How To Dress Comfortably Chic: The Parisian Way
With the popular fashion influences of Parisian aesthetics in the past few seasons on Instagram, it’s safe to say that the French know a thing or two about chic styling. While Parisian style does not represent the style of France as a whole, as with any major city to its country, the mere essence of the Parisienne (Parisian) woman is that she always looks amazing without putting much thought into the way she looks. This ease and effortless quality to French style, the ‘je ne sais quoi,’ if you will, is a sense of style that’s highly coveted and surprisingly easy to achieve. Thanks to platforms such as Instagram and Pinterest, we have the ultimate access to the French capital’s fashion elite and everyday style influencers.
1. Caroline De Maigret - Straight Jeans
Photo: @carolinedemaigret
With her chic style and significant presence in the fashion industry, Caroline de Maigret’s style mainly consists of loose fitting tops, relaxed fitting jeans, tennis sneakers, boots, and oversized jackets. The focus piece to achieve Maigret’s effortless rock/Parisian chic look is to wear straight jeans. By nature, these pants are looser than skinny jeans, and the relaxed fit allows you to look stylish while also being comfortable no matter what your plans are for the day. Pair them with a t-shirt, tennis sneakers, and an oversized leather jacket, and you’ll immediately look as chic as Caroline de Maigret.
Shop The Look: Straight Jeans
2. Monica de La Villardière - Trench Coats
Photo: @monicaainleydlv
Trench coats are not only a fall fashion staple, but also the perfect accessory to make it look as if you put a lot of thought and effort into your outfit choice. This ease is perfectly showcased by Paris-based fashion journalist Monica de La Villardière in a recent Instagram post, where she is pictured wearing a navy blue trench coat with a light blue button-up shirt, wide legged jeans, and boots. This piece alone will help you achieve the effortless look of the Parisienne woman, and additionally the piece comes in a variety of colors, cuts, prints, and textures. Whatever your personal style is, you’ll be able to infuse the ease of Parisian style into your wardrobe with the simple addition of a trench coat.
Shop The Look: Trench Coats
3. Franny Fyne - Flat Shoes
Photo: @frannfyne
Since she’s always so busy, or making you think she’s extremely busy, the Parisienne woman doesn’t have time for uncomfortable footwear. Shoes such as tennis sneakers (think Adidas Superstars or Veja V-10’s) as well as loafers are comfortable for walking around all day and stylishly complete any outfit. Franny Fyne, a Paris-based fashion influencer and founder of the Parisian vintage clothes business Yomokoï, often shows in her posts how flat shoes can be just as chic as a pair of heeled boots. Along with being very versatile for your casual outfits, flat shoes further prove the point that you no longer need to compromise comfort for style.
Shop The Look: Flat Shoes
4. Lena Farl - Crew Neck Sweaters
Photo: @lenafarl
Crew neck sweaters are a piece that will never go out of style, and the reason is because of their versatility. Whether you choose to wear a thin version as a layering piece or a chunky knit like Paris-based fashion blogger Lena Farl, this style sweater is perfect for fall’s often in-between weather. Farl’s look featuring a chunky knit crew neck sweater, black cropped trousers, and loafers is perfect to wear for a variety of occasions, from Zoom meetings to trips to the grocery store. In addition to pairing it with trousers, you could also pair your crew neck sweaters with skirts (i.e. a faux leather miniskirt), under dresses, with jeans, or under overalls to try different looks with this key piece.
Shop The Look: Crew Neck Sweaters
