Tish Jett - Living Forever Chic: Frenchwomens Timeless Secrets for Everyday Elegance, Gracious Entertaining, and Enduring Allure

INTRODUCTION

Howand Whyto Live Forever Chic

With each passing birthday, I realize that one of the most important goals in my life is serenity. I want serene surroundings and relationships. I want my wardrobe pared down and useful for all occasions, my makeup and skin care efficacious, and my home a lovely, soothing, well-organized sanctuary. In other words, I want my life to run as smoothly, beautifully, and effortlessly as it would for a Frenchwoman of a certain age.

The French have a phrase for this. (Of course they do. The French have a phrase for everything.) Lart de vivre, which means, in essence, a life well lived. Lart de vivrela franaise covers everything from the way one should conduct oneself to how to dress, entertain, decorate, and maintain a home. When we decide to consciously cultivate and celebrate lart de vivre, our lives become richer and more fulfilling. The components of lart de vivre permeate every aspect of life, from ingrained respect for others and les bonnes manires to entertaining, dressing, and decorating.

My first book, Forever Chic, focused on what we could learn from Frenchwomen of a certain age regarding beauty, fashion, diet, and exercise. In this book, Ive broadened the notion of living well, making it my goal to discover how Frenchwomen of a certain age apply the principles of lart de vivre in their lives. They are, after all, the ones who set the example for the next generation (as well as their partners), as their mothers, aunts, and grandmothers did before them. They are the historians of family traditions and their cultural heritage. With their quiet examples of grace and refinement, they have always been a great inspiration to me.

While many aspects of life are beyond our control, there are always life-enhancing details that are totally within our control. No one understands this better than les femmes franaises dun certain age. Over the years, my friends and I have evolved from young women with young children into mothers of adults of the same ages we were when we first met. Now were undeniably women of a certain age, and many of us are grandmothers, all of which adds another dimension of happiness and purpose to our lives.

Over my many years of living in France and observing these women, Ive learned how even the smallest attention to detail makes an enormous difference in the pleasure and beauty we can bring into our daily lives. Ive found in emulating the remarkable discipline my French friends and acquaintances apply to their lives, those small daily habits of taking good care of themselves and their homes, contentment and a peaceful sense of joy result.

As Ive said many times, discipline will set us free. Consciously deciding to ward off chaos by doing such simple tasks as maintaining a well-arranged closet; crafting an intelligent and functional wardrobe; polishing silver, unless youre a fan of the unpolished look, which some Frenchwomen like; organizing a logical (and sweetly perfumed) linen closet; having cooking staples ever present in the kitchen and the freezer, so there is always something on hand to throw together a quick meal; creating a clutter-free living room with pretty, comfortable furnitureall so simple, and yet without these small but continuous efforts, our lives would slide into disarray.

Yes, our schedules are often complicated with obligations and demands that absorb our days and sap our energy. Time is a precious luxury, and saving it can become a priority. Who among us hasnt felt that it takes too much time and effort to make a real meal? Thats why pizza was invented, but that doesnt mean the box goes on the dining table. Simply add cloth napkins, pretty place mats, and something decorative to the center of the dinner table, along with a no-fuss salad and the dressing that you made in advance over the weekend, and a civilized meal is on the table in less than ten minutes.

What Frenchwomen know from experience is that we can design our own lifestyles and create pleasing and pleasurable environments and experiences.

Organization is key. Discipline is necessary.

In my last book, Forever Chic, I wrote about my best French friend, Anne-Franoise de Saint Sans-Henner, mother of six and now grandmother of thirteen, mistress of two exquisite homes, and sometime interior decorator, who has been from the moment we met (just months after my daughter and I arrived in France) my muse. When I would rave about the perfect order in her homes, she would simply say, If I didnt keep everything in order, I could never enjoy my life. I have to be disciplined, otherwise I would have no time for myself. I would have no time to sit here and drink a glass of wine and chat with you.

What about the way we present ourselves to the world? We can be stylish and confident if we learn and accept the fact that Frenchwomen of a certain age know so wellthat dressing well, in ways that manifest our personalities and our intentions, is never in direct correlation to our age, the amount of clothes we own, or how much they cost, but rather about how carefully and thoughtfully we choose items that are perfectly flattering for us. There is a world of difference in how I feel when Ive pulled myself together with one of my favorite sweater-scarf-trouser and ballet flats combinations, nails polished, makeup, hair behaving itself, and perfume as opposed to sitting about in sweats with my hair in a messy ponytail, regardless of whether I leave the house. Furthermore, at this stage of our lives, we probably have our go-to uniforms in place so that dressing is easy. I know I do, and they are major confidence boosters. (For more on that subject, just in case we need to do a little work in our closets, please see Chapter 6: Le Style la Franaise.) Dressing in a way that reflects our personal style is not complicated, and its good for morale. Youll see; its addictive.