My recent piece for the Huffington Post, No More Booty Songs, Please, has made waves. So many of you have voiced your support of my message, that these days, it's "much more noticeable to be a class act than a trash act".

Of course there is an opposing side to every argument, but I do know that thousands, if not millions of men and women are fed up with the increasingly lowered bar in our artistic culture. Popular music in particular has taken a backlash recently. Sure there are millions of people who have viewed Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez's new videos, but the underground movement of people who are fed-up with their shock-tactic vulgarity are making their voice heard.

Here's the thing: I'm not opposed to hip-hop music or dance. In fact, I think that hip-hop is a form of modern poetry. And hip-hop dancing is a technically challenging art that actually requires talent. What doesn't require talent is simply shaking your behind in front of a camera for 5 minutes while wearing practically nothing.

In my Huffington Post article I ask the question: what on earth has happened to pop music? Please watch this week's video to see a further discussion on this subject.

Moms' Night Out
All is not lost, however. There are so many wonderful artists out there- artists with integrity who produce quality work. Earlier this month on the plane ride from LA to New York, I watched a film called, Moms' Night Out, that had me shaking in my seat with laughter from nearly start to finish (which is quite embarrassing when you're on a plane).

So how on earth does a hilarious film like Moms' Night Out get such dire reviews, yet a film like Neighbors (remember the film I walked out on?) garner stellar reviews (It was called the comedy of the year!)? Hear my theory in this week's video.

If you are unable to watch the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel (and subscribe!) at www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur


Upcoming Events
Southern California readers: come meet me at one of my upcoming book signings:
October 8, 2014 Pages A Bookstore, Manhattan Beach, CA presentation, Q&A + book signing 7pm
October 28, 2014 DIESEL bookstore, Brentwood, CA Presentation, Q&A + book signing 7pm
November 2, 2014 Laguna Beach Books Presentation, Q&A + signing 4pm
(more venues and dates to be announced)

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Listen to classical music while you make breakfast this week. It will start off your day in a deliciously elegant way. You'll find yourself wanting to listen to it more and more.

Comment of the Week
Mimimanderly writes:
A lot of people resist the idea that you can have ten items in your wardrobe. I am currently reading Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series (Yes, I AM a grown-up. Actually, it is not "written down" as books for young people today usually are, and it is quite informative about how people really lived in pioneer days. If you are interested in such a subject, I totally recommend them.) People in those days may have had a total of three dresses: one for working at home, one for day wear, and one for special. When one of them wore out, it was replaced. No, not by going to a store, but by sewing it yourself. Puts things in perspective, no? This series has given me an appreciation of all the modern conveniences that we have come to take for granted. It also has stirred in me a profound admiration for the spirit that once infused people like the pioneers -- a complete self-sufficiency that we have left by the wayside.

Artistic Recommendations
Coldplay's latest album, Ghost Stories, is incredible. I can't stop listening to it. Haunting, electrifying and meaningful... if you're a Coldplay fan like me, you must check out this beautiful album (I love every song!).


This week I would love to know...

What are your thoughts on the state of popular culture? Do you have any predictions of where it's all going? What say do we have in raising the standards in our society? Have you seen Moms' Night Out? Do you have any quality music to recommend?

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter

Those of you who follow me on facebook are occasionally privy to my vents and frustrations. This past week I saw a new music video that disturbed me greatly. It is by one of the most famous young pop stars in the world right now. Her video disturbed me because it is pure vulgarity from start to finish with the sole intent of providing a high shock value. Yesterday I read that this video broke records in the amount of YouTube views. Children are watching this kind of thing, thinking that it's normal. Pop culture like this, which seems to get more and more extreme, is the very reason why this week's video of mine on cultivating poise is more relevant than ever. If we turn the other cheek and are not careful, we can completely lose any traces of dignity and self-respect our society has ever had. Let's practice cultivating poise on a daily basis and lead by example to be the powerful role models we were meant to be.

Poise is defined in the dictionary as a "graceful and elegant bearing in a person". Don't you love that definition?

Poise is free. It is something anyone can have, yet so many people today lack it. This video is meant to be a motivational message to continue to cultivate poise on a daily basis, no matter what opposing forces you face. I also share the story of a recent confrontation I had with a young woman and my hope for her future. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel (and subscribe!) at www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

I'd like to make the cultivating of poise an on-going discussion on The Daily Connoisseur. I love to hear from you! What is your experience with poise? Do you know people in your family or community who could benefit from cultivating poise? What does poise mean to you?

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
I love independent foreign films because they offer a glimpse into a different way of life and expand our horizons. This weekend I watched an excellent film that I highly recommend to all of my readers. It's an Indian film called The Lunchbox and features a marvelous directorial debut by Ritesh Batra. What a beautiful, moving and quietly thought-provoking film. It's available to rent now. You can learn more about it here.

See you soon!

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter

Thank you so much for your incredible response to my announcement last week about the new book, At Home With Madame Chic. So many of you preordered the book and sent over encouraging words. Thank you! And I agree with you... November could not come fast enough as I can't wait for you to read it.

This week is a very casual chat discussing quality television (including a guilty pleasure admission of mine) and a story about walking out of a movie. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Madame Chic in the Palisades

The week before last I had the honor of being the guest speaker for Lauren Evans and Susie Gilman's Happiness Series. We gathered in the Pacific Palisades with 40 Madame Chic enthusiasts and had a lively Q&A discussion about how we can live the principles discussed in Lessons from Madame Chic and incorporate them into our lives outside of Paris.


Pictured with Lauren Evans (left) and Susie Gilman (right)


Everyone looked so fabulous! I especially loved the ladies in the Breton striped shirts!


I wore a springy DVF cocktail dress and a turquoise necklace from Bauble Bar. Ten-Item Wardrobe-wise, cocktail dresses are considered extras because you only wear them on special occasions. Remember the ten core items of your wardrobe are clothes that you wear every day. It's important to have clothes for dressier occasions (church, parties, weddings, baby and bridal showers, etc.) It's a good idea to have a capsule collection of dressy occasion appropriate clothing that you can pull from when you have a special event. I can devote a whole blog post and video to this topic if you'd like. Let me know!


Thank you again to Ms. Evans and Ms. Gilman for hosting such a lovely event.


Madame Chic Inspiring Thought



Always use the best things you have. I love this scene from a recent episode of Mr. Selfridge (which is one of the quality shows discussed in this week's video) in which the family use a beautiful set of dishes for their weekday breakfast. Using nice dishes on a daily basis feels decadent and can add a touch of elegance and ritual to your average morning routine.

This week I would love to know... what are your thoughts on the programs discussed in this week's video? Do you have any quality TV or movies to recommend? What about guilty pleasures? Have you ever walked out of a movie?

See you soon!


Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter

Dear Fellow Connoisseurs,

I have been wanting to do this video for such a long time discussing the disturbing trend of violent, vulgar and crude behavior on reality TV. The straw that broke the camel's back was watching only 5 minutes of the recent Real Housewives of Atlanta Reunion Show where I got an eye-full of violence, crass language, crude gestures and copious amounts of vulgarity. And it's not just this show, it's so many Reality TV shows on the air right now.

Whether we like it or not these "stars" are inadvertent role models for our young generation of girls. Do we really want our young ladies to see this kind of behavior on television that is being billed as "reality" and think that it is acceptable? As I wrote in my Huffington Post article from last year, is vulgar really the new normal?

Well if these women on reality TV can express themselves, so can we. We need to send a message to the networks that we are tired of watching manufactured cat fights, unnecessary violence and mouthful after mouthful of vulgar language. Our young girls need positive role models: women who embody kindness, intelligence, grace and class. We need to tell our young girls that they do not need to be a negative drama queen to get ahead and get noticed, that they don't need to be jealous of other women but rather should be supporting each other, that they do not need to exploit themselves in order to attract a man. This may be the reality on television, but it is not our reality.

If you feel as passionate about this messages as I do, please share my blog post or video using the hashtag #VulgarityNoMore

And thank you for continuing to be a part of this special community of daily connoisseurs, where we can create our own reality while pursuing beauty, intelligence, expansion and elegance together.

Yours Truly,

Jennifer x

PS- if you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or check out my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

See you soon!

Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter