Hélène Elisabeth Jewellery is all about celebrating you — helping you express your je ne sais quoi, that certain something that makes you feel confident, cherished, and/or elevate your special moments.
But what exactly does je ne sais quoi mean — and more importantly, is je ne sais quoi a compliment, especially for a woman? To help us explore this nuanced question, we asked our talented new guest writer, MK, to share her take. She brings insight, elegance, and her own unmistakable je ne sais quoi to the page. 😉
Je ne sais quoi or just I don’t know?
This week I decided it was time for a haircut. Normally I let my hair grow out in summer – beach waves and all, but this week – a number of life changing things happened (we’ll save those for another time) and so to physically express myself a little differently, a haircut seemed a good option.
Coco Chanel once said: “a woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life”
Just as my hairdresser snipped at the first 7cms, I closed my eyes, and asked myself if I was making a mistake? By cutting my hair! It’s hair right, it grows back. I realised quickly in that swivel seat, that it was less about the future growth, and more about the present loss.
What would I be representing myself as with my new do? Would I lose my long-haired girl identity – who would I be now? What would be my je ne sais quoi? Even though I am not a French girl (and actually grew up on a continent far away with only images of French girls) - their coolness, insouciance and the seminal je ne sais quoi energy they were bringing into the world, having that special something that defines me is fundamental to the woman I am now.
And it’s a funny thing, because my reference photo for this recent chop chop, was an image of the ubiquitous Brigitte Bardot, and that fringe!
Is je ne sais quoi a compliment for a woman?
To answer this question, we would need to look to the source from whence it came, that is to say: la belle France!
Entrenched in our discourse is this phrase: je ne sais quoi. We know it is French and means "I don't know what." It describes a quality that cannot be easily explained or defined, it usually has a positive connotation and suggests that the person is special or unique.
France, for all its revolutionary ways, has an understanding of intrinsic beauty - that’s fine and we all understand, and so I would gently argue that we – women – all innately possess our own je ne sais quoi in any case.
And so if someone were to point it out to us, would we receive it positively?
Normally I dress for myself, accessorize for myself and often I don’t brush my hair (hence why it needs a great cut). So while it might sound as if I am obsessed with outward appearance, as we get to know each other here, you will discover that’s really not the case.
What is important to me is to have a secret ingredient, or power that belongs to me, is a sort of built in safety feature. Something that belongs only to me and which no one can describe.
Enchantery
Having je ne sais quoi is an ephemeral notion – it’s wonderfully fluid in that it never has to be a fully defined thing. There will always be a question mark attached to what it is that you are, that which makes you uniquely you.
I fell in love with this word ‘enchantery’ not long ago and I understood it as in nature, beauty and women (!) that enchantery is your essence – something which no one else possesses. And I think, no actually, I believe we embody our own intrinsic heady mix of both enchantery and je ne sais quoi.
Take the compliment
I might say it depends from whom it’s coming. I might even say, I don’t care for compliments. Maybe I just get shy.
Here we are all different – some of us more confident, others more timid, others could not care less – and so we accept the compliment differently.
However, I would take the compliment. Fiercely I would brush off that ‘oh je ne sais pas’ …
I would accept it as an appreciation not only for the accessories on my wrists or ears, my clothing, my perfume – I would accept it as an appreciation of me, of myself in entirety.
It’s true, before I’d even have left the house that day, I’d have gone through my daily rituals – more little acts that belong only to me, which set me up for my success on any given day and to feel like myself when I leave the house, or even when I don’t!
Own your je ne sais quoi
It’s a few days into my new haircut (this story started because of the hair!) and - more importantly - leaning into latest life choices.
What I laughingly realised was that no one even noticed my shorter hair or that my fringe wasn’t giving B.B vibes as I’d hoped. What I did notice was that I felt (feel) different inside, I’m at peace with my decisions (not talking about hair), that my people around me leaned in without me really needing to say much.
Without a doubt the love and peace make me vibrate high, as does staying true to myself – even if I don’t have the answers fully defined – I do have my je ne sais quoi!
Conclusion
So, is je ne sais quoi a compliment? Absolutely — and perhaps one of the most meaningful.
When someone says you have je ne sais quoi, they’re not just complimenting your look — they’re recognising something deeper: a unique presence, a quiet confidence, a magnetic charm that defies definition.
And is je ne sais quoi a compliment for a woman? Without a doubt. It celebrates what makes each of us singular and unforgettable.
So go ahead — embrace it, own it, and let your je ne sais quoi shine — with a little help from Hélène Elisabeth Jewellery.
