Living the Quaintrelle Way
A woman who emphasizes a life of passion, expressed through personal style, leisurely pastimes, charm, and cultivation of life’s pleasures.
Imagine you see a woman sitting a few rows across from you in an airport terminal. Her carry-on luggage is next to her and, with perfect posture leaning against one of the armrests, she’s reading a book.
You first noticed her when she was in front of you going through security. While other people clumsily carried all their belongings and hurriedly put their shoes on trying to get out of the way, she breezed through as if she was Queen TSA. She wasn’t dressed in sweats like most people, but she wasn’t so dressed up she looked pretentious either. She simply looked put together.
You look a little closer at the book she’s reading, which, by the way, she carries herself, you’d imagine would be a Jane Austen novel or the biography of Duchess Kate or Michelle Obama. But no, it’s simply a cheesy beach read.
This is how I imagine a woman who embodies the qualities of Quaintrelle.
When I first discovered this word, I was 15 and was bing-scrolling my Pinterest home page feed.
As any other 15-year-old, I was trying to find my place in the world. I found it hard to relate to my classmates who found enjoyment in throwing parties while their parents were out of town and whispering about who was taking who to homecoming, not because of what they were doing, but because of how short-sighted they were.
But this word. Quaintrelle. A qaintrelle seemed, to me, like a woman who lived fully.
Rather than sneaking out to attend a party, I imagined a quaintrelle was a woman who’d be sneaking out to catch a last-minute flight to Madrid.
Now, over a decade later, I imagine more sophistication associated with a quintrelle.
Ultimately, she is a worldly, educated, quick-witted, graceful, and elegant woman because she indulges in leisurely pastimes and her personal pleasures.
Where does the word ‘Quaintrelle’ come from?
Quaintrelle was originally used to describe women as ‘dandy’ was used to describe men. A dandy was a “man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies…”
“Its etymology comes from the term quaint. From the Anglo-Norman cointe (“wise, clever, knowing”), and the Latin cognitus, past participle of cognōscō (“I know”).”
How do we embody the definition of Quaintrelle?
Quaintrelle: A woman who emphasizes a life of passion, expressed through personal style, leisurely pastimes, charm, and cultivation of life’s pleasures.
Personal Style
She cultivates her personal style by choosing clothing that flatters her and suits her needs, whether it’s work, running errands, working out, or traveling.
She might find inspiration from women of the past such as Babe Paley whose style was refined and elegant or perhaps someone more modern such as Arielle Charnas whose style is sophisticated and comfortable.
Regardless of where she finds her inspiration, a quaintrelle never copies another woman’s fashion.
It doesn’t have to be expensive, obviously fashionable, or even large. It just has to be distinctly hers.
Leisurely Pastimes
“Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good plays, good company, good conversation — what are they? They are the happiest people in the world.”
When I think about being a Quiantrelle, 6 hours of screentime, binge-scrolling social media, or spending a whole day in front of the TV don’t seem to resonate, but neither does consuming Shakespeare, The Communist Manifest or dense texts about the origin of currency.
Personally, I’ve been enjoying my leisurely pastime playing brain-training games with Lumosity, learning French by watching YouTube videos or with my tutor on Preply, and cruising around with no destination in mind on my Vespa.
My boyfriend and I also enjoy going to see plays and orchestras at the local theatre. (I highly encourage you to look into what your local theatre or hall has scheduled as even the smallest of towns host the most fabulous performances.)
A quaintrelle keeps her mind sharp and limber so she can participate in cultured conversations while also sneaking witty quips in between sentences about the newest marketing technique.
Charm
Ponder this: How can a woman who indulges in personal pleasures so that she’s immensely satisfied with her life and finds satisfaction in maintaining a sharp mind not be charming?
Personally, I have found the most charming people have spent enough time with themselves that they know what they want and don’t want.
Therefore, their time isn’t spent doing things they don’t want to do and, as an effect, live lives of pleasure, which in turn will inevitably cause them to ooze charm.
Do you think a miserable woman who doesn’t stand up for herself and never does things that light her up will be charming?
I highly doubt it.
You’d more likely find her lying in bed at 2 a.m. unable to sleep while thoughts of running away to Bora Bora consume her.
Charm is not something to be practiced, as someone who tries to be charming is only seen as a brown-noser.
A quaintrelle woman is charming as a by-product of living a satisfying life and being interested in the person(s) in front of them.
Cultivation of Life’s Pleasures
A quaintrelle woman is someone who embodies her authentic self.
She pays attention to what pulls at her heart, despite what the people around her say or what is deemed “acceptable”.
To cultivate is “the process of trying to acquire or develop a quality or skill”.
It does not mean a quaintrelle is an expert in what she finds interesting, rather she at the very least indulges in these things. She acquires life’s pleasures.
She consumes the best chocolate because that’s what she loves. She books a last-minute hiking tour through Machu Picchu. She decorates her home with pieces that breathe memories of past lovers, backpacking trips, family, and her favorite hometown haunts. She begins learning French just because she’s always wanted to.
For a quaintrelle, cultivating life’s pleasures is a non-negotiable because what is she without the experiences and people who have helped shape her?
Final Thoughts
As I’ve pursued becoming my own quaintrelle for the last 11 years, I have experienced the greatest pleasure and ability to enjoy life when I pursue developing my own personal style, indulge in leisurely pastimes, experience the effect of charm by feeling content, and cultivate the pleasures of life.
I do hope that you read this and feel inspired to pursue your own path to Quaintrelle-ism. (Yes, I did just make that up.)
xx Lauren
