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"You&amp;#039;ve no doubt heard about the French paradox \u2013 how the denizens of France, particularly women, can eat rich food, drink wine, and not get fat? Well, I&amp;#039;ve noticed another anomaly I&amp;#039;ll call the Parisian paradox. How is that every female in Paris, from the youngest to the oldest, looks and dresses absolutely tres chic? Are Parisian women just born with a style gene? True confession: I&amp;#039;ve always thought spending too much time (and money) on clothing is trivial. And as a result, I&amp;#039;ve never fussed much about my appearance. But being in Paris this week \u2014 where even the babies are stylish \u2014 has revealed that I may be missing something. Walking down the street, I spot a young girl, no more than 6, wearing a brilliant blue coat, mustard stockings and matching mustard-colored scarf. Not only doe she look like she could have stepped out of a Madeline book but also, she&amp;#039;s completely adorable. No more than a few feet away, I see a white-haired older woman leaning on her husband&amp;#039;s arm. She&amp;#039;s wearing a grey wool skirt, white stockings, and sports a stunning, jewel-encrusted Sonia Rykiel handbag. The picture of elegance. From young to old, I&amp;#039;ve noticed that Parisian women know how to look their best. I asked a friend who lives in Paris, how is that women of a certain age look so good? &amp;quot;After 40,&amp;quot; she responded, &amp;quot;you don&amp;#039;t wear certain things.&amp;quot; Like what? I asked. &amp;quot;You would never wear a black mink coat, for example,&amp;quot; she said (never mind the French version of PETA, if there is one). &amp;quot;And no pearls,&amp;quot; she added. &amp;quot;They will make you look older than your grandmother.&amp;quot; Nothing too traditional or severe either. So what do women of a certain age wear? Well, it seems anything they want. Bright colors. Funky jewelry. Black thigh-high leather boots. Tasteful makeup. It&amp;#039;s actually hard to tell how old women are in Paris because they don&amp;#039;t just put on sweatpants when they perimenpaouse (guilty as charged) but instead continue to spend time looking elegant and feminine. In Paris, stores are devoted to clothing for women along the age continuum, rather than ones that seem to cater to those under 21 only, like here in the US. How the Parisians afford it is the paradox I can&amp;#039;t figure out. But as for the French paradox? That&amp;#039;s easy. Everyone smokes like chimneys. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a44545/paris-update-384/>