Je t'aime Paris
You know what I love about Parisian style? The tailoring.
Parisians don’t wear a lot of color. Mostly neutrals, black and navy. But everything fits so well! Trim blazers with high arm holes, pleated pants with a tapered leg, slim moto-jackets with subtle hardware. A Parisian man’s closet is filled with well made basics. Not flashy colors or synthetic fabrics. And he just reaches in each morning, grabs a few things and somehow looks effortlessly chic every second of the day. Or at least that’s what it looks like.
Not well pressed— there’s a slight rumple about his clothes, but always chic.
…And well groomed.
There is a formula to the styling: Lightweight oxford or tee layered under a sweater, layered under a blazer or jacket (French men love layering) a scarf (cashmere in the Winter, silk or linen in the Spring) and of course, a well maintained pair of classic dress shoes.
I wore sneakers the whole time because I’m an American (though these happen to be from a French brand), but most men wear leather oxfords, brogues or monk straps.
I mean, I’m making BROAD generalizations here. Not every Parisian dresses the same. Not every New Yorker does either. But the biggest difference seems to be fit and layering.
I partnered up with agnès b., a French brand that has been around since 1975, to try and nail the look. Agnes’ mantra is “I want to make clothes that can be kept for a lifetime.” That means extremely well made and versatile classics. I went straight for the iconic Breton tee and paired it with a linen-blend cardigan and fitted denim bomber. Hoping I look casually chic…. what do you think?
The entire time I was in Paris, I stuck to a strict camel/cream/navy color palette, but agnès b. isn’t afraid of color. Check out their full collection here and let me know if you have a different take on Parisian style!! I'm already making a list of everything I should have done (and eaten) for next time!