More than a few years ago now, I made my first solo visit to Paris. I learned a lot, about travelling alone and about myself. Later, I shared that initial experience over at My French Life™, along with my thoughts on why Paris is an excellent destination for solo female travellers. Nobody will be surprised to […]
The Distant Francophile Blog
Well, our countdown is finally over and I’m writing this post as we travel to Europe, and our first stop, Prague. I promised regular readers that I would let you know the outcomes of my packing decisions, which I’m pleased to report were super easy after I’d sat with my Step Four questions for a […]
Packing for Paris. Once upon a time, those words made me feel more than a little apprehensive. It’s such a stylish city, and it is easy to feel like you might muck it up. Thankfully, visiting Paris at least once a year for the past decade has removed my packing nerves. But I won’t pretend […]
Now that I’m down to counting sleeps until our next trip to France, it seems very appropriate to be reviewing Katrina’s Lawrence’s Paris Dreaming. After all, I’m dreaming of Paris almost constantly at the moment. Interestingly enough though, I really resisted reading this book, which was released back in November 2017. I have no […]
Dressing ourselves. It’s something that we do every day of our lives. And yet – unlike many things in life – practice doesn’t automatically make perfect. It can happen all of a sudden. One day, you simply wake up and utterly detest everything in your wardrobe. Alternatively, it can sneak up on you. Fleeting feelings […]
When I was younger, I didn’t really understand wardrobe essentials. At all. Not even a little bit. I’d buy anything and everything (as long as it fit into one specific category – cheap) and wonder why I never had anything to wear. Despite having more clothes than my (relatively small) wardrobe could realistically hold. My […]
Not that long ago, I spent a very lovely amount of time dabbling around in my fragrance collection. We’re travelling again soon, and although I’m not in full packing mode yet, I’m certainly starting to think about the bits and pieces that will be joining me in France. (Side note: If packing is a chore […]
With snow falling recently on the normally balmy shores of the French Riviera, it is difficult to believe that spring is knocking loudly upon northern hemisphere doors. Spring is a magical time for travelling. The days are getting longer, the crowds aren’t the bother that they can be in summer and the parks and […]
As much as it pains me to admit it, I’ve not had a great week. Thankfully, these sort of weeks don’t come up for me too often. I might have an off day here or there. But I rarely string together a bad week. However, things have refused to flow for me during the past […]
Since writing my mini-review of the book Mon guide de style, every now and then I’ve continued to flick through its pages for French style inspiration. A couple of images keep catching my eye. These particular pages feature the sparkliest of accessories – jewellery. Author Noriko’s work reminded me of the French woman’s love for […]
Let’s wrap up what turned into a series of reviews with a couple of ‘mini reflections’, highlighting two of my favourite things – Parisian style and French footwear. First up, why don’t we take a look at my new favourite French Footwear brand – Arche? French Footwear – Arche In this post on The Essentials […]
It seems that February has turned into ‘Review Month’ here on Distant Francophile. I’ve been promising to share my thoughts on a few different bits and pieces for a while now, and I’ve finally found the space to gather – and articulate – my views. Way back in November I mentioned that, after using […]
It’s the height of summer here in Melbourne. The weather has been hot (and oddly steamy) and the days are luxuriously long. It is the perfect time of the year for a little rest and relaxation. And what are lazy days without a good book – or two – to dip into? Jamie Cat Callan’s […]
So far in this ‘Stylish Travel Essentials’ series we’ve explored two of my ‘must pack’ items – comfortable shoes and the cross-body bag. This week, I’m keen to examine a group of items that can take your travel wardrobe to a whole new level – accessories. Now, many definitions of accessories include both shoes and […]
I won’t go so far as to say that that travelling stylishly takes work. In fact, I’d argue that it can be incredibly easy. But elegant, graceful travel does require a strategy or two. Last week we took a look at my first stylish travel essential – comfortable shoes. This week, it’s time to explore […]
If you are reading Distant Francophile regularly, there is a better than good chance that: a) You love to travel (especially to France); and b) You’d prefer to travel stylishly. So with those two points in mind, I thought we should start this year with a little series on the essentials that make it easier […]
I’ll come right out and say it. From my perspective, 2017 has been an amazing year. I know not everyone will be nodding in agreement (and my heart goes out to you), but I honestly knew before it began that 2017 would be a transformational one for me. My excitement started building a couple […]
Wishing you, our style loving, francophile friend, all the very best for the holiday season. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing we hope your days are chock full of fun, laughter and dreams come true. And may your year ahead be filled with life’s true gifts – love, health and happiness. Thank you […]
Scott and I have not long returned from our very first visit to the United States, where we spent two weeks in New York. We had an absolutely wonderful time. We did all the things you are supposed to do when exploring a new city. You know, things like walking for miles, eating more than […]
Despite the fact that it shows up at the same time every year, the holiday season seems to have snuck up on me this time round. Perhaps it’s due to the fact that we’ve been travelling but I was quite shocked yesterday when someone wished me a Merry Christmas. I got a second jolt when […]