(Cultural) Implications of Beauty

Over the past several months I’ve noticed a rising current of obsession with French women and the look of the Parisien. I find it related to the several books published this year from some famous and not so famous French girls, brimming with advice how to be a true Parisien (even when you are not). In fact I even bought one of those books and I must admit I liked it. However when I bought the book and then insisted on discussing it with my Italian friend, she turned a blind eye on the whole idea about The French woman.
That’s when it dawned on me: not all women want to look and act like French. Read: not all of them want to be arrogant, opinionated, complicated, languid, tomboyish and nonchalant. There’s women who want to be sweet and sexy, voluptuous and shamelessly sensual. Most of these women don’t do effortless chic, they do care about how they look and you’ll recognize them by the heavy mascara and thick eyeliner in the grocery shop.
So, which one are you? Sophia Lauren or Catherine Deneuve? Innes de la Fressange or Monica Bellucci? Sophia Coppola or Venessa Paradis? Gina Lollobrigida or Coco Chanel?
Searching for answers I’ve aksed both Italian and French women about their sense of style, dating habits and opinion on modern men. Before I start, let me give you an idea of how French and Italian women think of themselves:

Sex appeal is fifty percent what you’ve got and fifty percent what people think you’ve got.
Sophia Loren

French women have been made beautiful by the French people – they’re very aware of their bodies, the way they move and speak, they’re very confident of their sexuality. French society’s made them like that.
Charlotte Rampling