French Street Fashion

People have many stereotypes. Especially towards the other nations. Some of them are not merely stereotypes but the very truth, while the other are a complete falsehood.

Before going to Paris and meeting the Parisians I used to think the capital citizens are all dressed-up, as if they have just went down the catwalk. And I was surprised when I saw the Parisians with my own eyes. They turned out to be dressed like millions of Europeans - each in his or her way. I mean there are people who keep up with the latest fashion trends and wear only Gucci or Prada. But there are many of them who wear inexpensive brands and don't care about the caprices of vogue.

So I got interested in the subject. I decided to ask people in the Paris streets what they are in and why.

She is a designer and names Pierre Cardin her favourite fashion designer. She answered positively when I asked her if she wore her own clothes. She also buys them in different shops. For instance she likes Morgan and drops in at H&M. She said she doesn't keep up with the latest trends and creates her own style.

He is an extremely interesting personality I should say. Very elegant and stylish in spite of his age (he's about 70). He said he is cut out to be a man of fashion. He buys clothes in luxurious designer boutiques but doesn't follow the fashion laws. He said he would never put on a thing at the season he bought it. No sooner than in a couple of years, he added.

A young couple I talked to turned out to be Scandinavians. They stand out against the background of the other people by an impressive appearance: the girl wears leggings and a shirt with a belt over it. The guys buy clothes at second-hand shops and never read fashion magazines.

It's difficult to live in Paris if you wear clothes that are bright and out of style. But he got used to eccentric items and doesn't care about the opinion of the society. He prefers to buy clothes at open-air bazaars choosing things he likes. He said he doesn't keep to any style because he's an actor and he is fond of transformations.
In northeastern regions of the city live expatriates from Arab and African countries people dress quite differently. They prefer to buy clothes in small stores run by their compatriots. The goods at such stores are of a simple cut, gleam with silver and gold and are decorated with different ethnic elements. Golden rings and big bracelets are all the fashion here. Girls wear jeans with strass and flaring tops, guys sport peaked caps and golden bangles, corpulent women prefer to wear African turbans.

I found out that overwhelming majority of the youngsters do the shopping. Lots of them like vintage stores. Sometimes the prices there are so high that the youngsters can afford to pay a visit there only on special occasions. Lots of young people favour second-hand shops. All in all I can say that most Parisians combine things: they wear some brand items with interesting accessories, things brought from abroad trips or articles found in the Grandmother's wardrobe.

Paris, French fashion, sneakers

Paris-bound tourists are often of the opinion that French women are die-hard fashion victims. This claim is definitely exaggerated, though access to stylish clothing is heavily facilitated in Paris where women magazines dictate what's fashionable and what's not.

In my humble opinion, perennial tastes look very much alike in Paris and New York City. Globalization tends to homogenize fashion, making work-a-day wear similar in large cities.

No matter, the sneaker concern remains valid. Sneakers are now such a commodity in the US, how is it in Paris?

The generally accepted business dress code in France usually bars sneakers from entering the corporate environment, except for low-level positions. Thus the Parisian woman wears good-looking city shoes to go to work, unless the business which employs her cultivates a sporty image in which sneakers find a natural home.