What Parisians are Wearing - Winter 2010
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”” — Coco Chanel
Paris, like any major world city, is a stylish city. And it always helps to dress up a bit in order to get better treatment. So what does that mean for the tourist who doesn't want to stick out but does want to stand out?
Fortunately, there are ways to stay comfortable while looking fashionable on the streets and around town. The most important thing to remember is to wear what is flattering for you. In addition, while Parisians are fashionable, they are also timeless. So mix and match your classic fashionable pieces with some of this season’s trends.
Trend Watch – Winter 2010
With the fall out from the global recession, fashion is "back to basics" this year. If you have been following the trends for the past few seasons, you can borrow heavily from items already in your closet with just a few trendy touches to bring your look up to the minute. Most importantly, this season's styles can easily be mixed and matched for comfortable, coordinated, (and light) packing.
Here are our tips for getting it right...
Color - Fall in Paris is back to basics with black, gray and beige as the focus. For a color pop, accent shades are rich, deep, and primary. From bright reds and pinks to rich purples, blues, and greens, these colors add some punch to the overall muted look.
Pants - Jean styles are more flexible this year with both the slim leg jean continuing it's presence and the appearance of a more relaxed boyfriend jean. Both can be seen around town with a fun cuff at the ankle. If you manage to catch a warm, fall day in Paris, show some ankle and pair jeans with a cute flat.
 
As the weather inevitably turns colder, the same jean can be paired with a slouchy, mid-calf-length boot.
  
If you feel more comfortable in pants, the tailored pegged pants look is still popular for fall. This menswear inspired pant looks great with feminine touches like a cute top and comfortable heels. As the weather gets colder, this look will also work well with a fitted knee-high boot that has a nice low kitten heel and a structured, close cut jacket.
 
Leather - Leather is the major trend of the season. That classic icon, the leather jacket can be seen in a variety of styles. From cropped, rocker-chic, motorcycle inspired...
 
...to more tailored and sophisticated looks inspired by blazers.
 
In addition to jackets, other types of leatherwear are making their presence known on the fashion scene this year. The Paris chains are marketing leather pants, skirts, and long vests (think a trench without the sleeves) paired with sweaters and pants that we've seen from previous seasons.
 
Jackets and Sweaters - The secret for this season's hottest jackets and sweaters..."Borrowing from the Guys". In addition to the more relaxed boyfriend jean (see above), boyfriend jackets and sweaters (we LOVE these!) are making a comeback.
  
Pairing them with a below-the-hip top and leggings/tights/jeans make a comfortable outfit for sightseeing around the city. You can also wear a sleeveless one with a sweater dress from last season...
  
...which are stlll very popular on the streets of Paris.
 
Shoulders - If you want to make a statement, focus on the shoulders. Shoulder revealing blouses for your cute party tops (see red blouse above) are a great way to buy into this trend. And (for better or worse), the 80's wide, padded, shoulders are back in style on the Paris fashion scene. A way to achieve this same effect, if you're not a big fan of the linebacker look, is by a cape-neck style sweater or jacket (see model on left). Copy the neckline above to achieve the look of emphasizing the shoulders without actually adding to them.
  
Coats - The appearance of Camel - the other coat color - is a welcome change from the usual sea of black coats usually seen in Paris. The classic sophistication of a camel colored coat lightens up the fall palette of blacks and grays without sacrificing any style points.
 
And if you have the figure, the military coat, with its iconic high neckline and cinched waist is also popular this season.
 
Shoes - Riding boots tucked into jeans, or paired with a skirt and tights are still popular in Paris.
Ecco produces extremely comfortable riding boots designed for walking. We own a pair of these boots and can vouch that the extra foot padding helps tremendously on uneven pavement, like Parisian streets.
You also can't go wrong with Cole Haan boots (pricey..but worth it). We love the Cole Haan Air Nike brand with the insides of a Nike running shoe built into a stylish boot.
This Fall, booties are back. Slip on a pair with rolled up jeans or a skirt with tights.
Ballet flats are still popular on the streets as well. We think that this is one of the easiest and affordable ways to quickly spruce up your wardrobe. This season, colors are deeper and richer. Our favorite is a great metallic mix of gold and silver that adds instant sophistication to simple jeans and a top.
For more walking support than a traditional ballet flat, try Ecco ballet flats. They are designed to expand at the front of your foot as your foot swells from walking, making them a more comfortable choice for a day of walking on Parisian streets.
White sneakers can be seen on the feet of Parisian locals, but they are also a very specific type. The classic Converse All Star®, also known as the Chuck Taylor® is the overwhelming sneaker of choice on French feet. Fortunately, for the fashion forward, they come in a wealth of other colors and styles. So many Parisian feet are covered in blue, brown, plaid, or even hot pink sneakers.
If Converse Chuck Taylor's are a too young and casual for your style, try Puma sneakers. Puma's are also available in a wide range of colors and are seen on the feet of fashionable Parisians of all ages.
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Handbags and Accessories - Large, unstructured purses are the bags of the moment, and are perfect for sightseeing. They'll hold all the accessories you need (e.g., water bottle, map, travel guides, camera, etc.) while looking like a native, not a tourist.
Belts are big this year. And we're not just talking about the size. Wide or skinny, belts can be seen everywhere in fall fashion. Wrap a belt around a sweater, a dress, or even a blouse. If you can wear it, try belting it.
Photos courtesy of Parisian chains Naf Naf , Caroll, Zara (France) and Italian chain Marina Rinaldi.
In terms of what to wear specifics, try this if you’re…
In your 20s – Oh to be in our 20’s again. We were willing to try any trend that came along. And usually managed to look good doing it.
For this season, the focus is 80's chic. Focus on your best feature and show if off. For arms, try an off the shoulder blouse or dress. For legs, go for short skirts and heeled booties with a long jacket. Try out the "Girls will be Boys" look with rolled up jeans or pegged pants- you'll be surprised at how comfortable you'll feel. Use accessories (unusual scarf or chunky belt) to breathe your own personality in the outfit.
 
In your 30s –If you want to look stylish but not feel like you’re stealing clothes from your college intern’s closet, take the fashion trends that work best for you and leave the others behind. You’re on vacation. This is supposed to be comfortable and fun, not work.
Pair a relaxed top of any length with a boyfriend sweater, leggings, and boots (any length will do) for a casual but put together look. Or try a skirt with a slight A-line with a light sweater and long vest for a more elegant vacation look.
To give your legs a more elongated look, go with a low heel instead of a flat. For the evening, go with classics such as a black skirt or pants, knee high leather boots and a richly colored top. Use accessories like patterned/textured scarves, jeweled pins, and touches of leather/suede/fur to add some pop to your wardrobe.
  
In your 40s –Think leather blazers, pants cut jeans, tailored blouses and tops. This is the year to take advantage of Paris's mix and match attitude. Use your 20+ years of fashion sense to create a vacation wardrobe that is casual, comfortable, and yet sophisticated. Our one "go to" suggestion, a fabulous scarf that can be comfortable wrapped around your neck or shoulders as the weather requires.
 
In your 50s (or so) – Stick to comfortable clothes that flatter. Use any of the suggestions listed above to create a travel wardrobe that will make you feel comfortable and look great too. Update your wardrobe with accessories focusing on this season's trends (e.g., red gloves or purse, fur/leather accents, large handbag).
 
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