# Could Francoise Hardy be more beautiful? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 22, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003 "2005-05-22T23:05:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/1 "2005-05-22T23:05:40Z")
I just got the book the Rock Snob’s Dictionary - not bad, a fun bit of edutainment - and came across her name. She is described as “achingly pretty.” Never one to miss the opportunity to see someone so-described, I did a quick Google Images of her. Okay - [I’m in love](http://www.gainsbourg.org/vrsn3/img/artistes/francoisehardy_01.gif) I have never heard her music - apparently it is fairly twee 60’s French lite stuff - but oh my… ---
**Author:** ![Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Stark\_Raven\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stark_Raven_Mad)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/2 "2005-05-22T23:27:38Z")
Ehhhh. Maybe two, three millihelens at most. I prefer my Scarlett and Natalie Portman. Your girl has a man-jaw, like Jennifer Garner. ---
**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/3 "2005-05-23T01:51:05Z")
> [@Stark Raven Mad](#): > > Ehhhh. Maybe two, three millihelens at most. I prefer my Scarlett and Natalie Portman. Your girl has a man-jaw, like Jennifer Garner. Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s He-Man’s jaw. She should give it back. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/4 "2005-05-23T02:01:50Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I just got the book the Rock Snob’s Dictionary - not bad, a fun bit of edutainment - and came across her name. She is described as “achingly pretty.” Never one to miss the opportunity to see someone so-described, I did a quick Google Images of her. > > Okay - [I’m in love](http://www.gainsbourg.org/vrsn3/img/artistes/francoisehardy_01.gif) > > I have never heard her music - apparently it is fairly twee 60’s French lite stuff - but oh my… She’s lovely enough, but I do love her music. It is fairly lite 60s-French pop type stuff, but I’m a sucker for that. I’ve heard her referred to as a French Marianne Faithful, and I suppose that comparison is apt for a newcomer. Song highlights include “Tout Les Garcons et les filles…” ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/5 "2005-05-23T02:04:00Z")
Perhaps…if Françoise brushed her hair… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/6 "2005-05-23T02:07:31Z")
> [@](#): > > Could Francoise Hardy be more beautiful? Yes. Yes, she could. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/7 "2005-05-23T03:01:38Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Yes. Yes, she could. Well, maybe SHE couldn’t, but there are certainly many, many women who ARE more beautiful. When I clicked on the link I was expecting to see a woman who was actually really beautiful. I was surprised not to. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/8 "2005-05-23T05:08:21Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > She’s lovely enough, but I do love her music. It is fairly lite 60s-French pop type stuff, but I’m a sucker for that. I’ve heard her referred to as a French Marianne Faithful, and I suppose that comparison is apt for a newcomer. Song highlights include “Tout Les Garcons et les filles…” You might like the band [Les Sans Culottes](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:4pcyxdfb3olj). They do that sort of thing but have more of a rock sound. As for Francoise Hardy, she’s not my type, but I wouldn’t say she’s ugly either. I could see how people might think she’s beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/9 "2005-05-23T10:43:48Z")
Really?! Wow, different strokes for different…er, posters. I really find her beauty stunning - but I think Jennifer Garner is beautiful, too…ah well… ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/10 "2005-05-23T12:36:42Z")
Language, **WordMan**. Language. Although, in truth, “beautiful” is a subjective term, for ease of communication there are contemporary standards that may be applied. It is of course always acceptible to say “I _think_ so-and-so is beautiful” or “so-and-so represents my personal idea of beauty” no matter what the particular so-and-so looks like. However, when speaking in absolutes like “Could Francoise Hardy be more beautiful?” your audience will manufacture images based on contemporary standards. To illustrate: I personally find [Maura Tierney](http://film.onet.pl/_i/news/duze/m/maura_tierney_1.jpg) to be infinitely more attractive than [Cameron Diaz](http://www2.filmweb.no/multimedia/archive/00011/Cameron_Diaz_Wallpap_11150k.jpg). But I am able to recognize that I have quirky tastes. If I were in a general conversation about feminine pulchritude I would hold up my personal ideal _in contrast_ to contemporary standards. In this Thread you have promised an example of beauty, your promise was made in such a way as to suggest that the example you have to offer will _transcend personal tastes_. You then provide an image of a woman whose beauty has unique appeal. You’ve set certain expectations then failed to meet them. That’s why the responses have been less than enthusiastic. Personally, although I never heard of her before I read your OP, I agree that, as represented in the photo you provided, she is quite a sexy attractive woman. I would not have used the word “beautiful”, because that is a word that implies an absolute- or at least that popular standards have been considered while measuring (again, you can certainly always use the term “beautiful” when prefaced by “I think” or “IMHO”). If I were moved to start a Thread about Francoise Hardy I would probably have said “Francoise Hardy is very sexy in a dark, alluring, aloof kind of a way”. I think such an OP would have gotten more sympathetic responses. She does, after all, have a rather mannish jaw. A feature that will be a turn-off to some. It doesn’t bother me personally. I still think she’s very sexy and would compare her to contemporary singer-songwriter [Quincy](http://quincysongs.com/contact.html), who also has a very mannish jaw but is still very sexy. Also, you could have found a better photo of her. Something like [this](http://www.chicagoboyz.net/blogfiles/FrancoiseHardy.jpg) might have made your case stronger. [This one](http://www.experiment.ru/img/reviews/Stripes2.jpg)’s good too. Or [this](http://emeron.cool.ne.jp/top0210-0304.htm) or check out [these](http://home2.scarlet.be/jd021226/Hardy.htm) (I particularly like the second image down on the left). I found all of these from a simple Google image search. I particularly think she has aged to be a very sexy older woman as evidenced by the photo on the homepage of her [website](http://www.francoise-hardy.com). ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/11 "2005-05-23T13:30:05Z")
**Bienville** - all good coaching and well understood on this end. I just didn’t realize that her beauty would not be considered universally transcendant. Between the description in the book I referenced in the OP and the fact that I had run the photo I linked to past a number of other friends of mine, all of whom were in agreement with me (and believe me, if they aren’t in agreement about a topic, I hear about it), I thought her transcendent pulchritude was a slam dunk. No biggie - just a tad surprising. Chacon a son gout… ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/12 "2005-05-24T06:26:39Z")
That’s cool, **WordMan**. After all, if you acheived nothing else here you at least introduced me to her- and since I agree that she’s quite alluring (even as the sexy grey haired older woman she has become) I thank you for bringing her up. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/13 "2005-05-24T13:54:50Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > To illustrate: I personally find [Maura Tierney](http://film.onet.pl/_i/news/duze/m/maura_tierney_1.jpg) to be infinitely more attractive than [Cameron Diaz](http://www2.filmweb.no/multimedia/archive/00011/Cameron_Diaz_Wallpap_11150k.jpg). But I am able to recognize that I have quirky tastes. If I were in a general conversation about feminine pulchritude I would hold up my personal ideal _in contrast_ to contemporary standards. You’re comparing apples to dog turds. Cameron Diaz is a total mutt. Ms. Tierney has a face with character and she can actually act. ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/14 "2005-05-24T13:59:34Z")
Can I just put in a vote for Francoise. I had this [album cover](http://www.all-over-the-world.com/images/bk/fh-alpha.jpeg) on my wall for a long time. Maybe it’s genetic as I found it in my Dad’s collection. I even like the music. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/15 "2005-05-24T14:00:15Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > I particularly think she has aged to be a very sexy older woman as evidenced by the photo on the homepage of her [website](http://www.francoise-hardy.com). I think she’s actually prettier as an older woman than she was when she was young. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/16 "2005-05-24T14:48:17Z")
> [@Ithaka](#): > > Can I just put in a vote for Francoise. I had this [album cover](http://www.all-over-the-world.com/images/bk/fh-alpha.jpeg) on my wall for a long time. Maybe it’s genetic as I found it in my Dad’s collection. I even like the music. Bummer - I couldn’t view the album cover - the site seems to require membership… ---
**Author:** ![Ithaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Ithaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ithaka)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-francoise-hardy-be-more-beautiful/305003/17 "2005-05-24T15:00:41Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Bummer - I couldn’t view the album cover - the site seems to require membership… Odd, works for me and I’m not a member of anything. Google for images of her and it should come up - hair in front of face, holding a parasol / umbrella.