Quite Continental Charm School « Quite Continental

Quite Continental Charm School

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
Coco Chanel

Welcome to the Quite Continental Charm School. Every year in the month of February, guided by the wise words of Coco Chanel, I bring you a daily tip to generate more class and fabulousness in your everyday life, spanning the topics of fashion, travel, beauty, etiquette, relationships, and whatnot. Most important is the “whatnot,” bien sûr...

Formerly called my “28 Days of Classy & Fabulous Things,” the new name reflects two epiphanies. First, it is a leap year this year and there are 29 days in February. I hear this kind of thing happens every 4 years or so. Second, when I discovered pictures of young ladies at charm schools in the 1940s and 1950s, I found myself wishing we still had them today, but that they would offer the modern girl of today a bit more substance than how to balance a book on your head. Perhaps I am wrong, but to me the charm schools of yesteryear seem especially focused on outward presentation, with an emphasis on catching a mate. Of course, looking great and having a satisfying relationship remain important to a lot of people — but that is not the end-all, be-all for most of us these days. So let’s take the idea and make it better, shall we?

Enter, the Quite Continental Charm School: a modern guide to creating a charmed life, where you will learn classy and fabulous things to do, to see, to think about, to taste, to buy, to read, to listen to, and to experience. And as I definitely don’t claim to have a monopoly on such knowledge, you’ll have lovely guest instructors, chosen for their class and fabulousity.

While it is my earnest hope that we’ll be a coeducational establishment, some boys might like to supplement their studies with a look at Valet’s Handbook, an excellent collection of tips and tricks that was one of the original inspiration sources for this feature.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions?
Reach me via email at contact@quitecontinental.net

**EXTRA CREDIT**

Even though it may not be February at the moment, I continuously discover “charming” stories and photos. I share them throughout the year as Charm School Extra Credit, which you can find here.

FEBRUARY 2012

Day 1: An Attitude of Gratitude

Day 2: Class Up Your Bedroom

Day 3: Get a Library Card
by Stephanie Madewell of even*cleveland

Day 4: A Firm Handshake

Day 5: Winterize Your Skin

Day 6: Be Fashionably Punctual
by Lizzie Garrett Mettler of Tomboy Style

Day 7: The Hostess Gift

Day 8: Your Family Jewels
by Christine Mitchell of N’East Style

Day 9: A Life Lived With Purpose

Day 10: A Proper Foundation
by Sarah of Style On The Couch

Day 11: Travel Elegantly

Day 12: A Proper Lie-in

Day 13: Know Thyself
by Kate Arends of wit + delight

Day 14: Write Love Letters

Day 15: Keep a Travel Journal
by Jen Swetzoff of Parenture

Day 16: Select a Signature Scent
by Anne of Ritournelle

Day 17: Take Your Seasonal Accessories Seriously

Day 18: Date with Great Charm

Day 19: Find Balance
by Jodi Fournier

Day 20: A Proper Lunch

Day 21: Drink More Gin
by Marisa Zupan of The Significant Other

Day 22: Eat Chocolate
by Sarah of Edelweiss by Sarah

Day 23: Go Out and Play

Day 24: Stretch

Day 25: Travel Light

Day 26: How to Score Vintage
by Jahn Hall of BKLYN Dry Goods

Day 27: No Contest

Day 28: Be Enterprising
by Jessica Goldfond of The Shiny Squirrel

Day 29: The Icing

FEBRUARY 2011

Day 1: Get Your Passport

Day 2: Own a True LBD

Day 3: Social Stationery

Day 4: The Red Lip

Day 5: Keep A Diary

Day 6: Champagne!

Day 7: Give Back

Day 8: Tie a Tie

Day 9: Move It

Day 10: Fresh Flowers

Day 11: Calling Cards

Day 12: Perfect Your Signature

Day 13: Pearls

Day 14: Be Your Own Valentine

Day 15: Wear Pajamas

Day 16: The Trench

Day 17: Thank You Notes

Day 18: Disconnect

Day 19: Try a Bit of High Art

Day 20: Une Bicyclette

Day 21: Fix Your Face

Day 22: Have a Signature Dish

Day 23: Fly Solo

Day 24: Get a Tailor

Day 25: Watch Classic Films

Day 26: Smell Pretty

Day 27: How to Stock a Proper Bar

Day 28: C’est Fini

Moppets Charm School, taken by Arthur Rickerby for LIFE Magazine.
Images via the LIFE Archive.

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§ 9 Responses to Quite Continental Charm School

{ wit + delight }: design / fashion / projects / oddities says:

14/02/2012 at 11:00 am

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merriment 2.24.2012 | A Subtle Revelry says:

24/02/2012 at 11:20 am

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Miss Moss : Quite Continental Charm School says:

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bodyhorrors says:

28/02/2012 at 10:39 pm

This. Is. Lovely.

Thank you!

Reply
Charm School | The Real Post Grads of SC says:

29/02/2012 at 7:17 am

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01/03/2012 at 8:13 pm

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Rebecca says:

08/03/2012 at 5:56 am

This is such a wonderful idea. I couldn’t agree more!

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Marina says:

09/03/2012 at 6:17 am

I really enjoyed all the topics. Cheers from Brazil!

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Happy Weekend! | Wedding Blog says:

20/03/2012 at 8:35 pm

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