When Molly came to my mother’s tea party, she left her iPhone on my end table. Knowing that she needed it to remind herself when to take her medication in the evening, I ran out to her Saab convertible where she was pulling out a silver case.
“Need to put my lipstick on while driving through downtown!” she happily explained.
“Molly!” I said upon seeing a black lacquer rectangle inside, “what colour is that?!”
I grabbed it from her as quickly as I could because I am not to be daunted in my discovery of the Perfect Red Lipstick. Which I’ve apparently found this time for sure.
The case said “Paris”. It’s from the Rouge Coco collection, and it’s number 22. It’s also the colour that Sandra Bullock wore when accepting her Oscar last year, but I didn’t know that until I’d conducted further research on the colour.
So, Paris in July will be celebrated not only with Mavis Gallant’s Paris Stories, it will be celebrated in style with Chanel’s lipstick in the same name. Vivre Paris!
Dolce Bellezza 
It's been much too long since I wore red (really, red) lipstick. Tres chic! (And another author I need to read more of…) A bientot!
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What a perfect combination! Not only will you get to enjoy reading about Paris, you will look good while doing it!
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I am still trying to find the perfect red for my pink skin! This shade looks lovely.By the way, I can't wait to see what you think of Astrid and Veronika — it is one of my Top 10 Books ever, and that is saying something!
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Glad to know that you discovered your perfect red, Bellezza 🙂 That Mavis Gallant book looks wonderful! I have a short story collection of hers, which I want to read sometime. Sorry to know that you didn't like the Guy de Maupassant book that you read. Happy Reading on Paris!
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Audrey, I'm somewhat divided as wearing red doesn't always work on me anymore. If I'm very tired, rather than perking my face up I see the shadows. However, I prefer it to nude or sparkly lips any day of the week! I've never read anything by Mavis Gallant before, but she does come highly recommended from all the book sources…we'll see.Stefanie, one can only hope! How fun that we posted about the same shelves yesterday.Col, if you want I can give you some suggestions; I think I've trired every red known to man, from $42.00 tubes to those at Walgreen's for .99. Really, this needs to stop. 🙂 Glad you love Astrid and Veronika; it's for one of my book clubs, so when I have it read we can talk.Vishy, I'm surprised I didn't like Guy de Maupassant. Maybe it's one of those good books at the wrong time kind of things. Anyway, he's not for me right now! Hopefully we'll enjoy Mavis Gallant's work much more!
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Oooh! Another book for The List. I have Ms. Gallant's collection In Transit but it does not focus exlusively on Paris. Will look for this. Alas, books are my lipstick…Enjoy, Bellezza!
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"books are my lipstick"…I love that, ds! Sounds like the name of a great blog, to me. I don't know In Transit, but then again, I haven't read Paris Stories either, so it seems there are many good things in store for us by this author.Thank you for visiting me. xoxo
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The book sounds really good. I hope you enjoy it!
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I can never find a red lipstick that suits me, so well done for finding one!
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this doesn't particularly appeal but A prayer Owen Meany is my Favourite & am loving what I've read by Kawabata.
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LOL You and your red lipstick! Looks like a pretty color and what perfect timing!
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I've got this one (which I won on Iris' giveaway last year) and am contemplating reading some of it too! Hope you enjoy it! And finding the right shade of red lipstick is SO difficult.
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Believe it or not, but I don't possess any lipstick! I'm a lipgloss person… I don't know… just not a fan! This does sound really nice though, although I don't think I could pull off red. Sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy Guy de Maupassant's short stories. I enjoyed The Necklace when I read it ages ago, but it's been awhile… Enjoy Paris-reading. I've got another Colette coming up soon.
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This is a perfect post for the event! So well done. You have me tempted to post about my love affair with Chanel Gardenia. Not a fragrance for everyone but made for me.
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Great post. I love the lipstick and book pairing!
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The perfect pair! That shade of red is sure to naturally whiten the teeth. Fun Paris post!
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I'm not really a lipstick person, but I wouldn't mind having one of Coco Chanel's reds! 🙂 Somehow it seems very elegant. I've not read anything by Mavis Gallant but Paris Stories sounds very tempting!
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The French do such marvellous lipsticks. I love Dior lipsticks, but have never tried a Chanel. Maybe next time I'm trotting through a duty free? Sadly I don't think bold reds suit me, but I always admire women who can wear them and do it with style. I've not heard of Mavis Gallant before today, but she is turning up a bit in the Paris posts, and I'm intrigued.
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Great! A Canadian in Paris… for a change. 😉 I used to have Mavis Gallant's Paris Notebooks on my shelf but for some crazy reasons, I donated it to the used book sale unread. I wish I still have it now! Anyway, A Moveable Feast has arrived, so I just might read that for Paris in July… umm… I'll finish it first before reading your review. Curious to how we differ, or not, on this one. 😉
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Arti, I loved A Moveable Feast so much, and I think you will as well (especially in the light of Midnight in Paris). It's fun how you saw the movie first, while I saw it after; I read the book first and now you probably will. I like sharing things like this with you.
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Serendipity? Tore the lipstick page of #22 out of VOGUE last month AND started reading the very same book last week!Interesting, that Ms Gallant. She takes her time to tell a story. At first I wondered why, then realized I needed to slow down; she did not write in the McBites era of reading and writing.And oh, what a relief and delight. If you have any writing aspirations of your own, she further fire up your inspirations.Chapeaux!
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Oh! How fun is that?! We'll be wearing the same red (perhaps? will you buy one?) and reading the same book. This is my year for short stories. Having never enjoyed the genre much in years past, this time I'm finding great pleasure in them. Loved Fitzgerald's, with a 'beginning, middle, end', and Mavis' which seem to follow more of a Japanese style in that they're 'slice of life'.
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It is a big deal to get the perfect red lipstick isn't it? I went through a red phase a while back but now I'm more about the pinks.Enjoy your book while looking very chic! 🙂
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Lucious! Do you think blondes look good in red lipstick? I don't know what color hair you have, so this isn't intended to be personal! I think brunettes look better in red lipstick.
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Debbie, I have curly, dark (Italian) hair and fair skin. But, my dear friend is a blond who looks gorgeous in red lipstick. She rather resembles Marilyn Monroe, as a matter of fact. I think it's a combination of finding the right color and the right amount of confidence. Some days, red doesn't work for me at all. 🙂
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Have you seen Audrey Tautou in the French film "Coco Before Chanel? Wonderful film. I just watched it last weekend – Audrey Tautou is stunning, as usual.
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Coffee and a book chick, it is a great film! I love anything I can watch about Chanel, am even reading the history of Chanel No. 5 intermittently now. Great connection to Paris in July II!
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What a perfect find! I am also looking for the perfect red lipstick (although like you I'm not sure that it is always the best colour for me) but I think this lipstick might have to be my purchase for Paris in July!
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Karen, I think you owe it to yourself as being one of our faithful hostesses for this most wonderful challenge! Be aware that Paris (the colour in this tube) is very pink/red although it looks more orangey in the photograph. One has to try a lot of lipstick to find the right red. If you're looking for something fabulous, and inexepensive, try Maybelline's Red Revival. It's their best selling red for a reason! 🙂
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