Today marks Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel’s birthday. And as I was looking at my editorial calendar, I found a theme popping up with many of the upcoming posts: France and the lifestyles inspired by the French culture. So I thought, Why Not . . . focus entirely on everything French for an entire week?. And you no doubt know what my answer was to any Why Not . . . ? question I pose on TSLL blog. Oui, mais bien sur!

So allowing Coco’s birthday to be the marker of what is to come beginning Monday August 22nd, be sure to tune in on Monday to The Simple Sophisticate podcast which will include a delightful conversation with another fellow Francophile and author, and continue stopping by the blog all next week where each day something French will be the muse for each post.

I do hope you enjoy it as much as I have been enjoying pulling it all together. Perhaps, as one reader commented below, a viewing of Coco Before Chanel staring Audrey Tautou is in order to prep for the big week?

~In the meantime, stop by TSLL French-Inspired Living page to discover all of the recommendations (books, movies, etc.) as well as destinations and French-themed posts to tide you over until Monday.

~Readers top TSLL French-inspired posts from the Archives:

~The 8 Gifts of Mastering the French Mystique

~10 Ways to Unearth Your Inner Francophile

~12 Ways to Celebrate La Reentrée

To wrap up today’s post, a few more words of inspiration from the woman who was self-made and changed not only the fashion industry but how women felt in their everyday lives.