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‘Emily in Paris’, a Cute Show Until I Started Thinking About Aging Bodies
I was watching Season 4 of Emily in Paris when Sylvie’s arms killed the easy illusion for a while
As a middle-aged woman past 45, it’s hard for me to write about the looks of Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, the woman who plays Sylvie Grateau in Emily in Paris. I admire her, and I admire creator Darren Star and the casting director for choosing her for the role of Emily’s boss, but I’m also conflicted about her costumes on the show.
In the first season, my focus was on her charm. She has that in spades, with her languorous voice and beautiful smiling eyes. And, this being Emily in Paris, she dresses with style. In fact, I prefer her style, her little black dresses, and the way she goes for fewer combinations of colors and patterns than Emily does.
The series seems to push as much fashion as possible on Emily, who in the latest season, for instance, wears different heavy winter coats when visiting Camille’s parents, even though she’s supposed to have arrived there with a suitcase only.
Back to Sylvie. She’s elegant, knows how to gussy up a solid-color dress with a feathery cape, or look at ease in an old T-shirt of her husband’s when they cuddle up on the sofa, and boy, does she know how…
