Meet Caroline Thelier from PayPal, "Being sensitive to the judgment of others is my way of learning about myself & take sound decisions"

L'article est en Fran?ais ici : https://www.myvestiaire.me/post/caroline-thelier

In this interview, Caroline Thelier talks about dressing up, revealing herself with sincerity. For example she says: ? I am easily influenced and sensitive to the judgment of others. It's my way of learning about myself, to develop myself, strengthen my decisions; it reassures me. "

In the masculine world of tech leaders, (only 15% are female), Caroline is assertive in all the meaning of the term, strong of all her many and rich facets. You’ll find smart and practical advice in the article! Read it below!

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On a September Tuesday morning, 9:00 a.m, Caroline welcomes me at her place before going to her office. The atmosphere is bright, the children went to school, and the signs of a joyful and intense morning are still visible on the breakfast table! Caroline has been leading for nearly 3 years the French subsidiary of PayPal: she is a young woman VERY active and VERY busy but who never gives this impression to those she welcomes and spend time with. It is a rare quality. Caroline is curious, sensitive, open, attentive and it is undoubtedly her secret to nurture her ideas. And she is full of them! I had the chance to work with her for several years so I know what I'm talking about !! 

Caroline is always elegant, always preppy and in the masculine world of tech leaders (only 15% of general managers in tech companies are women) she has a style of her own. I'm talking about her dress style: she is multiple! That morning she wore gray slim jeans, a panther print silk blouse, on which she put then on a Comptoir des Cotonniers trench coat, a beautiful colorful scarf and her loyal rust colored boots. Chic and effortless! Parisian !

Can you tell us your story in a few words? 

CAROLINE

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I grew up in Paris: we are 3 sisters, including my twin sister, and our family is very united. I always liked to solve complicated problems. After graduating from CENTRALE, I joined the consulting company BAIN & Co. After several years, Bain offered me the opportunity to take 18 months to join a friend of Centrale and launch our start-up, Addictrip, in tourism : extraordinary experience because I am very operational and I like to be!

For various reasons I decided not to continue in this entrepreneurial way and I met PayPal that I joined in 2010. During these years at PayPal, I got married and I gave birth to my two children. After each maternity leave I got promoted. So I held various positions as different as in the product team, or commercial's (a big gap and a big challenge for the scientific that I am!) before taking the head of PayPal in France in 2017.

More and more young women leaders like you are freeing themselves from the expected dress codes. How was your way of choosing your clothes?

CAROLINE

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In my home environment, style is important because it is a way to present oneself to others. My paternal grandmother was a forerunner in her fashion choices and she has always favored beautiful pieces that last and accompany you throughout your life. Being neat is part of my DNA. In retrospect I think the message was that being refined and distinguished makes you stand out.

I am fortunate to have parents who look at their 3 daughters with pride, and I will highlight the impact of our father's gaze: in his eyes we are beautiful and I think it is part of our confidence in us.

My father has also accompanied us many times to do shopping and he has a radar to spot the right piece even if sometimes we gave in to the diktat of fashion, like that long proven?al skirt that my sister and I loved or big shoes with heels! I'm not sure it was fantastic in retrospect ... For work I would feel constrained if I had to dress every day in a jacket & suit. How lucky to be a woman in this respect! I like having a classic side but twisted with a rocky touch! It might be my way of imposing myself?

Do you have an emotional relationship to your clothes?

CAROLINE

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For some clothes yes: those that I bring back from my travels! I particularly like finding clothes and accessories in far-off countries. This gives exoticism to my locker room. When I look at them and especially when I wear these pieces, they instill me with joy and anchor me in a structuring memory: for example yellow sandals reported from Chile.

I like to bring back clothes from abroad : they instill me with joy and anchor me in a structuring memory.

But I have more and more a practical side too : I like to keep only the clothes I wear in my vestiaire. I started to sell on Vinted those in good condition and that I do not wear any more. I do not think too much about the emotional side when I take the decision to "take out" a piece of clothing from my wardrobe, but maybe I should. I recently sold the first leather jacket offered by my father. I should have kept it.

For example, I chose to wear this dress from Boston on my first TV set with BFM TV ... a dress "friend"!

How important in others' look in your way of choosing your clothes ?

CAROLINE

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Yes very important !! To begin with the look of my husband. This does not mean that I always take it into account but I am always aware of it! For example, I like "Flare" pants, he doesn't ! But I still have one: it's a form of provocation that amuses me. He is a fan of high heels and me too: I think like Marie Robert, philosopher and co-founder of Montessori schools, which I just discovered on the brilliant podcast by Siham Jibril, GENERATION XX, that wearing beautiful high-heeled boots gives some additional self-confidence!

Wearing high-heeled boots gives some additional self-confidence!

To return to the look of others, I am very suggestible. In all! I have long tried to hide it until I understood that it is one of my strengths in fact. I am very permeable to others. I am sensitive to their judgment and I provoke it. Sometimes I do not like it, but it's my way of learning about myself, to develop myself, to change, to learn about my decisions, to change them if necessary, to reassure myself. In my job and in my position as a manager, this probably allows to create an environment where ideas fused and where everyone contributes to build a rich, clear, solid and executable strategy!

To return to style: I do not think I have one! I think of women that I find elegant and I wonder if they would wear what I chose to wear. 

And how do you view yourself?

CAROLINE

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I'm pretty demanding with myself ... But I always cast a look in the mirror before leaving: a glance to send me a little benevolence! 

What are your sources of inspiration? The women you find elegant?

CAROLINE

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I have always admired women who have their style. One of my good friends from Argentina knows perfectly how to spot & arrange THE different & original clothe of renowned brands. The best advice she gave me: never black, wear colors !!

The best advice she gave me: never black, wear colors !!

I also loved Vanessa Paradis' style at her concert last Summer in Paris. I found it sophisticated, elegant, rock and natural. 

What's a good fashion purchase?

CAROLINE

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Above all it's a good deal! I buy mostly on the internet but always with a promo code! I like that a garment is comfortable, elegant and original. I always think about whether I already have a similar piece and I wear the clothes I purchase for a long time. I'm starting to really understand what's right for me and how complicated it is to find some basic pieces like my JCrew slim jeans that I bought in duplicate on the Internet. Sometimes I wear them 4 days out of 7 in the same week...

For example my outfit today: each piece is on average 4 years old and I could tell you exactly where I bought them! The oldest: the trench (10 years), the younger boots (1 year)! I like the idea that clothes last a long time or that they are transmitted.

You're going to live in New York, you who are very Parisian, how are you going to be influenced by the style of New Yorkers?

CAROLINE

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During my last visits, I was told that I had a very French style and I liked it. I hope to evolve my current wardrobe. Between the children, the job, I have less and less time to shop so my uniform for the following weeks is as you see me today: a mix & match with always slim jeans, boots with heel, a silk shirt or a cashmere sweater, a jacket and my big colorful scarf! And I play with the colors! 

Talking about colors, what do you think of the color test you took with MyVestiaire ?

CAROLINE

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I loved it ! A very pleasant moment where I looked at myself and where I am looked at with kindness & professionalism! I saved my palette in my favorite pictures on my iPhone with my ID card, my bank keys and the best pictures of my family. I tried colors that I did not wear before: for example the oil blue. My wardrobe is quite colorful though: a lot of yellow, red, orange. But there was almost no blue nor green! My palette is growing!

I loved the color test with MyVestiaire ! A very pleasant moment where I looked at myself and where I was looked at with kindness & professionalism! I saved my palette in my favorite pictures on my iPhone.

Caroline's palette is composed of warm and intense colors: those found in Autumn. To discover your color palette, book online here, we speak English, Italian, French & Finnish!

How do you make your clothes last ?

CAROLINE

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When I get tired of them, I customize them! I put rivets on leather moccasins recently! I dyed a cashmere sweater in yellow curry and I am very proud of it. It's fun to find thanks to Google Image a picture where I'm wearing this sweater. I am also next to Xavier Romatet, former CEO of Condénast, during a PayPal / Glamour event!

I just love it !! Concretely can you tell about the steps to transform of the sweater?!

CAROLINE

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It was a mistake to buy it because the color was bland on me: a yellow a little too clear. I took a big pasta pot, I put my sweater and a dose of IDEAL dye and I let "infuse" a few hours over low heat! Result this superb yellow mustard which is also stack in my palette!

A last very practical piece of advice ?

 CAROLINE

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I often use creamy white in winter, which according to my palette is rather a golden beige. A blow of blush and I immediately feel brighter.

I discovered the brand PONOIE and I put in my cupboards their scented organic pastilles: they delicately perfume my linen and allow to limit the mites! You can also benefit from a 20% discount code by paying with PayPal. PAYPO20

Caroline thank you for this interview: you may be suggestible but you are certainly a model for many!

Interview written by Sophie Ancely, co-Founder & CEO @ MyVestiaire