How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are

Because every flight needs a little transatlantic glamour.

Whether you're headed to Paris, France or Paris, Texas, you'll still end up using the breezy, surprisingly commonsense advice in this joie-de-vivre primer. Addressing such topics as dinner parties, dating, parenting and fashion, the authors suggest ways to add French elegance, panache and ease to your everyday—including the holidays. Some of their ideas simply allow you to do what you've always wanted to do, guilt-free: Why slave over dessert when bakeries exist? Why not let your kid nap at the party instead of running home? Others open your mind to new (hilarious!) habits. By the time you hit the tarmac, you may just be resolved to: Go all gray or cover it up entirely ("Salt and pepper is for the table."); wear a black bra under a white shirt ("like two notes on a sheet of music."); and, embrace your flaws, since aiming for perfection reflects "a lack of self-confidence." Our one caveat? However much the book compels you, resist the temptation to use the feloniously expensive airplane wi-fi in order to buy tickets to an outré theater production.

— Stephanie Klose