Parisian style is so timeless and French women always look amazing. One of the best things to do in Paris, is to sit outside a cafe people watching and soaking up the whole atmosphere. It’s one of my most favourite places in the world visit. Typically whenever you think of French styling, it will be classic, minimal and just effortlessly cool.
Karl Largerfeld once said “You don’t have to be French to be a Parisian” and this was a pretty generous statement from him as in my opinion the French have that certain ‘Je ne sais quoi‘ that the rest of us can only dream of, but I do have a couple of tips to help you master a Parisian inspired look.
Keep it simple
Simplicity is key. Parisian women never over accessorise. Instead, they tend to add one or two accessories per outfit only, such as a silk scarf, or a fabulous hat and jewellery is often kept minimal and chic. Think a classic string of pearls or a pair of chunky gold hoop earrings. Coco Chanel said herself “before leaving the house, a lady should look in the mirror and remove one accessory.” and this is a key tip to French styling.
Try Missoma for a great selection of simple gold jewellery that would work well for a Parisian inspired look.
Be discrete with labels and logos
Parisians tend to keep away from clothing that is covered in logos or large branding as it’s seen as slightly tacky. They will choose their clothing from brands that focus on high quality materials, that are well tailored and fit the body well. They will spend more money on these quality pieces also with the knowledge that they will last and stand the test of time as well as being able to style them in various ways. If you think about it, this is actually a really sustainable attitude to dressing.
Stick to a uniform
The Parisian woman is not interested in trends or fashion fads. Instead she will focus on classic, chic clothing that she knows suits her and feels comfortable to wear. They will tend to stick to a more basic colour pallet such as black, white, camel and grey which can be worn easily every season. You won’t find any neon yellow in their wardrobe even if it is the latest colour to be seen in, and you won’t see them investing in the latest jean silhouette that will look dated the following year. Instead, they will stick to a classic style formula that works and oozes style consistently.
Mix dressy with casual
Parisians are the masters of mixing casual clothing with an item that is a little bit more dressy. Like a classic shirt and cigarette trousers paired with a more glamorous evening bag, a pencil skirt with ballet flats, a leather jacket with masculine trousers and a sequin sweater, or even an evening tuxedo with sneakers. They love combining a casual element with a special piece – in a paired back way – not too fussy, or overthought.
Items you will never find in a Parisian’s wardrobe
- Huge logos or designer labels on show
- Cheap materials – so no Nylon, Polyester, or Viscose in sight
- Joggers or sweatpants
- Anything too blingy or covered with rips
- Skimpy tops with too much flesh on show
- Fake designer bags or clothing
My top 6 French brands
Isabel Marant
Kooples
Maje
Saint Laurent
Sandro
Chanel
Links to shop the above brands –Isabel Marant, Kooples, Maje, Saint Laurent, Sandro, Chanel
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this blog post, you might also like to read my tips on buying luxury fashion HERE
