No doubt, Tan France is an expert when it comes to all things style. (Remember when he made Skylar feel confident putting on his first suit on a season two “Queer Eye” episode?) But the Emmy-nominated reality star admits his breakfast routine is pretty no-frills.
“The only thing I have after I wake up is coffee because a carb will hit my stomach hard,” he admits.
That’s why, come midmorning, he adheres to the beloved British tradition known as “The Elevenses.” As France — a native of South Yorkshire, England — explains, “Everyone in England knows that when you get sluggish around 11 a.m., it’s time to have a little snack, and that’s what we call it.” Recently, France partnered with?Noosa Yoghurt?to introduce the delicious concept to the US and encourage others to reach for the healthy eat. “I love yogurt because it’s my way to get my calcium and protein for the day,” he says, adding that he opts for the brand’s?lemon flavor.
France needs the burst of energy to power through the rest of his busy day. In addition to working on his production company and his gender-neutral outerwear line, Was Him, for the retail platform Thmbl, he and his husband are parents to two young sons, ages 3 years and 5 months, and they just finished work on a newly built house. “There’s a heck of a lot going on!” he says. “So I must have my Elevenses for my brain to function.”
Ahead, France shares his everyday essentials with CNN Underscored.
France is a fan of these slim velvet hangers from Amazon. “Velvet hangers are essential because they’ll maintain shoulders on any shirt,” he says. But please, whatever you do, do not hang T-shirts and sweaters! “You’re ruining the shoulders, and you can’t get the shape back,” he warns. “Just fold them up and put them in a drawer.”?
France jokes that “every parent of a toddler in America” knows about this bright and flexible teething toy, which squeaks when squeezed to provide visual and audio stimulation during the child’s all-important developmental stage. France and his family have named their teether Gigi the Giraffe.?
Because France has so many clothes encounters on “Queer Eye,” he keeps his portable garment steamer — which smooths out wrinkles in a flash — nearby. “You never know when we’re in the middle of nowhere, or we’re demolishing the inside of a house, and you can’t find an iron,” he says. “But I can steam something in between scenes, and everything will be OK.” He adds that he keeps one in his car, in his suitcase and at home!?
“There are many, many diapers out there,” he says, “but I’ve found that these diapers are truly the best. I buy them in all sizes!” These hypoallergenic, ultra-absorbent diapers are fragrance-free and offer 12-hour leak protection to prevent middle-of-the-night wakeups.??
Ever since France started working his fashion magic on the “Queer Eye” set, he’s craved two things: shelled pistachios and these spicy almonds. “If I’m eating the nuts in between takes, it means I’m not eating fried foods,” he says. The wasabi flavor, he points out, gives this protein-rich snack a salty and sweet kick.
When dressing his baby, France forgoes designer duds in favor of affordable one-pieces. “I don’t waste my money on fancy clothes because there’s only a three-week window before the baby destroys them!” he says. But a Gap one-piece with an accessible zipper, he adds, “is really simple and easy when you’re changing the diaper.” We love the look of this soft-knit one-piece from Gap that has long sleeves and a crew neck.
France says he’s an “active participant” in the kitchen, so he relies heavily on this classic stainless steel 10-speed multiuse mixer. “I use this more than anything else,” he says, noting that he whips up everything from Indian food to bread.?
