Genuine tips on how to dress like a chic Parisian (from a real Parisian)

Feb 14, 2018

As a Parisian living in Dublin, it didn't take long for me to spot the differences between my sense of style and my Irish girlfriend's. First, my hair is never done. Second, I wear a lot more black. Thirdly, I wear more makeup on a daily basis, but WAY less on a evening out.

That might shock you, but Irish girls are actually much more into fashion than us French, in the seasonal meaning of it. In Paris especially, we don't care that much about trends, what we are looking for is style.

As Coco Chanel herself once put it: "La mode se démode, le style jamais" (basically, fashion goes out of fashion, style never does).

The number one rule of Parisian style (and probably the only valid rule) can be summed up in one simple word: effortless.

Parisian girls do not want to look like they put a lot of thinking into their look, either in their clothes or in their makeup. We like natural, I-woke-up-like-this kinda style.

Our favourite makeup look? By far, the no-makeup makeup.

In all fairness though, a Parisian girl can also spend hours moaning in front of her closet because she has NOTHING to wear. She is human after all, and far from perfect.

What would really differentiate us from Irish girls is that most Parisian would go out at night in the exact same clothes they would wear during the day. They might go for a red lip to look a bit done but that's pretty much it. In general, Parisian style is quite understated and plain compared to Irish style. Think minimalist accessories and simple well tailored clothes.

To help you tackle the Parisian look, here are some basic items you need in your closet. I know, that's a LOT of black.

Now, have fun with the mix and match!