Sunday, January 23, 2022

What To wear in Paris, Jan Letter


While chasing around Paris after black truffles, galette des rois and rue Cler

I kept seeing the message tote bags everyone is carrying, 
Instead of this year’s designer ‘it’ bag. Or in addition to.
Over and over, big white running shoes 👟 available in all price points. Some by Prada for a grand+
Are de rigueur this winter and with a flash of bare ankle showing. And the temp is in the 30’s-low 40’s.
Speaking of ankles, this year’s black leather ankle boots 🥾 have laces and buckles. Girl on the right with bare ankles and essential winter accessory - un petit chien 🐶 The print du jour (on the left) is léopard 🐆 in a fausse fourrure. Le Grande Epicerie pastry counter on Saturdays is a good place to people watch.
Another look- black pantalon de jogging tucked inside. 
The color palette 🎨 as usual is neutrals.
Which brings us to Netflix series, Emily In Paris. No Parisians dress like Emily. No one. Period. Checkout comments of youtuber Hautelemode.
To keep up with Parisian haute couture follow Loic Prigent with subtitles in multi-languages.
With so much Paris fashion in my sight lines, drawing ✏️  a January fashion letter was a must-do. Its up on Etsy. One thing that never goes out of style in Paris is big fluffy bears 🐻 Stay warm PBers xxx ❤️💋😊

23 comments:

  1. Parisiennes are so savvy…they invest in a great quality black wool coat and/or trench that will last them many years. It really doesn’t matter what’s underneath…they always look very polished. Black leather coats/jackets also never seem to go out of style.

    I remember all the advice years ago…”never wear sneakers in Paris, especially WHITE ones…everyone will know you’re an American tourist”! Hilarious. Like the kid in the too big sweater telling us what we ought to wear! I do love Sophie Fontanel. She is a great role model.

    Yesterday a blogger posted, “never wear a beret in Paris, you’ll look like a tourist”. Having just spent two months in Paris, I can tell you that berets are everywhere…worn by French women of every age and class.

    Love your January Letter, Carol. This is such a fun subject…and don’t we all go to Paris to ogle the locals to see what they’re wearing?? ❤️

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  2. Sybilla12:18 PM

    OMG❣️ I want a car full of giant teddy bears! So fun!

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  3. Parisiens always look chic and put together no matter what they wear. Emilys clothes make me laugh because Americans wouldn't wear those get-ups either.

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  4. Carol,
    Emily's clothes are as wonderful as that Fendi ad in your piece.
    They make me happy. I see the Paris street clothes here on my grandchildren who are "thrifters." I was going to send the column's video to my granddaughter but realized she dresses that way already.
    Anyway, it is all visual fun for me.
    Sally



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  5. Love your fashion posts..pretty much what Montrealers wear..Or near where I live..a sea of neutrals.
    I just found a new instagrammer I love her looks..I can't wear the hats she wears but the way she puts casual together is adorable..
    A reader of yours..Ga ..shared a tv show with me and I devoured it.
    Netflix..all French..
    The Paris Agency..season 2 has just started in France..can't wait for it here.
    I love the family,from the youngest to Majo the 87 yr old matriarch..so full of fun and life she is.
    glad I bought black boots;)
    The aquarelle is very fun.

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  6. Anonymous3:50 PM

    I think everyone in your pictures look chic but all that black is very depressing in winter. I like to use black as the background color but add a sweater or scarf with color. I love pink with black. Remember all the elegant women with large colorful scarfs, folded in a triangle, draped over the shoulder.

    Many years ago while in Paris I noticed the gorgeous scarfs and handbags which the beautiful women always wore. And always lipstick. Masks have eliminated lipstick. Too bad!
    They looked so nice but I think that here in US and perhaps, in France also, everyone is dressed too casual.
    The lockdowns and working from home in one"s pajamas has had an terrible effect on most of us, esp. the younger.

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  7. Emily's wardrobe to me just screams Carrie Bradshaw 2.0 and it really doesn't work that great.

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  8. you brighten my day. Thank you. Love your perspective, your humor, your ease.

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  9. Miggsey, the same designer, Patricia, Fields does both shows, so you have a good eye.

    Anonymous, blame it on the US, the influx of running, running shoes and maybe Netflix. People want to be comfortable. They want to relax all the time. Certainly Lockdown made things worse. I admit I loved not having to put on lipstick. Or a bra everyday :))
    Casual dressing is here to stay (décontracté here). There is a lot more color and fun when the weather warms up.

    You’re absolutely right Suki :)) Nobody would wear Emily’s clothes. If only she wasn’t such a jerk. Her manner matches her clothes imho :((

    Monique, Montrealers are French..i.e. so they are chic. Neutrals have always been IN here.

    Sally, thrifting is Very big here too. Younger people want to recycle. I was going to add it in Vinted.com

    So true Bonnie. I am always perplexed how the French take up American trends, but they make them Frenchy!
    Go figure.

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  10. Jasmin8:20 PM

    This was a fun issue seeing what is being worn in Paris. Doesn't look so different than here. Like all the Teddy Bears.

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  11. THANK YOU Monique for mentioning Netflix L’Agence!
    I need this show so bad for learning French. It’s parfait!!!
    It beats out Emily. And Jacques Garcia in the 1st episode!!
    Plus Fr Netflix has english subtitres👏👏👏
    An all-round winner 🏅

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  12. Anonymous12:02 AM


    Top Debutante Ball In The World:
    Le Bal Des Debutantes/Paris Crillon Ball - 2007 -
    Here’s a young Lilly Collins, from the United Kingdom, dressed by Chanel.

    https://youtu.be/CPkPDAbk97E

    Just saying...
    Maria Russell

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  13. Barbara1:29 AM

    Thank you for such a charming post!
    As usual, I just delight in all things "Paris" - my mini getaway - when I read your posts.

    Wishing you a lovely week! :-)

    Stay warm!

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  14. Thanks very much Barbara
    Paris is fortunately always warmer 🧣 than the US in winter 🙏 merci deux

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  15. Hi Mary!
    LillyCollins is terrific in anything outside of EIP
    They are wasting her talent with the stupid script and dumb, clichéd characterization imo.
    Very pretty at le Crillon of course. I once stayed there for a WEEK as a shoe designer. They let us take those Crillon bathrobes home back in the day…
    Ah…the good ole days 😊

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  16. This Paris letter is amazing. Such detail. I am sure you slaved over it. I really don’t know when you find the time to do all you do.

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  17. Really late to the table this time in reading your post. I was busy trying to figure out which joggers, white tennis shoes, message bag to wear yesterday. Not to mention trying to brush up on my French by watching THE PARIS AGENCY!!!
    It was fun seeing what is happening fashion wise on the streets of Paris. That's one of the great pleasures of sitting at a cafe & watching a fashion show pass by.
    Thanks Carol.

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  18. I love this post! Always great to see what Parisians are wearing and think "ah, if only I was that chic" and then go happily back to wearing my favourite, not-chic, things. Thankfully I've not seen Emily in Paris but have seen enough stills to make me sigh, roll my eyes and decide it's really not pitched for me. And that's okay. Apart from the lazy stereotyping, which is never okay.

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  19. So glad the consensus is that no one wears those clothes!! However, I'm so wrapped up in watching the scenes of the city, I don't even notice the clothes half the time! Sometimes I pause so I can really look at the views. sigh.

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  20. Anonymous12:24 PM

    Would be interested in seeing how older women are dressed dans les rues de Paris.
    Enjoy your blog.
    Andrea

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  21. Hi Andrea, I did do a post on the olderFrench girl many years back. Now I find it invasive to shoot older women…though the woman on the bus was older.

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  22. Bonjour Carol,
    I just discovered your blog (after reading a Karen Wheeler book- she recommended your blog as one of her favourites) it’s wonderful, thank you!
    I am a Francophile living in Sydney.
    After a long stint of closed borders I am looking forward to a trip to France this September!
    Thank you for all the information on Paris, I can’t wait to be there again ♥️
    Warm Regards, Cat


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  23. Bienvenue to Parisbreakfast Cat !
    Thank you for stopping by.
    I miss Karen..wonderful writer 👏

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