Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette

“And no wonder Paris, land of novelty and distraction, is the greatest city of the flanuer – that aimless stroller who loses himself in the crowd, who has no destination and goes wherever ca-prise or curiosity directs his or her steps.” These wanderers observe Paris from the inside, bringing insight on the history of this “Sin City”. The transformation of acceptation from these Parisians creates a whirlwind of foreign concepts never seen in France, or in anywhere else in the world. This country became a birthing ground for the out of the norm mind-set to flourish. Advances in a cosmopolitan attitude were rare during this time period yet the city of Paris changed drastically through its emerging social groups, culture, and limitations on the
A writer named Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, went against the grain in her writings as well as her life style. “One aspect of Colette’s life is how modern it sounds to today’s reader. She ate sushi at the turn of the century, had a facelift in the 1920s, hired an acupuncturist, kept her wild hair permed her whole life, rejected religion, flouted most of society’s rules – and ate with such relish and so little guilt that she ended up weighing 180 pounds.” Her way of life was a turning point in the limitations those felt against them. Colette wasn’t ridiculed for her choice in food, beauty, or even religion. The atmosphere Paris transformed into created a birthing ground for the non-traditionalist; many were able to freely decide even the smallest choices that caused a cosmopolitan attitude. Many different cultures were utualized for the enjoyment of others like Colette eating sushi. The entire community was given the freedom to think and feel what they wanted. Everyday life resembled this through the flanuer. “The flaneur is by definition endowed with enormous leisure, someone who can take off a morning or afternoon for undirected ambling, since a specific goal or a close rationing of time is antithetical to the true spirit of the flaneur.” Wandering became a routine as did observing those, especially Parisians, grinding against the grain. This was needed to create a basis for the cosmopolitan life style, a crowd of citizens that applauded the exotic spirit. They spent hours of going “wherever the wind blows.” Parisians witnessed the rise of blacks, gays, non-religious, bad behaviors in culture such as prostitutes and homeless children. The opportunity for those living within this “Sin City” was the acceptance given by the audience from the streets. Equality for experimentation of all social groups, religions, and sexualities contributed to the cosmopolitan