On my recent trip to Paris, I was astonished at the range, diversity, and vivacity of colours and prints popping out of every window display I walked by.
Fashion was of course one of my primary inspirations for my trip, and as I was boarding my Air France flight I was expecting to find plenty of neutrals and monochromes with the occasional splash of a coloured accessory, but I was certainly not expecting SO MUCH COLOUR.
I’ll add one caveat; what I saw in department stores and boutiques—ranging from Mango, Galleries La Fayette and Le Bon March è, to Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Christian Dior—did not quite translate to the style I found on the streets.
From what I observed, French women tend to opt for a base of neutrals or monochromes and offset those with a brightly coloured or stunningly printed top or accessory. The #1 accessory among women (and men—so dapper!) is a scarf. Women opt for beautifully coordinated, often silk, prints and patterns (think Hermès) that complement the colours in their outfits, while men typically wear more understated colours and prints that blend in with their impeccably tailored dinner jackets or blazers—très chic! On a side-note I have never encountered as many stylishly dressed men (think old world Ralph Lauren), as I did in the cafés and streets of Paris.
One other fun fact—the shoes are never an afterthought—they are as much a part of the ensemble as the scarf or blazer and as such equally carefully coordinated with the rest of the look. If an outfit features predominately browns, the shoes will also be a shade of brown; if the look is pastel, the shoes will be as well!
Et voila, a quick synopsis of les couleurs parisiennes!
S.K.