I’ve binge-watched Emily in Paris thrice this month — and not just for the plot. The show has left behind a cornucopia of trail-blazing above-the-neck aesthetics that have gone beyond displaying surface-level superficialities to fans. They have actively moulded themselves to each character’s personality in a way that’s only unique to them. Because I cannot imagine Emily peppering rhinestones all over the lids like Mindy — and I cannot picture Mindy pulling off Sylvie’s je ne sais quoi, soft-glam approach. That’s what I find most fascinating about the show — how overt, plain-sight aesthetics are synced to someone’s quirks and personality. Here’s what I picked up from my three-time binge-watch.
Your Favourite Characters’ Beauty Aesthetics Decoded
Emily
Emily in Paris catapults over-zealous Emily into Paris, France for work. While Sylvie & Co. brand Emily la plouc, the 24-year-old is confident that Savoir is missing an American P.O.V — and she quickly deep-dives into work while acclimating to the city’s lifestyle. This adjustment doesn’t just involve Emily attempting to learn French — it manifests very, very overtly. The American is quickly inducted into a world of Parisian beauty.
Her loyalty to a neutral colour-palette wavers over time — eventually blossoming into a full-bodied, blood-red pout (even pink) by the third season. Bangs replace a free-flowing cascade of tousles. Side-swept ‘dos trump basic centre-parts. Headbands flourish, and how. These changes are bold and powerful — reflective of her growth at and outside of work. But Emily’s initiation into a world of experimentation is slow and realistic. You don’t see her go all Camille on herself. Her style is still informed by her roots, and she continues to exude a Chicago-meets-Paris charm.
Mindy
Mindy’s approach to beauty is proportional to her progress as a singer. Picture ex-pat Mindy working as a nanny. The conjured-up visual is not memorable or provocative — all you remember is that she had befriended Emily at this point. But imagine her performing with her band. Her on-stage alter-ego is just as powerful as her voice. Chen almost always evolves the eyes into two small-size canvases for experimentation — where rhinestones and coloured cat-eye flicks assert their dominance. Mindy’s penchant for drama trickles into her day-to-day life too. The mane is endowed with blowouts, sky-high ‘dos, and other embellishments on-stage and behind-the-scenes. This over-the-top extravaganza is inspired by the character’s drive and ambition, and the end-result is a cartage of head-swiveling aesthetics that reflect just that.
Sylvie & Camille
Sylvie and Camille epitomise French-girl beauty — but in distinctive ways. Their aesthetics are informed by a soft-glam, balmy-skin approach in general. While Sylvie’s maintains a loyalty to the look throughout the series, Camille goes from polished and poised to playful over time. Sylvie doesn’t style the hair too much; but the Champagne-hailing art-gallery owner tousles the mane into chic space-buns and dabbles in under-eye kohl on occasion. She experiments with slicked-back, side-swept ‘dos too. But a love for nudes and neutrals is one of the many commonalities between the two.
BRB. I’m off to binge-watching the show. Again.
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