A boulevardier is a fashionable, upper-class man who strolls through the cultural streets of a city. Class and income level matter, and travel is implied but not necessary. The term is similar to a bon vivant, who enjoys fine dining and luxurious living. In the past, wealthy people walked certain streets to meet others, but today, the focus is on being seen at exclusive events and venues.
A boulevardier in the strictest definition comes from the French for boulevard or street. The boulevardier is a man (usually) who strolls through the fashionable streets of the city of Paris. Today, although the word is not commonly used, the boulevardier could best be described as “a man in town”. In other words, the boulevardier is the urbane, fashionable, usually upper-class citizen who has knowledge of any city, and particularly of the cultured amusements to be found in that city.
Knowledge of a city alone cannot make a boulevardier out of a man. Class and income level matter, since a boulevardier must express his sense of high fashion and have knowledge of advanced cultural pursuits. A recent cognate term is metrosexual, defined as a heterosexual male who is particularly interested in fashion and grooming, much more than the average man. As a fashion-conscious woman, the metrosexual stays up to date with current fashion trends such as the way ties are worn, the latest designer productions and “in” pieces, haircuts, hair products, etc., for each particular season.
Even a boulevardier has generally traveled and knows many cities that are considered cultural centers, such as Paris. However, a high-class New Yorker can certainly be considered a boulevardier if he expresses an interest in New York culture and fashion. Travel is implied but not a prerequisite.
The term boulevardier is also referred to as a bon vivant. Bon vivant refers to people who enjoy fine dining and luxurious living. Boulevardier therefore must imply that a person named such has money to afford the “finer” things in life.
In the past, it was often the case that weekends were the time when city dwellers left their homes and walked or cycled particular streets. For the wealthy, these weekend walks were a way to meet others. You can see an excellent example of this in the film Gigi, where rich French people are seen strolling the streets in carriages or on foot, collecting gossip and displaying their rich conquests of carriages, fashionable clothes or new mistresses.
Many cities had avenues or streets that were “walking grounds” for the wealthy. Being seen walking these streets on certain days was vital to maintaining boulevardier status. Today, the boulevardier may focus less on walking certain streets and more on being seen at various restaurants, movie or theater premieres, and red carpet events. Being seen fashionably dressed and attending the finer things at exclusive events or in exclusive venues defines the boulevardier and maintains its status.
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