Parisian Look: How to Achieve a French Style

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Spring has finally arrived, and as has been the case for years, I feel the urge to create outfits in a Parisian style (in addition to wanting to sleep 10 hours: in spring, my blood pressure drops!). I’m not exactly sure how I find myself in this situation, considering my style is as far from Parisian fashion as possible (unless we include Emily in Paris, which let’s say doesn’t really count: she’s American at heart!). Usually, I wear fuchsia lipstick, bright colored tops, at least three colors at once… But in spring, I have those two or three weeks where I feel compelled to flaunt stripes and blazers in neutral colors, so I thought it might be useful for you to discover which clothes to wear to bring a touch of France into our wardrobes.

The Colors of Parisian Style

Let’s start with colors: as with all other components of French style, sobriety is key: the main colors are navy blue and white, but soft beige or blush pink and a few touches of red are also welcome. Black isn’t too bad either, but if you can, prefer blue: you can wear black all year round, but in spring, fashion suggests trying something a bit cheerier!

Essential Clothes for a Parisian Style

Let’s also start here with the keyword “simplicity”: cigarette pants, flared skirts, no-frills blazers, solid color or at most striped t-shirts, and of course the trench coat: yes, I’m describing a capsule wardrobe! My closet is already giving me a reproachful look, but come on, we’re only talking about a few weeks a year! Jokes aside, French style is famous for that elaborate simplicity of “I just threw on the first thing I found in my closet” when in reality, you’ve spent hours figuring out that dark blue and navy blue can’t go together, and you have 10 striped tops!

Accessories for a Parisian Style

Here too, you’ve probably already figured it out, the keyword is simplicity. A delicate necklace (at most a pearl necklace), discreet earrings, maybe a headband. A leather bag, perhaps a messenger bag, or even nothing if you’re just stepping out to do some grocery shopping (you know I’m allergic to cash, I don’t use wallets and I worship Satispay!). The belt is fine in neutral colors, and the thinner it is, the better!

The Makeup to Look French Inside

Now, here we come to the sore point. I’m not a fan of the no-makeup makeup look, so in these cases, I don’t give up on red lipstick. However, for the eyes, I stick to an almost invisible line of eyeliner and an incredibly small amount (for my standards) of mascara. You can probably apply mascara as usual, because I’m not a good example. No other frills, a bit of concealer if the situation is desperate, and you’re ready to go out. At least in this way, we save time (the time we wasted trying to match two different shades of blue!). In any case, if you’ve already found your nude lipstick, I recommend using that: if it wasn’t clear, the fewer colors you have on your face, the closer you get to Parisian style.

Does French Style Suit You?

If there’s one thing I can’t tell you, it’s how to dress, especially since, as you’ve understood, apart from a few items, French style doesn’t resonate well with me either. It’s clear that if you usually wear a mini skirt and a leather jacket and suddenly start wearing a trench coat and striped t-shirt just because it’s spring, you won’t come off as credible. As for aesthetics, French style flatters everyone (if you have a pear-shaped body, instead of cigarette pants, you might prefer flared ones, and so on: it’s all very adaptable).

Having made this premise, tell me: will you dig into your closet to find the right pieces for a French style? Or will you go straight shopping? Or, do you not care about French style at all and spring doesn’t trigger all this fuss for you like it does for me? Let me know in the comments!

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