Happy Birthday Coco!

Last Friday would have been Coco Channel’s 133rd birthday!  Hard to believe, but true.  What an amazing legend she is and what a legacy she left us!

Obviously, Coco had very pronounced views on fashion.  Adele Fanning shares these 5 “Coco tips” with us:

1. On the Triumphs of Lipstick:
Always an advocate for a classic tube of crimson, Chanel’s rouge mouth was a talisman that functioned like beauty armor—one she used to look good and feel even better: “If you’re sad, if you are disappointed in love, put on your makeup, give yourself some beauty care, put on lipstick, and attack.”

2. On the Importance of a Signature Scent:
“A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future,” proclaimed the designer, who believed in the importance of a lasting impression and finding a soul-defining signature scent. Proof that she was onto something: Her own revolutionary Chanel No. 5 fragrance—launched in 1921, emblazoned with her rumored favorite number, and radically different in its mysterious aldehydic structure—was a dramatic departure from the overt florals of the day. Today, a bottle of it reportedly sells every 30 seconds and it’s recognized as one of the most iconic fragrances of all time.

3. On Embracing Individuality:
Whether liberating women from restrictive clothing with sportswear or pioneering the idea that what makes a woman look comfortable is feeling comfortable, Chanel’s life was a study in bucking the social norms. Or, as she put it, “in order to be irreplaceable, you must be different.”

4. On Picking the Right Shade:
Once the color of mourning, Chanel brought black into fashion in 1926, but her love for a bold palette is also well documented. Whether choosing a crisp day dress or the perfect hue of blush, the shade of the moment came down to one simple precept: “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you.”

5. On Aging Gracefully:
“At 20, your face has been given to you by nature; at 30, your face has been fashioned for life; but at 50, it is up to you to deserve it,” said Chanel. Offering what might translate into a refreshing counterpoint to today’s obsession with cosmetic contouring and artificial fillers, here’s to embracing a full life of experience—and the beauty of the fine lines that come with it.

Love these tips!