Just about anything. As is common knowledge, Parisian/French women seem to have that "je ne sais quoi" when it comes to dressing. Even their most casual, stay-at-home outfit looks like they just stepped off the runway at Paris Fashion Week. In Paris, one must try hard to out-do the chic, one-of-a-kind look that most French women are able to produce with just a this and a that.
On one of my daily excursions around the city, I was walking down the rue St Honore and was stopped in my tracks by a woman walking towards me. No, she was not some tall, sleek fashion-model type, and not stunningly beautiful, but her outfit was so perfectly eclectic and stylish that it was clear that she knew exactly what to wear to enhance her natural beauty.
With medium auburn hair, straight as a board, she wore mustard-colored pants, pleated at the waist to float over her ample waist and hips, but very narrow at the ankle - giving her a stunning V-shape. She capped these off with a one inch blood red leather belt.
A beautiful loose fitting cream-colored silk shirt combined with a jacket that matched the red belt to a tee framed her upper body. This, of course, was set off by a scarf in matching colors with a bit of black thrown in to enhance the brightness of the colors. She carried a gorgeous black handbag with matching black leather gloves and wore tortoise shell sunglasses, almost the same shade as her hair.
But, the 'piece de resistance' of the entire outfit were her shoes - and these are what made me almost stumble over my own feet staring - her shoes were a shade of muted kelly green, slender pointed toes and a small kitten heel. WOW! So unexpected - but what a look and it suited her so perfectly. Now, mind you, this woman was pretty hefty with serious hips and probably no more than about 5' 5" tall but together the whole outfit looked like a page from Vogue.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to capture a photo of this woman - it all happened in the blink of an eye as two people pass on the street - but her image stuck with me and reminded me how easy it is to add that 'signature' item to make a plain outfit into something spectacular, literally in the blink of an eye.
Now, what is everyone else wearing in Paris? Dare I say it -- skinny jean/pants/tights. It doesn't matter whether you're young, old, tall, short, skinny or have Marilyn Monroe hips (yes, I do these days!) - the skinny pant-look, coupled with boots of any height and any level of heel are it. I saw this in London, too, but no one puts it together quite like the French.
They are so clever, that they have even created a boot sock for calf-high boots that has a little bow at the top with streamers that spill over the top of the boot, adding a playful touch to the whole look. I saw these mostly on 20-somethings but who thinks of these things besides the French???
For those days, when boots aren't a necessity, you'll see ballet flats and heeled pumps of any height, platform or not, round or pointy toes - it's your choice.
They top the skinny pants off with just about any length or type of shirt/top -- from sweaters to tunics, and silk peasant shirts and of course, the ubiquitous scarf, tied dramatically with such flare that even Picasso would be impressed. Finally, they're completing the whole outfit off with divine coats in wool or leather, solids and prints -- usually a three-quarter or bracelet cuff length, and if the weather calls for it, gloves and hats.
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| In Le Marais |
Now, while I'm talking fashion - be on the lookout for The Kooples. Yes, it's about couples/duo/deux, which is a predominant theme in Paris, as noted in one of my earlier posts.
The Kooples are everywhere throughout the city, and they're
landing in the US shortly, if they're not already here. This trendy store offers the latest looks and pictures everything in 'couples' settings.
What I also found refreshing in my window-shopping and city strolling is that much of the clothing in Paris and London is still made from real materials - silk, wool, cotton, linen, leather, etc. While you can certainly find plenty of man-made fabric fashions in Paris and London, it was nice to see beautiful, well-made clothes constructed in fabrics that for most Americans are only memories from their childhoods. The prices run the gamut from top to bottom but it's not impossible to find something reasonably price to add to your wardrobe.
So there you have it - if you're headed to Paris or pretty much anywhere in the UK or Continental Europe, you now know exactly what to wear to be right in step and in style as a well-dressed woman of the world. If skinny pants are not your thing - let me make a final suggestion - bring lots of beautiful, colorful scarves and wear black everywhere! A bientot!
