I've just got back from five days in Le Marais, and I've decided I want become Parisian, s'il vous plait.

[TossDaily]

So there.

EVERYBODY looked fantastic. EVERYBODY. DP and I just sat open-mouthed in fascination. Whatever their age, they looked amazing.

So I'm sitting here on a diet, wearing an Isabel Marant jumper and frantically googling 'How to turn French.'

As far as I can tell, the rules are:

1. Be thin, despite the fact you are walking down the street at 11am gnawing a cheese and ham baguette the length of your forearm.

1. Have your hair the colour and texture of natural hair.

1. Have the most amazing skin, despite the fact you have a permanent Gauloise on the go.

1. Never get pissed and lairy, despite the fact you are having a glass of red wine with your lunch and it's Tuesday.

1. Wear shoes you can walk in.

1. Have an amazing coat.

1. Know how to tie a scarf so it looks like you have slung it on and it's just choosing to snuggle up to you because you are SO FRICKING GORGEOUS.

1. Have a pharmacy on every corner that is just an Aladdin's Cave of miraculous skincare delights for less than a tenner each.

Anyone else have any tips? Joking aside, I loved the style - the shops, ohmigod the shops! It was like I'd walked into my internet shopping history.

I could actually walk around in my biker jacket without feeling like a twat.

I want to be French. Aidez-moi.

This may be too late (the staff usually remind me) but did you have the kiko app? I think you could collect points and you used to get a discount. I haven't been for a while so it may have all changed

My black eyeshadow (amazon prime - £3 ish) has arrived and I now look exactly like Brigitte Bardot! Or possibly a panda. Wore it on the school run this pm and felt slightly like I was playing at dressing up but I do love it.

ProperLavs - never too old for a bit of BB!

well done bella!

My new Parfois scarf! I love the colours - it'll go with lots of my clothes.

GOSH shadow pencils are good - there's a dark brown and creamy taupe that are good to smudge on.

I have the kiko shadow pens in 05, 37, 38 and 39.

I just got a mabeline tattoo eyeshadow in black. I know from my dd's ones that these things don't budge and are very pigments and very cheap on eBay!
Also got a l'areal one in very very dark purple.
We shall see.
If you hear on the news that a new , rather unusual species has been discovered roaming the streets of SE England then that'll be me.

Proper Maybe you're neutral toned?

Hmm thank you Gone. Its not noticable to anyone else but I know it's there and wonky stitching that's pulling the fur slightly isn't the attention to detail polished thing I'm aiming for.

As we're talking make up and YouTubers anyone have any more recommendations for beauty ones? The contouring, matte liquid lip, faux eyelashes brigade are just making me feel out of touch and old (late 30's) It's so samey and too much. I love Lisa Eldridge and the Very French Girl.

Please excuse my too fast typing typos!

(At the risk of harping on about a small thing. Just so you know what I mean. Wonky stitching and invisible stitching.)

Brilliant thread

I’m sorry, Enid, but I think you may have a Fridayafternoonrushedjob stole. My one does not have any stitching like that . I’ve looked very carefully at it .

Totally outing myself here but je ne care pas. Here are some selfies of aforementioned new black eyeshadow and I am also wearing an old black cap that I'd forgotten I owned - I think it looks quite chic. Or it will do once I clean the mud off it!

The eyeshadow looks LOADS darker in real life - those pics have made it look far more subtle!

Enid that doesn't look like wonky stitching to me. The seam is already finished, the stitching to the side looks like a way of securing the seam, bit like a back stitch . Individual seamstresses will have different ways of finishing the seams.

bella you do look tres chic!

What colour season do you think Justine is? Colouring wise I'm pretty close but with more freckles.

Body wise I am nowhere close!

Proper Max Factor have a Marilyn Monroe collection of red lipsticks (saw them on TV this morning) and this is what they recommend for each skin tone. I have no idea what they're like but TV presenter seemed impressed.
Recreate Marilyn’s iconic lip look with Ruby Red, or choose the perfect red for your skin tone:

• Cool tones with Berry Red
• Warm tones with Sunset Red
• Dark tones with Cabernet Red

That scarf is lovely Toss, love the shade of green in it.

bella looking good! I've got a good few baker boy hats, they're so handy.

Bella, tres belle! Love the cap and eyeshadow.

Je suis bien loving le thread but just whisked a la end to say: after reading start of thread was then standing waiting for pedestrian light today in London beside two tres jolie French girls and was like: scarf: TICK great hair TICK fag somehow gracefully in hand: TICK. Both. C’etait bien somehow satisfying though obvs v much disapprove of cigarette. Alors, back to page 4

Jane I'm all over that - I adore Norma Jean, have done since I was a little girl.

Definitely going to be trying the eyeshadow after seeing your picture Bella looks so good on you! I just have to resist a red lipstick

I've just dug out an old Chanel nail polish in Coromandel. Am now sporting very short, very red fingernails, in the spirit of the thread.

I looked at that make-up video after spontaneously getting some new ID photos done in a photo booth. Bad, bad, bad, idea. I need a new face more make-up.

Anyway, she reminded me of a young Sophie Marceau. The older version looks great.

I would agree with Enid (and Gonegrey ) that that is wonky/Friday afternoon stitching. I was taught by my mum not that I've done much sewing in years to finish off machine stitching by going back on the existing stitches and maybe forwards again - over it, not at an angle to it (which to make matters worse, wouldn't serve its purpose of securing the stitching ).

Actually, if I'd been making it, as someone has mentioned, I'd have sewed it together inside out, turned it right sides out through the small gap left, and then hand stitched it closed. Let's be honest, my mum would have done that after I'd asked her to make it for me

This thread has had an impact on me: I'm killing an hour and a half on my own in a cafe/bar on the other side of the city while ds is at rugby training, but I put on my Bright Poppy Clinique lipstick before coming out!

I've looked at that video again. She's not wearing any make-up on her skin she claims. That is what she looks like.