Book Review: Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic

Book: Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic: Lessons in Everyday Elegance by Jennifer L. Scott

Source: Borrowed from Publisher/NetGalley for an honest review

Publication: Available now

Description:

The New York Times bestselling author of Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home with Madame Chic revives the timeless quality of poise and shows how to cultivate it as a daily practice and a life-long endeavor.

Just step out your door today and you will notice that poise is a rarity in our wired, fast-paced, and unmannerly world. As uncivil behaviors like flip-flops at Broadway shows and digital oversharing proliferate, this timely book reminds us of the quiet power of behaving with dignity, kindness, and grace. Jennifer Scott’s Parisian mentor, Madame Chic, embodied poise, and not just with the good posture, stylish attire, and natural manners that made her extraordinarily elegant. She also demonstrated steady assuredness and graceful calm in everything she did—from interacting with her family and receiving guests at home to presenting herself in public. Jennifer L. Scott passes on the lessons she learned as well as some of her own hard-won wisdom, addressing topics such as proper attire at social events, good grooming, communication skills, hospitality and being a good guest, our interactions with neighbors and strangers, role models, self-discipline, and self-image.

This charmingly illustrated, practical, and inspiring book, full of tips, lists, and ideas, is certain to start a new conversation about the timeless art of poise.


Rating: 1 star

Review:

As the author was discussing her concept of poise that she gleaned from Madame Chic it came across as being judgmental, snobbish, superior, condescending, pretentious, belittling and preachy.

When talking about the scarcity of poise in our society this is when the author really became judgmental and preachy. In referring to people who walk around sloppily dressed or people talking loud on their cell phones, she responded by saying it's not their fault. They might not have had good role models or were not introduced to the concept.

In reference to modern celebrities, she stated, can you imagine Audrey Hepburn's reaction to not only twerking but to the nakedness of some of today's female celebrities. My thing is who is to say what Audrey Hepburn's reaction would be. The author seems to think she would disapprove but for all we know she would have cracked a smile and made a ladylike joke or she could have been appalled by it, but we will never know. I don't think the author should have used the late Ms. Hepburn as an excuse to pass her own judgment.

Perhaps the problem is not the lack of poise on our informal society but that there are too many people passing judgment on others. Earlier in the book there was a comparison chart that showed Poised vs. Not So Poised. There were a lot of judgy things in that chart but one that sort of stuck out was in the Poised category "Seeks Out The Arts" while the Not So Poised counterpart "Is Content with Reality TV Marathons". I might not be a huge reality TV show fan (I have watched a few on occasion) but I don't look down at anyone who is.

Something that made me laugh (unintentionally) was the author recommending a ten-item core capsule wardrobe. Yeah, that is so not going to work for me. That's like only having a ten book home library. I wouldn't follow that advice because that's too restrictive for me. She did say that you can adjust it, the ten-item core isn't set in stone.

I feel like the author has taken too many inspirational cues from Madame Chic which isn't necessarily a bad thing but the thing is, it's Madame Chic's way of life and after three books maybe it's time for the author to find her own. There is nothing wrong with wanting to better oneself but you don't need to pass judgment on others or to emulate someone else to do that.

This isn't a bad book perse, it does have good information, advice and tips but it's the delivery that ruins it. I actually enjoyed reading the second book At Home with Madame Chic much more. It was written in a more fun and upbeat way and without the judgmental attitude this book seems to have. As with the previous book, a majority of the information I've seen before either from magazines, online or other lifestyle books. So there is nothing really new here for me but if you can get pass the author's tone in this it may make a good lifestyle reference book. However for me it wasn't a good read.