keds and I may or may not have went to Vogue’s fashion Night Out wearing a Levi’s jean jacket. Do I ride a child’s scooter to work or to the market? Ya know, it’s really not practical. Plus, I can barely ride a bike, so why complicate things?

It’s possible that by not following the French fashion code, I may appear to be slacking in the cultural assimilation and understanding department. But that may be too hasty of a judgement. If I’m reading French newspapers, eating French food, and talking to French people, does that not demonstrate appreciation for the French way of life, regardless of whether or not I look good in red pants?

Bonjour tout le monde! (Hello everybody!)

If it’s been awhile since I wrote it’s only because I’ve been finishing school, taking a week’s vacation in Barcelona & the South of France, and starting work in a non-profit here in Paris (more about that later!) Needless to say, this semester is flying by!

Anyways…back to the reading list!

First, a bit of background. In order to help me “prepare” (mentally, physically, linguistically!) for my year abroad, various family members (namely my mother) would present me with a new French”guide” book for every holiday and birthday. I picked up a few as well, as I knew dealing with the notoriously “difficult” French (namely Parisiens) was going to be no easy task for an alternately spunky and shy American girl like myself. I thought that if I had some insider information about the little known-nuances of French culture, I might have an edge over other foreigners, or at least maybe win some respect. While the jury’s still out on whether or not I’ve succeeded, these books provide humorous (and useful!) insight into French do’s and don’ts!

1) French or Foe: Making the Most Out of Living & Working in France by Polly Platt

Long regarded as the ultimate guide for foreigners living in Paris, French or Foe is written by a woman who herself made the transition from life in America to living and working in France with a French husband and French children. Incredible detail and witty explanations of everything from dinner etiquette to romance!

2) Pardon My French: Unleash Your Inner Gaul by Charles Timoney

The reviews say this Brit’s manual for decoding the French and their language will make you “so convincing that French people will talk very fast to you”…hence why it’s currently on my nightstand.

3) Savoir Flair: 211 Tips for Enjoying France and the French by Polly Platt

The followup to the popular “French or Foe” (see #1 above), Savoir Flair is the abbreviated version of its predecesor. Personal Favorite chapters: Enjoying Finding Something You Lost: Don’t Give up (p. 146), Enjoying Being a woman in France (p. 167): American girls, take note!

4) Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language from the South of France by Kristin Epinasse

Written by a young woman from New Mexico who met her future (French) husband while studying abroad, Words in a French Life is the literary incarnation of the popular blog with the same name. Each chapter is short, pertaining only to the definition of a single French word, couched in anecdotes of her children, family, and daily life as an American living in Provence.

5) Dessine-moi Un Parisien by Olivier Magny (available in English under the title Stuff Parisiens like)

As I didn’t discover this gem until it was recommended to me by one of my French professors here in Paris, Dessine-Moi un Parisien is a funny and short (and illustrated!) half-celebration, half -mockery of the hoity-toity Parsien culture we all simultaneously love and hate, and has of late, become my reading material on the Metro!

Pick up one of these, and may you be enlightened and entertained!

Translation: One learns more in one white night than in a whole year of sleep. All-nighter, anyone?

Coming from a fairly urban background, I’d like to think that I’ve seen my fair share of graffiti in my twenty-one years of existence. In the States (well I can mostly speak about my home base, Chicago), street-art is often gang related and while always colorful and interesting to look at, disappointingly homogenous.

Saw this on a sidewalk not too far from where I live. What does it mean? well, long live the sh*t, essentially. Instead of seeing this as negative, I’m taking it as a cheeky nod to the copious amounts of dog excrement on the street.

Thus, whenever I find myself in a new place, I always make it a point to scope out any  specimens of uh, self-expression that are a bit different–more creative, more humorous, more uplifting. I’m happy to report that, in Paris, I’ve found just that. All but one of the photos posted here were taken in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, which is home to both the Pere Lachaise cemetery (home to Jim Morrison and Oscar Wilde) and happens to be the birthplace of famous Parisian chanteuse Edith Piaf (as immortalized in the movie La Vie en Rose). More about the 20th later, back to its street art! While some may argue that these are nothing more than examples of spray-painted concrete (and indeed that’s what they are!), I’d like to think that there’s more to them than meets the eye!

Translation: Where will you guide your boat?

Graffiti, above all, offers information about the most important part of any city–its inhabitants! You don’t have to look far to get a general sense of the thoughts and feelings and above all, SPIRIT of the people that live around you. Public defacement of property or not, street art adds a little bit of grit and character to places that might otherwise be a little mundane or even a little too pristine. In the same way that some people plant flowers to brighten up a space, others create public art (call it what you like!) to make other people smile, laugh, and most importantly, THINK. A mon avis, (in my opinion), the world’s urban playgrounds would be boring without it! If you’re interested in seeing more, check out my Picasa album https://picasaweb.google.com/114721777633407213084/Franceypants. Ciao for now!

This was taken in the 20th arrondissement of Paris, called Belleville (Beautiful city). While I have yet to encounter a Parisian who considers this the most beautiful part of the city, it is definitely one of the most diverse and interesting.