I recently finished reading How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are by Caroline de Maigret, and I wanted to share the insights I picked up on dressing like a Parisian and Parisian style. While we can’t all be Parisian, we can learn a lot from French women when it comes to dressing – specifically those who live in the capital city of Paris.
How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are
$4.99 (as of January 17, 2025 15:10 GMT -05:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)I’ve already shared how to get French girl style, but now it’s time for me to talk about Parisians specifically. Dressing for life in Paris is much different than dressing for life elsewhere in France.
Parisian women have to be prepared to face smoldering summers and brutal winters! They have to manage cobblestones, subway steps, 6-flight walk-ups and more, all while looking very chic.
So how do they do it? That’s what I’m going to share with you.
Parisian Style Aesthetic
Paris and fashion have been synonymous for decades. Most of the major fashion designers come from France and this contributed to the country’s reputation for good style. Here is how to dress like a Parisian, no matter where you live.
Casual Chic
The key to dressing Parisian is to keep it casual but chic. Parisian women know how to balance looking laid back, yet put together. With a solid closet of wardrobe basics, it’s easy to put together a classic and cool look without coming across as arrogant or over-dressed.
Start with the Basics
Parisians have a solid closet of basics that they use year-round. This is one of the first things to take care of if you want to dress like a Parisian girl. When in doubt, keep it simple!
You’ll never see a Parisian girl walking around in a complicated outfit or bright colors. They always keep it neutral, classic and chic. Flashing bright colors tends to mean that you’re looking for attention, and Parisians prefer to keep their looks subtle and minimalist.
Neutral basics like white t-shirts, simple blue jeans, and easygoing shoes are all why Parisians have a reputation for creating an “effortless” style! After all, what’s easier than putting together an effortless look using basics in your closet?
The key to looking chic and not too basic is to add just one touch of character to your look. This could be a colorful silk scarf, a new handbag, or a fun pair of shoes. That is what makes the look parisienne.
Parisians shop for basics according to their budget. Not everyone in Paris is very wealthy, so Parisian women will definitely shop for inexpensive French clothing basics at H&M, & Other Stories, and even Zara if they are on a budget.
If they have a bit more to spend and want to be conscious about what they consume, Parisian women will shop for basics at Petit Bateau or Galeries Lafayette.
Buy High-Quality Pieces
As you curate your closet of Parisian wardrobe basics, choose carefully what you buy. Instead of going for the latest trends, Parisian girls shop for timeless pieces that are made of high quality materials.
In the USA, there is a big push for sustainable dressing, and these concepts are baked into the Parisian style of dressing by default. Parisian women have always adopted a “buy less, choose wisely” mentality. No one wants an overflowing closet filled with pieces that were in style temporarily.
When curating your Parisian capsule wardrobe, go for pieces made of high-quality and natural fabrics like cotton, silk, and premium wool. These pieces are sure to last for a very long time even if they may be more expensive up front.
Choose versatile pieces, that can be styled in different ways, and go with many different outfits.
It helps to ask these questions:
- Do I already have an item like this?
- Can I see myself wearing this in 10 years?
- Is it comfortable?
- Could it be worn every day?
- Is the material high quality?
Think Before Buying
Parisians rarely make impulse purchases. Instead, they make sure that they really want a piece before buying it. How many times have you bought something only to not enjoy it as much a week later?
Avoid these impulse purchases you later regret by creating a list of items you need ahead of time, waiting a week, adjusting the list accordingly, and then going shopping. Parisians know how to avoid “buyer’s remorse” and you can too!
Be Loyal
Parisians are very loyal to the brands they love and rarely deviate to others – unless a big drop in quality or change in price happens. But that doesn’t happen often in France.
Once you find a brand that works for your body shape and style, stick with it! Sign up to their mailing list so you can be notified of sales.
Write down your size so you know what to order online in the future. This can help save time when it comes to acquiring seasonal pieces you may need.
Some favorite brands that Parisians love are:
- Sezane
- Sandro
- Claudie Pierlot
- Maje
- A.P.C.
- Rouje
There are dozens of amazing French brands, but this list encompasses the most popular French brands that aren’t too expensive.
Wear Color Sparingly
Parisians wear color very sparingly in their outfits. Subtly is valued much more than ostentation. For this reason, many Parisian girls have closets full of neutral colors like white, beige, cream, ivory, gray, black, and brown or camel.
Dark greens like khaki and dark blues like navy blue are sometimes added to a look as well. Red is certainly another way to add some color to your look. Red and navy are part of the French flag so that’s probably why French women embrace these colors so much! It’s pretty neat that the American flag is also red, white, and blue so we can celebrate these colors as well! 🙂
The good thing about dressing like a Parisian in neutral colors is that you can match outfits fairly easily. Black goes well with white, brown, ivory, and all other neutrals. Then, you can add one extra color depending on the look. Just be careful not to add more than one or two colors!
For a nighttime outfit, avoid color and go with an all-black look.
Know Your Body Type
A cardinal rule of Parisian style is to know your body type and shop accordingly! It doesn’t matter what is or isn’t trendy – find what looks good on you and stick with it! Wrap dresses are one of the more universally flattering pieces that women can wear.
Petite women tend to avoid high-waisted pants. That’s ok! Not every trend will work well on every body type. Parisians know this and their style reflects their body, not the other way around.
If you found a great piece but it doesn’t flatter your body, don’t be shy about taking it to the tailor. Several great tailors in Paris are still in business because Parisian women aren’t afraid to adjust the clothing they buy as needed!
Pay Attention to the Fit
The fit of clothing is almost more important than the style itself. Parisians love an oversized fit in general – but not to the point where clothing appears baggy. Shirts tend to be spacious, creating a “boyfriend” feel to the piece. Most importantly, oversized pieces are always balanced with a fitted piece to prevent looking too disheveled.
Almost nothing is worn skin-tight – except for skinny jeans which Vogue editor Emmanuelle Alt seems to have a penchant for! Skin-tight dresses, revealing tops, and ultra-mini skirts are a big no-no in Parisian style.
Balance Comfort and Style
Many French style books show a very thin woman wearing high-heeled stilettos in Paris. This is not how your everyday Parisian woman walks around, I can assure you! Instead, French women are experts at finding a balance between comfort and style though wearing sneakers with a nice blouse, for example.
After all, it would be literally impossible to prance around Paris in heels! Go for ultra-cool Veja sneakers or simple and chic ballet flats instead.
It’s all about balancing comfort with practicality and creating outfits that you don’t mind spending the whole day in. You should feel confident and relaxed, no matter what you wear – that’s the Parisian style mantra.
Minimal Accessories
Generally speaking, Parisians don’t wear too many accessories and fine jewelry is preferred to costume jewelry. A simple pendant necklace, a thin ring or two and a good pair of small hoop earrings are all you need when it comes to Parisian jewelry.
Similarly, a smaller handbag is preferred and simple shoes work well with Parisian style.
Avoid Trends
You’ll almost never catch a real Parisian girl with the latest trendy handbag or clothing trend. Parisians avoid trends like the plague. They’re not sustainable at all and just create more fashion waste! Parisian style opts for timeless and classic style that is much more sustainable and shows you care about more than just fashion.
Something else to avoid, too?
Say No to Logos
Ah, the logo. Thanks to Louis Vuitton and the like, many people around the world think that French women love to show off logos since that’s what the French brands are doing. But nope – this couldn’t be further from the truth!
French women hate logos and for this reason, many of them have stopped shopping at the luxury French brands because they plaster their logo in a horrible pattern across every piece they make.
Showing off wealth is frowned upon in France, so please, avoid logo handbags at all costs if you want to fit in when visiting Paris! And yes, that goes even for French brands.
While you may see Instagram posts of girls wearing giant Chanel earrings or a monogrammed Dior bag, these are likely sponsored posts. Many French influencers do not disclose their sponsored posts so don’t be naive to think that they are actually wearing a giant logo bag like that!
Parisian Style Over 50
I don’t think that Parisian style changes drastically once a woman gets a bit older, but they certainly follow the trends to much lesser degree! By the time a Parisian woman is over 50, she knows what works for her and what doesn’t. She has a solid closet of clothing that flatters her. She may dress more modestly, but otherwise, can still incorporate a bit of fun into each of her looks.
Et voila! I hope you learned a lot about Parisian style tips and how to dress like a Parisian in this article. Let me know if you have any questions!
3 comments
This article needs better editing as far as spelling and grammar.
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