Lily Collins’ recent series Emily in Paris became a trending topic soon after its release, and with good reason. With everyone in lockdown, some good old-fashioned escapism is a welcome treat. Add cute outfits, gorgeous views of Paris, and good-looking French men to that list, and you’ve got a show that’s worthy of a binge-watch.
Emily in Paris – The Good and The Bad
While many viewers enjoyed Lily Collins’ new show, it has also received much criticism. In particular, the French were not happy with how Emily in Paris portrayed Paris and its people. Many called out the show for its idealized portrayal of the city and the outdated clichés often associated with the French. Mindy Chen, who is portrayed by actress Ashley Park, even openly vocalized that whilst the people are beautiful—they were also mean.
Darren Star, the show’s creator and also the brains behind Sex and the City, says he’s not sorry for any of it. In fact, he intended for the show to be a love letter to Paris. The clichés are there because we are seeing everything from the point of view of Lily Collins’ character, which, at that point, was very limited and influenced by American media. Not too different from, say, someone learning about the city through Lily Collins Instagram posts.
What is Emily in Paris About?
The basic premise of Emily in Paris follows a young woman who moves from Chicago to Paris after accepting an unexpected job offer. She does not speak a word of French, but is certainly enthusiastic about the new adventure. Once in the French Capital, Lily Collins’ wide-eyed Emily Cooper meets all sorts of colorful characters—though, they aren’t as welcoming as she had hoped.
An American in France
Phil Collins daughter brings out a different side to herself in this production. Most of us are used to seeing Lily Collins in more serious roles, so the change might surprise some. From the first episode, Emily Cooper is introduced as a go-getter. She’s a dedicated worker with seemingly endless optimism. This made her relatable for many women.
In a way, Emily reflects a lot of people’s ideal selves and we’re sure many were rooting for her after she got the job offer. Lily Collins’ character approached the challenge head-on and, perhaps, a bit too aggressively for the subtle Parisian palate.
While her workaholic attitude was praised back in America, once Emily got to Paris, it was an entirely different story. Remember the scene where she got to work two whole hours earlier than everyone? No, the French aren’t lazy, Emily in Paris simply hasn’t grasped the way things work just yet.
A Lesson in Subtlety
Is Emily in Paris a bit too much?
Emily Cooper holds a very romanticized version of Paris, which she gets to live for a period of time, before reality sets in. Her work environment isn’t exactly the friendliest either, though it is quite impressive to see her tenacity toward facing these challenges. Even Blair Waldorf would be proud, in our opinion.
As far as fashion goes, however, Lily Collins’ character certainly makes a lot of questionable choices. If you’re among those who tuned in for the clothes, then you might have been disappointed.
Some on Twitter openly expressed their disappointment towards the fashion direction Patricia Field took for the show. It wasn’t your usual Lily Collins photoshoot and Emily’s eccentric outfit choices made her stand out from the typically understated Parisian style. It goes against the “less is more” attitude that the French have towards fashion.
This may be so, but the sense of whimsy and fantasy that her outfits inspired only served to elevate that sense of escapism for viewers.
Emily in Paris – The Makeup Looks
French women are well-known for preferring a more natural make-up look and this is something we cannot fault Emily Cooper for. With thanks to Emily in Paris’ makeup artist Aurelie Payen, Lily Collins’ naturally beautiful features were accentuated. Of course, it helps that Collins already has gorgeous brows to start with!
Aurelie Payen has created makeup looks for Emily that even the average woman can easily recreate using Anastasia makeup and Anastasia brow products. If you’re curious about Collins’ skin secrets, though, she reveals some of it in this interview with Vogue. You even get a quick eyebrow tutorial from the actress herself!
How Old is Emily Cooper Exactly?
Some viewers on the Lily Collins Reddit expressed frustration, not just for Emily’s sense of fashion, but also toward her stubbornness to stick to her very-American ways. From acting like she knows better than a French chef and hardly making an effort to learn the language, it’s easy to find yourself quite annoyed by her in the later episodes.
If you’re wondering just how old is Emily during her stay in Paris, Lily Collins told Vogue that she thinks Emily Cooper is around 22 years old. Now, this confused many, given all the clues hinted at by the show:
- The fact that she has a master’s degree.
- Emily is from Chicago where the average individual would have graduated by age 22.
- She had been working for the Gilbert Group long enough to be a trustworthy replacement for Madeleine Wheeler.
Emily is more than likely around the age of 25 during the show’s events. How old is Lily Collins in comparison? She’s 31 years old as of 2020.
Of Berets, Little Black Dresses, and the Romance of Paris
Emily in Paris took viewers to some of the prettiest places in the City of Lights. From quaint cafes to beautiful gardens, here are some of our favorite places on the show coupled with some of Lily Collins best looks. We’re quite sad some of these outfits did not appear on the Lily Collins Instagram account. You’ll just have to watch the show for them!
La Boulangerie Moderne
One of the earliest spots we were introduced to on Emily in Paris is a lovely little bakery where she got “un pain au chocolat.” This bakery is a popular establishment that you, too, can visit in real life.
Jardin du Palais Royale
The park bench where she meets her future BFF Mindy Chen is located at Le Jardin du Palais Royale. Not only is this spot totally Instagrammable, it’s also close to other popular tourist spots such as the Louvre and Les Tuileries. The scenes shot here reminded us of Jean Seberg in A bout de soufflé, which does make us wonder what Lily Collins short hair would look like! Probably still very chic, right?
Place de L’Estrapade
Did Emily’s Parisian apartment leave you yearning? Even Lily Collins fell in love with it. While the interior shots were filmed in a studio, the exterior is that of Place de l’Estrapade. The architecture is gorgeous from every angle, but renting out an apartment here does not guarantee you a cute neighbor like Gabriel.
Pont Alexandre III
There are many beautiful bridges in Paris, but the Pont Alexandre IIII might be familiar to some viewers now given the number of shows and films that have featured it. The art-nouveau structure is hard to miss and is a must-see if you ever find yourself, like Emily, in Paris.
Café de Flore
Another fixture when it comes to anything Parisian is the Café de Flore. Paris has many cafés for you to choose from, but none hold the same cultural and historical value as this cafe. It has been featured in many shows and films, but is best known for being the hangout of Paris’ most famous painters and writers during the 1880s. Many Emily in Paris scenes were shot here and had been featured in Lily Collins’ Instagram more than once!
Le Palais Garnier
Next, we have Le Palais Garnier. Among the many landmarks featured in Emily in Paris, this is the most iconic. The 19th century opera house’s grand staircase is a sight to behold. Lily Collins Audrey Hepburn look pairs well with its magnificence. You can really see how much the two actresses resemble each other, from their similar eyebrows, to the innate elegance they exude. This particular look was a favorite for many!
Château de Sonnay
In one of the few scenes shot outside of Paris, we were shown Château de Lalisse or Château de Sonnay in real life. Located in Loire Valley, not only does it have some of the most beautiful architecture featured on Emily in Paris, it also provides divine outdoor views. The luxurious interiors are just cherry on top of this cake.
Lily Collins Personal Style
Check out a Lily Collins fansite or a Lily Collins Tumblr blog and it’s quite easy to see that fans love the actress for her style, as much as they do for her talent. Unlike Emily Cooper, her personal style is a lot closer to the French ideal. Lily Collins and Phil Collins have been gracing the red carpet for years now, so it’s no wonder she’s got her award-season fashion down to a science.
Here are some of our favorite looks!
Lily Collins Met Gala 2019
Camp, but make it fashion! She walked the event’s pink carpet in a Giambattista Valli creation, which showed off Lily Collins legs and accentuated her shape. While the frilly dress and big hair were both stunners, it’s her necklace that’s the real show-stealer!
Lily Collins Golden Globes 2019
She went for old Hollywood glam during the 2019 Golden Globes. Lily Collins height might be fairly average, but her gown made her look 6-feet-tall. The floor-sweeping lace and tulle creation was by Zuhair Murad who is a favorite designer for many actresses during awards season. Collins looked every bit the belle du jour that she is.
What’s your favorite Lily Collins 2019 red carpet look?
Lily Collins Movies
If Emily in Paris wasn’t to your taste, but you want to see more of Lily Collins’ work, here are a few of our top recommendations to start you off!
Lily Collins – Mirror, Mirror
Lily Collins Snow White? Well, she most certainly is. The actress portrays a swashbuckling version in this refreshing take on the old Brother’s Grimm legend. If you’re tired of damsels in distress then Collins’ take on the popular fairytale character might just be your cup of tea. This is among our favorite out of Lily Collins movies.
Lily Collins – To the Bone
Lily Collins body has always been quite petite, but in this 2017 film she sheds even more weight to portray Ellen, a 20-year-old college dropout who is struggling with anorexia. It’s a thought-provoking look at the real challenges that come with living with an eating disorder. Though it received mixed reviews, Lily Collins weight loss in order to give justice to the role is commendable, and her genuine take on Ellen that will keep you glued to the screen.
Who is Lily Collins Dating
On Emily in Paris, her character enjoyed many flirtatious moments with a number of French bachelors, but in real life? You’d be glad to know that Lily Collins is engaged to her boyfriend, Charlie McDowell. McDowell is a writer-director and the two have been together for over a year prior to the announcement. Photos of their unique proposal sent social media abuzz and everyone, including Lily Collins’ parents — particularly her mother Jill Tavelman — sent messages of love to the couple.
Lily Collins engagement ring is a one-of-a-kind rose-cut diamond, which was designed by Irene Neuwirth. In the Instagram photos the couple later shared, Collins could be seen proudly showing off the piece and profusely thanking the artist behind it.
While Lily Collins dating days are over, she has had a number of rumored relationships throughout the years. Shall we go through some of them really quickly?
Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower
Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower had been together for close to five years when they called it quits back in 2018. Reports suggest that the split had been amicable and that there were no hard feelings between the two. They simply came to the realization that they were not the “right” fit for each other. The actors met on the set of The Mortal Instruments.
Lily Collins and Zac Efron
Lily Collins and Zac Efron also met on the set of a film they were working on, the Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. According to the pair, however, everything was very casual between the two of them.
So, Should You Watch Emily in Paris?
Despite the criticism, there’s still plenty to love about the show as long as you don’t take it too seriously. It’s meant to take you on a fantasy trip and the show certainly delivered on that.
There are many meme-worthy moments sprinkled throughout the season, which we’re sure have already ended up in a Lily Collins gif hunt on Tumblr. This includes the very awkward Lily Collins sex scene at the end of episode one.
It isn’t without its fair share of emotional moments, and there’s a lot of love and life lessons to pick up from the adventures of Emily in Paris. Thus, we highly recommend it. Emily Cooper will inspire you to be true to yourself. Whether you’re a VSCO girl or a haute couture lover, you’re bound to find something to love in the show.
