advice to daphne - a book?!!

My (imaginary) friend Daphne has been in Versailles since last spring and is really settling in now.  She and I have been exchanging notes over Christmas - sounds like she has plans!

Three weeks ago .....

My sweet Daphne

How lovely to receive your invite,  thank you, we'd love to come to dinner next week, sounds like you're becoming quite the Versailles socialite. 

I'm so glad you put my advice about staying slim into practice, it's not surprising that you're feeling so wonderful and 'petite' , I told you there was no secret!  At dinner you'll be able to wear one of those dresses you've been telling me about and show off the new you!

About our conversation the other day ... darling, I know you've been in France for a whole 8 months now, but do you think it may be a tad early to write the definitive tome on the French and their wily ways??  Your Versailles girlfriends may be encouraging , but you know, it's one thing making a few gals  laugh over a coffee, it's another to write a best seller.

If you want to test the water, why not try writing a blog instead - I've heard they're all the rage!

Your friend

S

Two weeks ago .....

Dear Daphne,

I find it amazing that you already have yourself a contract to write!  Whatever did you do to get that ... no , on second thoughts,  don't tell me, I'd rather guess.

And thank you darling, but flattered as I am to be invited by your 'publisher' to write the introduction to the book; I think I shall decline, I'll be happy to buy a volume in our local book store and be able to say "I knew her once" !

your amie,  S

10 days ago ...

Daphne darling,

What’s the matter with the man?!  Nobody pays that much for the opening chapter to a potentially-never-sold book about Paris !! - where's the catch?  The answer is still no,

with affection and patience,  your friend S

8 days ago ...

OK Daphne, it's now official - you've found yourself a publisher with more money than sense.  Well good on you gal, and yes, yes, OK , I'll write a short introduction for you, but please don't ask me to get involved in any of your 'on the ground research', I don't think I have the strength.

PS  They don't really want you to measure hemlines do they?!

Today ...

Thank goodness Daphne,

So glad you saw the light about the man, I knew it wasn't your writing he was after!! :)

Yes of course I was serious about the blog idea; I think it would be great.  You could write about getting to know Paris as a mother with young children and as wife to a successful business man you’ll give us tips on where to shop, where to go for lunch, which hairdressers to use, it would be a ball!  You could cover all the chic stuff we country girls can only dream about.

Speaking of which, why don’t you and I have a chic lunch next week to talk about it?!

Kisses,  ton amie,   S

PS  You’ll need to find a good name for the blog –  I'll ask around for ideas !

Well!  What can I say, sounds like Daphne has more surprises up her sleeve!  If you have any ideas for the title to her upcoming blog, or indeed advice on style and content, I just know she'd love to hear from you!

If you didn't read our earlier correspondence, you may like to know that I already advised her on throwing a dinner party; staying slim; kissing; her clothes and saying 'tu' !

Thank you for reading me (and her!) , Daphne and I both wish you a great weekend!

advice to daphne - staying chic this winter

Daphne was thrilled with my advice on staying slim, apparently she's melting away and wants to rethink her 'look', she sweetly asked for my ideas on what the well dressed woman should be wearing this winter.

My sweet Daphne

I'm so happy to learn that you followed my advice (all except the last bit I hope!) and that the kilos are dropping off, and I wasn't at all surprised to hear that you need to replace your wardrobe and you're worried about looking chic this winter.

Of course if you had moved out close to me in the country as I suggested when you arrived last year (remember!!) , you could spend your days like me in riding boots, a jumper and a pair of jeans!  You however chose to live in Versailles, and now you have to go with their dress code.  Believe me honey, if you don't look the part you'll have a tough time fitting in.

First things first - please! please darling!   forget the track suit, unless you are jogging or playing winter tennis!  To blend in perfectly when invited to sip café at a copine's house, or to take your children to school, I would suggest neutrals.

The other thing to totally forget my dear is trainers, sports shoes,  anything built for comfort. From now on you don't think comfort you think pretty, chic and well presented.  Of course I don't expect you to race around all day in high heels, but a pair of ballerines must become an essential part of your wardrobe, as well as a good pair of boots that you'll either pull over your skinny jeans or wear with black tights and a chic little skirt that comes just above your new found knee!

Of course your bag will always match your foot wear, which brings us to the other vital winter accessories, the scarf.  Wool, silk, cotton, whatever works, to be knotted effortlessly around your neck or the collar of your coat.  When you're not wearing it just tie it to your handbag!

And while you're buying yourself a scarf, why don't you pick one up for your darling husband as well, I guarantee he'll look instantly French, and even more gorgeous

I know that your social diary is filling up fast,  and I'm so glad that you've already noticed how the french women manage to look chic without looking overdone.  Stay light on the make up, hardly-there foundation, and either eyes or mouth emphasised, but never both, and never too bold. A dab of perfume and you're done!

 For evenings it's best to stay simple, here again you can go with neutrals, 

otherwise the LBD always works, maybe a touch of pink, lime green or a red accessory.

Voila my dear, I have to be quick today as I have horses to feed and children to collect from school!  Do come and visit with us soon, there are some friends I'm dying to introduce you to, we'd have a ball!

ton amie

S

all pictures thanks to Cyrillus

advice to Daphne - staying slim in France

My imaginary friend Daphne has been writing to me again, needing more advice about fitting in here.  Since she arrived in France at the beginning of the year I've been helping her out with dinner etiquette, language problems and other technical points, today she has a problem that's more .... well let's just say that's getting bigger!

My darling Daphne

How lovely to hear from you again ma chérie, I was beginning to think that you'd forgotten all about me; that I was too provincial for you in my country home while you're in your chic Versailles apartment.

No surprise though, to hear what's troubling you this time!  Your petites rondeurs, tes kilos en trop, tes poignées d'amour - yup, you've been hitting the french cuisine since you got here last spring  and it's all gone to your hips.  Très classique!!

What you need is to start acting like a French girl - surely you've noticed how runner-bean thin they all are in Versailles.

There is no easy way around this ma chérie, you've got to change some basic habits:

The little boulangerie at the end of your street may make fantastic macarons, great croissant and amazing home made chocolates, but for a while the only way you should enjoy them is with your eyes!  You heard me ....  I know you see French women buying them, but that doesn't mean they'll eat them.  They gift macarons and chocolates at dinner parties, they buy croissant and pain au chocolat for their children's 4 pm snack and fancy cakes for a family gathering but they don't touch a crumb!

Even the delicious baguette will only be eaten in small bites, la française is unlikely to eat a whole portion of bread with her meal.

Wine - yes, I know it's wonderful stuff, it's sociable to drink and I know that your husband has an impressive wine cellar, but if you keep an eye on your French girlfriends they drink little.  Even at a chic dinner where there is different wine served with each course. It's all about moderation.

However, this doesn't meant you should cut down on the lunches with girlfriends:  très important to be in on the news, to be seen out and about.  Just do as they do: eat salad and fish; drink sparkling water ; no dessert and a couple of strong coffees.  The beauty of this is that you'll sit down and take your time, you'll eat slowly because you'll be chatting, and all that with very few calories.

Now,  I hope Daphne that you're not using your car each day.  You're in town, you need to walk or to use those wonderful bikes you can rent by the hour all over Paris.  

Finally, I'll leave you with a word of advice I heard a French girlfriend pass on recently to another friend who was complaining that she had put on one whole kilo!  "You need a poor, young lover" she said, dead serious.  The girl just nodded in agreement, the logic of her friend's advice obviously crystal clear.   "Poor and young?" I asked, "why's that so important?"  they smiled at me  indulgently, "well," the first replied, "if he's poor he'll be living in some 6th floor garret without a lift, and if he's young then you'll be motivated to get up there to join him ...you know,  ... double the exercise!!"   

Food for thought, darling you have to admit!

Let's meet up soon and have a long chat over a  .... mineral water,

your friend

S