Art de Vivre
3 Things the French Invented that You Can't Live Without
Media celeb Bill Maher once said of the French: “They
invented sex during the day, lingerie, and the tongue. Can’t we admit we could
learn something from them?” That’s a rhetorical question, of course. We’ve
learned plenty from the French, not the least of which is that elusive thing
called art de vivre.
Art de vivre is one of those cute French clichés that have been walking around with a beret and a baguette forever, but there’s more to this celebrated term than we imagine. True art de vivre is about letting go of the things that tie us Anglo-Saxons in knots: The 24/7 grind, the multitasking, the constant online chatter and preoccupations with the Next Big Thing. French author Véronique Vienne once defined these in terms of “Seven Deadly Virtues.” Self-improvement ranks high on the list here, along with “constantly raising the bar, having what it takes, wasting no time, being organized, being goal-oriented,” and “being righteous.” In other words, almost every virtue we Americans adore quickly becomes a vice to the French when take to the extreme.
With summer on the way (and the mandate relax), here’s a simple 3-point primer on the art de vivre and how to feel good in your skin - literally:
1/ Less is more
To understand what this term really means, invert it: Less is more when you can have more with less - more pleasure, more ease, more freedom. The French have mastered this principle in the way they embrace quality over quantity. Simple case in point: One lazy, sexy bottle of wine and some great bread and cheese makes a far better feast than a stressful five-course meal that you’ve labored over like Sisyphus.
When it comes to fashion, nothing is more emblematic of less is more than the little black dress: With a few beloved accessories, one little black dress can make a great wardrobe better than a closetful of clothes that haven't been worn in years (and that make you feel sad and frumpy). As Karl Lagerfeld put it: " One is never over-dressed nor underdressed in a Little Black Dress." Edith Piaf took it a step further: “When a little black dress is right,” she said, “there is nothing else to wear in its place."
Bottom line: Life is short. Get rid of excess. Streamline your life down to the things that bring you joy.
2/ Nothing is Perfect – Except Imperfection
The Japanese call it “wabi-sabi” - or accepting and seeing the beauty in imperfections (otherwise considered beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”) The French just call it… life.
Despite their emphasis on beauty in everything from haute cuisine to haute couture, the French generally accept the idea that imperfections are a part of human nature and Mother Nature. Thus, the heart of French chic is about not having the perfect polished look, being overly made-up, or having a perfectly organized home (or life). It’s about accidental allure, which only happens when you let your proverbial hair down, embrace imperfections, and stop caring so much about the “right” way.
3. Doing Nothing and Practicing Pleasure are Good for Your Well-Being
Why not organize your life around the imperative of not doing things? Why not make it a routine to stop the clock and spend time doing nothing: Turn off your cell phone. Go outside with just a pad of paper and a pen. Strip down to basics and spend the day in nothing but lingerie (naturellement…). Press the proverbial snooze button.
The French understand that the universe will not implode without their constant attention. This is a basic tenant of art de vivre that translated into seven words: Cultivate the fine art of doing nothing.
The French also know how to practice pleasure. (Do we even need to remind you?) Author Joel Achenbach once wrote that the French are professional sensualists - “a job,” he clarified, “that doesn’t exist in America outside certain zip codes in California.” We agree: pleasure and sensuality inform the French on almost every level, and they generally experience less guilt and moral hand-wringing about it than us busy Anglo-Saxons. There is no art de vivre without pleasure in life.
Art de vivre is one of those cute French clichés that have been walking around with a beret and a baguette forever, but there’s more to this celebrated term than we imagine. True art de vivre is about letting go of the things that tie us Anglo-Saxons in knots: The 24/7 grind, the multitasking, the constant online chatter and preoccupations with the Next Big Thing. French author Véronique Vienne once defined these in terms of “Seven Deadly Virtues.” Self-improvement ranks high on the list here, along with “constantly raising the bar, having what it takes, wasting no time, being organized, being goal-oriented,” and “being righteous.” In other words, almost every virtue we Americans adore quickly becomes a vice to the French when take to the extreme.
With summer on the way (and the mandate relax), here’s a simple 3-point primer on the art de vivre and how to feel good in your skin - literally:
1/ Less is more
To understand what this term really means, invert it: Less is more when you can have more with less - more pleasure, more ease, more freedom. The French have mastered this principle in the way they embrace quality over quantity. Simple case in point: One lazy, sexy bottle of wine and some great bread and cheese makes a far better feast than a stressful five-course meal that you’ve labored over like Sisyphus.
When it comes to fashion, nothing is more emblematic of less is more than the little black dress: With a few beloved accessories, one little black dress can make a great wardrobe better than a closetful of clothes that haven't been worn in years (and that make you feel sad and frumpy). As Karl Lagerfeld put it: " One is never over-dressed nor underdressed in a Little Black Dress." Edith Piaf took it a step further: “When a little black dress is right,” she said, “there is nothing else to wear in its place."
Bottom line: Life is short. Get rid of excess. Streamline your life down to the things that bring you joy.
2/ Nothing is Perfect – Except Imperfection
The Japanese call it “wabi-sabi” - or accepting and seeing the beauty in imperfections (otherwise considered beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”) The French just call it… life.
Despite their emphasis on beauty in everything from haute cuisine to haute couture, the French generally accept the idea that imperfections are a part of human nature and Mother Nature. Thus, the heart of French chic is about not having the perfect polished look, being overly made-up, or having a perfectly organized home (or life). It’s about accidental allure, which only happens when you let your proverbial hair down, embrace imperfections, and stop caring so much about the “right” way.
3. Doing Nothing and Practicing Pleasure are Good for Your Well-Being
Why not organize your life around the imperative of not doing things? Why not make it a routine to stop the clock and spend time doing nothing: Turn off your cell phone. Go outside with just a pad of paper and a pen. Strip down to basics and spend the day in nothing but lingerie (naturellement…). Press the proverbial snooze button.
The French understand that the universe will not implode without their constant attention. This is a basic tenant of art de vivre that translated into seven words: Cultivate the fine art of doing nothing.
The French also know how to practice pleasure. (Do we even need to remind you?) Author Joel Achenbach once wrote that the French are professional sensualists - “a job,” he clarified, “that doesn’t exist in America outside certain zip codes in California.” We agree: pleasure and sensuality inform the French on almost every level, and they generally experience less guilt and moral hand-wringing about it than us busy Anglo-Saxons. There is no art de vivre without pleasure in life.
April 21, 2016
