There is a definite “Parisian Style” that has little to do with navy and white striped T-shirts, berets and red neckerchiefs, or wearing Chanel from head to toe. It’s all about a retro urban ensemble that’s a little worn, a little designer, fairly neutral, full of character, unmatched, eclectic, always accessorized and never sporty.

Parisian street fashion was all about the following looks when we visited last week:

• Skinny jeans, skinny jeans and more skinny jeans. 80% of women across all age groups wore them. Most of the styles weren’t ultra tapered but slick and straight was a key silhouette. I saw three people wear wide-legged pants in six days. Interesting.
• Leggings were still big especially under tunic tops and dresses.
• Monochromatic colours were the norm. Despite the sea of colour available in stores, street fashion stuck to black, grey, white, cream, beige and red. Very little brown and ink blue.
• Cream, white and beige trenches, and cropped black biker jackets were “the” cover-up.
• Sleek tops were tucked into skinny jeans and worn with a belt. Voluminous tunics, blouses and shirts were left un-tucked and often belted at the waist.
• Knitted tops with yoke detailing were popular and virtually everyone wore some form of cropped cardigan. I didn’t see anyone who wasn’t pregnant wear a baby doll top. Woven tops were just as popular as knitted tops.
• White and cream pants or jeans started coming through on warmer days. I didn’t see a single women in khakis or sweat pants. Linen and micro-check bottoms are the French substitute.
• Very few skirts and dresses.
• Ballet flats, ballet flats and more ballet flats. Loads of round toes and few pointy styles. 90% of the women wore flats but heels came out at night. Patent was hot.
• There was an epidemic of grey Converse sneakers. You could spot at least 10 people wearing either grey, black or white retro Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers at any given time. Love it.
• Chunky necklaces, bracelets and rings were the accessory of choice. Very few women wore statement earrings.
• Cream, grey, white and tan handbags were plentiful and large flat totes were a popular choice. Sling bags took a back seat which surprised me.

It’s typical for French women to mix up their items. You’ll see fancy designer shoes worn with cheap H&M jackets, and Prada trenches matched with Converse sneakers. There’s loads of expensive designer merchandise on the streets of Paris, but it seldom looks new and pristine because it’s well worn and braves the elements of dirty city life.

Skinnies and a large tote making their way down Boulevard Henri IV in Paris.

I enjoy comparing retail in the different fashion capitals of the world. Subtle and blatant differences often emerge between the continents because lifestyles, cultures, aesthetic preferences and weather patterns vary. So while in Paris I traipsed to all sorts of retailers. From world renowned exclusive department stores like Galleries Lafayette and Printemps, to Euro chain stores like Zara, H&M, Promod, Etam, Morgan, BGN, Caroll and Zappa. I also put my nose into several upmarket and wholesale boutiques.

Here is what Parisian retail had to offer at the height of its Spring 2008 season:

• Colour, colour and more colour: French stores displayed a sea of colour. Yellow, citron, red, coral, cobalt, lime, orange and emerald green reigned supreme with loads of ‘80’s shocking pink on the way. White, cream and dove grey were next on the list and very little black. Haute couture windows were full of lilac and turquoise merchandise which makes me think those colours are big for mainstream fashion next season.
• Jeans: 70% of all denim was skinny or straight-legged. 30% was boot cut and wide-legged. Wide-legged jeans remain an American fashion trend. Most washes were dark blue, stonewashed or white and no signs of acid wash. All rise lengths were represented, from super low to just above under-bust-point. Denim was very plain. No tears, whiskers, excessive bleaching or embellishment. Just how I like it.
• Pants: All silhouettes were equally represented. Again, styling was plain. No bells and whistles, but instead an emphasis on interesting fabrication and loads of cream and white bottom options. Micro-check pants in gingham, baby hounds tooth and subtle plaids surface every Euro season and stores were once again full of this look.
• Cropped pants: Clamdiggers and bermuda walk shorts were extremely popular, in denim, cotton twill and wool crepe.
• Skirts: There were few around. No denim and if anything, above the knee pencil silhouettes were the “it” skirt style.
• Dresses: Printed fit-and-flare dress were everywhere. From mini to maxi and everything in-between. Shirt dresses and sack dresses were still around but took a back seat.
• Tops: The voluminous trend continues. Bright, printed, drapey, billowing tunic blouses were plentiful and knitted top styles with front yoke detailing were the order of the day. Very few baby dolls, empire cuts and back-tie silhouettes. Generally a lot more availability of woven tops than in America. I adore woven blousy tops, tunics and interesting shirt silhouettes which made this aspect of Parisian fashion heavenly.
• Knitwear: It’s all about the short-sleeved, cropped cardigan layered over just about anything.
• Jackets: Very few trapeze styles, but plenty of trenches, short bolero jackets and classic blazer styles.
• Linen: A European Summer is not the same without a linen epidemic. Linen pants, skirts, tops, tunics, dresses and jackets swamped stores. I’m not fond of linen unless it’s on my dining room table, but it continues to be a hit in France, along with silk, cotton and wool blends. Beige, cream and white remain popular colours for Euro linen product.
• Prints: Floral and global tribal designs were the order of the day, along with polka dots and stripes. No animal prints and virtually no geometrics. Thank goodness there is superior print variety in the US. If I see another loud Sanderson floral maxi dress I’m going to faint.
• Patent: I have never seen so much shine in one season. Real, faux, plain or cracked, you name it and the patent product was there in the colour of your choice. Jackets, coats, belts, bags, shoes, wallets, key rings, pendants, watch straps, headbands, hairclips, hats, luggage and doggie collars. Don’t shop in Paris if you’re not into patent.
• Necklaces: Huge chunky link necklaces (I’m talking links the size of your wrist), and plastic jewelry occupied all accessory departments and jewelry boutiques. Very few chandelier earrings. It’s all about the chunky statement necklace.
• Handbags: You’ll find all handbag styles in Paris. It’s impossible to generalize about silhouettes, but bright colours, white, cream, bone, beige and grey handbags prevailed. Metallics took a back seat.
• Belts: waist cinching belts in all widths and designs are still strong.
• Shoes: Stay tuned. This topic gets its own blog posting.

All in all, there is similarity between American and European fashion right now. Are there any Euro retail trends this season that you miss in America?

Left: the best thing I saw in Paris was this cream patent tote from Sequoia. I already have one, so I had to walk past quickly. Right: the neutral linen look that surfaces in France every season.

Ditsy florals, like those worn by the mannequin on the right, were everywhere. Not my cup of tea.

Welcome to Parisian Week at YLF! A business school reunion took us back to France last week and we have lots to share.

Paris is the home of half French, half Brazilian designer Anne Fontaine. Her products are the ultimate eclectic, yet sophisticated, shirt-and-blouse experience. Her tiny standalone stores are filled with a focused range of white, black and cream shirts, blouses, tunics and knitted tops in an assortment of the finest knit and woven cottons, organzas, linens and silks. Apart from avante-garde belts and necklaces to complement the product, this is the entire collection. It’s impossible to feel overwhelmed in an Anne Fontaine boutique.

My Parisian Anne Fontaine experience left me exhilarated. I was greeted at the door by a sales assistant dressed in one of the collection’s funkier styles. I browsed through both racks and chose six styles to fit while hubby lounged in a huge white chair. I fancied all six tops but it was clear which two were coming home. I was impressed that the sales assistant guessed my size correctly and narrowed down her favourites to the same two styles without my opinion.

I chose two blouses (cream and white) that are fairly simple and streamlined in silhouette, but have dramatic collar and cuff detail. They will act as statement pieces and bridging pieces that I can put together in both modern-classic and funky ways. Imagine the style above tucked into a high-waisted black brocade pencil skirt with fishnet stockings and red patent chunky stacked heels. Or, worn smart casually over dark skinny jeans with a broad black waist-cinching belt and ballet flats. I’ll complete the ensembles with a short strand of chunky pearls and white watch.

These items were not cheap, but I’m a blousy girl and they are investment pieces. Anne Fontaine merchandise is available in the US, Asia and Europe, but her products are most affordable in France.

Anne Fontaine on Rue des Francs Bourgeois in Le Marais, Paris.

Sometimes we fancy a colour that’s unflattering on us, or we look fantastic in a colour that we don’t like to wear. I run into this challenge with clients from time to time and it’s not easy telling someone that they look drab in sage green when it’s their favourite colour. Or when magenta was made for them, but they loath it.

Of course, you also need to know which colours work for your hair colour and skin complexion. Feel free to look at posts in the YLF colour category for some guidance. Here are some recent posts where I talk about different colours and their applicability:

• Colour palette for blondes
• Brunettes in blue
• White, off-white, cream and beige
• Yellow: the unexpected star of the brights
• Citrus + Neon = Citron
• Ink blue: the new black
• Can redheads wear red?
• Mix it up with white
  

I scored with my colour palette. I’m able to wear the colours that I love and I’m happy to leave the ones that I don’t. But this is not the case for everyone. Do you wear the colours that you love despite the fact that they’re not ideal? Do you stay away from colours that look great because you don’t like them?