Bonjour Mes Amis!
It has been so long since my last blog post! I asked y’all for some content recommendations, and to give you an idea of what to expect, we got a lot of requests for a capsule wardrobe breakdown (so excited for this one!) as well as style round ups so be sure to subscribe and stay tuned! One suggestion that stood out to me was Parisian style but make it plus size! I absolutely love this idea and if you have followed since the beginning you would know that French culture is a HUGE part of my life! In fact, I briefly lived in Dijon, France shortly before starting the blog (where I vowed to exclusively speak french! It was so fun blending in with the locals!)
Anyway, now that a lot of you have probably binge-watched Emily In Paris, we are all in the mood for some Parisian style! But unlike the bold styles we see from Emily, I will be sharing my tips on how to adopt that French (je ne sais quoi) style with pieces you may have at home! And remember, this post is still for all sizes, so get ready!
Sneakers Ahead Of Their Time
One thing I didn’t care for in the previously mentioned Netflix series is the high heels! It is actually incredibly unrealistic to see women walking to work in heels. Even if you had heels on during a private showing at Pierre Cadeau, you would still have them in your purse while taking the metro or sitting at your desk the rest of the day!
Living in Paris, all my friends stuck to casual style ninety percent of the time – a lot like the athleisure style we see post-quarantine! Now I am not going to recommend you pull out your white Air Force 1’s, no. Paris is always ahead of the game when it comes to comfortable footwear – even Birkensocks were in then out again by 2016! My current recommendation for footwear brands is Veja! They’re all over the world at this point! Sure, they are not that new for Parisians, but this kind of high-quality sneaker is crucial for everyday style! Stick to neutral colors, nudes, navy, or black and wear with any outfit!
The city that walks EVERYWHERE values good footwear, so why would we not?
Neutral Everything!
I will go over more of this in the capsule wardrobe blog post coming up, but something I find very important to this style is the idea of having minimal, high quality, and long lasting pieces in your wardrobe that can be easily mixed around! Some of my favorite must have pieces include:
The Trench Coat – something long, double breasted, and sturdy to actually wear in the rain
Black Denim – a complete given – bonus points if in straight, cigarette, or skinny cut!
Brown Or Oatmeal Sweaters – this may sound super basic but with 100 percent cashmere your outfit is instantly dressed up!
More Than One LBD – I recommend one cute and short and then one more classic in style for a range of events!
Keep Pops Of Color To Just The Fun Pieces
Maybe it is a new handbag, or some red shoes, a patterned scarf, or even a cool mask! If you are going to add color, make sure it can easily pair with the neutral styles you already have, and make sure it a piece that will last long! There you go!
Pack Light
I do not totally know why I find this one necessary, but something I love about Paris is people rarely mess with small bags! A modest tote is perfect for spending the day out away and then you can probably turn any bag into a weekender if you have to!
Your Personal Scent
And finally, this sounds super cheesy, but the French do follow this stereotype of always having the best scents! This part also does not have to cost a fortune, because one advantage the french have over us in this department is they do not overuse perfume products. In the states we treat Creed like it is Victoria’s Secret and practically wash our clothes in it!
My recommendation: Any Hermes scent! Just pick up a travel size to test out and spay it ONLY TWICE – once on the wrist and once on the back of your neck et voila!
More details on specific pieces to come! I hope you all enjoyed this article and that I was able to convey the idea that Parisian style is not about the latest fast fashion or runway looks, it is about appreciating fashion with refined personal style!
xx,
A