17 Little Ways To Make Your Life More Like ‘Emily In Paris’

1. Download Duolingo. Instantly become a Francophile by starting up a Duolingo account and beginning (or brushing up on) your skills Francais. This is a fun and free app that helps you learn a new language with only a few minutes a day. If you want to learn more, just spend more time with it. Maybe you can race the coronavirus to be fluent by the time it’s safe to travel again.

2. Start putting together outfits again. Like everyone else, I’ve been living in my tie dyed sweat outfits since March. I barely remember what it was like to wake up and put together an outfit for a casual day working in a coffee shop or taking a stroll on a picturesque street. Even if you’re only going to wear the outfit around your house or post an OOTD, putting together something special and pretty will make you feel good.

3. Set a new professional goal. I love watching films and TV shows about people pursuing their professional dreams. It’s one of the reasons I loved Emily in Paris. Capture this energy in your own life by setting a new professional goal.

4. Try a guided journal. If you don’t have a professional goal in mind or just feel stuck in general, try a guided journal. Working through preset exercises will allow you to see what’s going on in your career life from different perspectives. At least one vantage point should open up a new pathway or idea about how you’d like to better orient your work life. (If you’re looking for a rec, I’ve done this one and this one and loved both).

5. Date someone outside your comfort zone. If you’re single during quarantine, use this time to talk to some people you normally wouldn’t connect with. Gabriel, Antoine, and Mathieu are all so different from Emily’s boring beau-from-home Doug. The more you get to know people from different walks of life the more confident you will feel in every social situation. Venture off the beaten path but stay safe and tell your friends!!!

6. Steal Emily’s iconic phone case. There’s a dupe of Emily’s “camera” phone case on Amazon for less than $10!

7. Create a hobby that encourages adventure. In the series, Emily creates her @EmilyInParis social media account to track her year in Paris. Having the account helps her fall in love with Paris because she has a vehicle for exploration and having a conscious moment with an experience. Find a pet project that gets you out of your house and keep up with it at least once a week. Join a hiking club, explore local trails or make it a point to visit all the independently owned bookstores in your area. Anything works!

8. Take more pictures. Use your phone to snap pics throughout the day of pretty things that appeal to you. Don’t become one of those people that forces their friends to take 50 photos of them smiling at the floor! Live your life and use the photos to capture memories, not as a proxy for making them.

9. Tell people how you feel about them when you feel it. Don’t wait until your crush is moving to bumfuck Normandy!!!! Gather your rosebuds, etc.

10. Channel Emily’s confidence. One of the reasons I think Emily in Paris is so popular is that it is SO, SO refreshing to see a confident female protagonist. When people are rude to Emily, she doesn’t take it personally. Instead of assuming something is wrong with her because people are treating her badly, she understands she is in a difficult work situation and brainstorms how to work through it. Practice understanding that sometimes other people are just crabby or busy or rude people who are unhappy with their own lives. You are not responsible for the way people treat you.

11. Wear some pretty lingerie. Emily’s was La Perla (read: $$$$$) but Rihanna’s Savage Fenty line is more affordable and cute (and size inclusive) anyway! Don’t save it for just special occasions, wear it underneath your work-from-home clothes and I promise you will discover a little spring in your step.

12. Cruise AirBnb listings. Check out short term rentals on AirBnb and plan a solo vacation for when Covid ends. Just because you can’t currently travel doesn’t mean you can’t spend time fantasizing/planning something for the future. What city do you want to be a main character in? Find a downtown apartment there that is worthy of your Emily in Paris moment.

13. Turn down a date when you’re not into it. Another moment of Emily’s confidence I was totally obsessed with is when she turns down the guy who tells her he loves “American pussy”. (GROSS). I’ve totally been in that situation where you’ve had a great date night with someone and then they just ruin it with their real personality. I tend to feel guilty about cutting ties and tell myself I need to “give him a chance” or “not judge someone” based on “one little thing”. I love that Emily walked away from this man she was no longer interested in. I am definitely stealing this vibe.

14. Dine al fresco. It might be your last few weeks of the year to dine outside. Enjoy the fresh air while you can!

15. Or have a picnic. If you’re not up for a social distanced patio meal, plan a bougie picnic for yourself. Go to the grocery store and pick up some bougie meats and cheeses. It is actually impossible to not have a great time when charcuterie is involved.

16. Don’t forget the baguette. Remember to walk around your city after purchasing your baguette so everyone knows you’re the main character.

17. Eat with your eyes. Plating meals to be aesthetically pleasing isn’t just on trend, it’s good for your mental health. Eating with your eyes has always been a part of human nature and how we eat. When you spend time making your meal look pretty, you are taking extra time to appreciate what you have and honor meal time.