Synopsis: Parisians are renowned for their chic approach, not only to fashion but to lifestyle. And who better to define that approach than Ines de la Fressange.
It would seem that the French have style in their DNA! And here, in this handy red flexi-bound volume, are all the tips that any woman, of any age, will need to keep a bit of that je ne sais quoi in her life. Ines underscores the maxim that ‘fashion should be fun’.

In the Dress Like a Parisian section there are fashion pointers including invaluable advice on how to build a wardrobe around seven affordable basics mixed with a few high-fashion touches and great accessories. Ines says ‘shop with a clear head…’ and her step-by-step do’s and don’ts for the wardrobe make it easy to avoid pitfalls. Ines tells us ‘a smile’ is the best accessory a woman can have and provides 16 points on what to wear for every occasion. Plus there is a superb guide of fashion faux pas for those who are 50 plus.
In Belle of the Ball, beauty tips abound as well as an outline of beauty no-no’s. Chez Moi addresses home décor concerns for the studio apartment or the château. Ines underscores the power of flowers, how to deal with unusual spaces, creating the perfect closet, and how to construct a sensational dinner party.

But not only does Ines tell us how to do it, she also tells us where, with her own little ‘black book’ of fashion and decorating finds. At the end of each section there is a dream address book of shops and an outstanding array of shopping websites for home and fashion.

The final section, Ines’s Paris is the ultimate address book of unusual places to visit, hotels, restaurants, and places for family fun! These venues exude that quintessential Parisian chic that all readers will find irresistible in this most vibrant and essential of guides.

This is a book that feels good in the hand,that is light enough to take anywhere, yet packs a powerhouse of style DNA.

Ines de la Fressange started working in the fashion world as a runway model in the late 1970s; became Karl Lagerfeld’s muse and the face of Chanel in the 1980s; posed as the Marianne face of France; launched a clothing line in the 1990s; and today—as mother of two daughters, illustrator, brand identity consultant for the Roger Vivier luxury brand, and fashion ambassador—she is as busy as ever defining style. For Chanel’s spring/summer 2011 show, she returned, at the age of 53, to walk the runway and she is the new French face of L’Oréal.

Sophie Gachet is a fashion journalist for Elle in Paris. Published by Flammarion.

Hot Brands Cool Places Verdict
We couldn’t wait to review this book when it arrived, it is written in such a delightful style, with photographs, comments and illustrations laid out as if you have just discovered someone’s personal notebook. There is so much information, you just want to sit and read and devour it all. What we loved was the range of advice in this book, and the wonderful sources of information, not just for beauty and fashion, but also how to create a very stylish home. In Part 4 Ines shares her Secret Paris, an insightful guide to restaurants, hotels, unusual places to visit, and a guide to family fun. Throughout the book there are useful addresses and anecdotes from Ines, we absolutely adored Parisian Chic, it is a like an intimate conversation with a wise and trusted friend.

It is a perfect gift for anyone who wants to discover the secret of natural style and elegance. Highly Recommended!