Parisian men's style: Dressing Like A Parisian
Parisian style emphasizes subtle elegance, quality necessities, and standout items, with a casual savoir faire. The Parisian style is characterized by devotion to basic tailoring principles and timeless menswear clichés, unlike the Italian practice of'sprezzatura' (the art of seeming casual). His style is characterized by a limited color palette, a leaner form, and a blend of sophisticated business casual and vintage pieces.
Of course, Paris is home to many distinct fashion tribes, each of which deserves its own dissertation, so we've selected our fave features that we believe best represent current French style as a whole. Fashion changes with the times, yet Parisian style seems to have a timeless quality of its own.
Work your niche?
The elegant Parisian knows his path and sticks to it. Religiously. He has established his 'look', and he seldom deviates from it - to the point that it becomes part of his personality.
His specialty might be a limited color palette rather than a certain clothing genre or tribe. He may only wear blue, white, and a few neutrals, or his shape may be strictly slender and all black. He may blend vintage casualwear with high-end luxury tailoring, but he clearly understands how he wants to show himself to the world. This self-assurance adds to Parisian confidence.
It doesn't imply that your style can't change over time, but it will appear and feel a lot more unified if you master key elements along the way.
Take the fundamentals to the bank.
The Parisian pays close attention to detail and does not skimp on wardrobe staples. That's because his concept of fundamentals is likely far wider than most. For example, a well-tailored blue suit jacket or blazer is considered a fundamental since it is so important in daily Parisian style. These pieces, like white T-shirts and basic shoes, have become wardrobe mainstays due to their versatility and ability to complement many ensembles.
As a result, the Parisian places a high value on quality. Investing in high-quality staples, like shirts and jeans, may elevate your whole wardrobe.
Tailored for your body?
French design manufacturers have always favored sleek tailoring, despite recent trends towards more loose and boxy silhouettes.Regardless of trends, the sophisticated Parisian silhouette fits and flatters the body rather than hiding it. Suit forms are notably thin, with small lapels being the standard.
Hedi Slimane is generally credited with introducing the thin, rock 'n' roll image to Paris, although it was already there since discriminating Parisians avoid new forms. Naturally, all of this necessitates the proper waistline, which many Frenchmen seem to maintain despite the fact that patisseries can be found on every corner.
Mixing sophisticated and casual?
In some arrondissements, notably Le Marais, Parisians often wear a great combination of casual sportswear and fitted outerwear. It may be a statement streetwear sweatshirt paired with a tailored coat, or a pair of sweatpants and shoes with a belted mackintosh or technical parka.
That combination of athletic and tailored outerwear is a fantastic Parisian creation; on the one hand, it exudes prestige owing to the statement overcoat, while on the other, it says volumes about Parisian casualness and confidence. It's as if to say, "What is this? "Oh, these are just some things I threw together," yet each aspect was meticulously studied.
AMI, a French menswear brand, handles this very well season after season; check out their prior presentations for ideas.
Be colorblind?
What is the easiest method to appear Parisian? And make your life simpler to boot. Wear just black, navy, and white. On the surface, it may seem monotonous, but limiting your color pallet to three or four basic tones forces you to focus on form and texture rather than the things you can't go wrong, such as patterns or brilliant colors.
A loose, unstructured blue suit with a high-quality white T-shirt one day, a tonal navy knitted polo the next, or white pleated chinos and tan loafers instead of pants.Alternatively, pair slim black denim jeans with black Chelsea boots and a knitted polo shirt, then cover with a grey suede trucker jacket. You get the idea.
Working with a limited color palette may actually increase your creativity, not decrease it, as the fashionable Parisian has long recognized.
Killer pieces of outerwear
Whether it’s a vintage trench coat by Burberry or a sublime leather blouson by Berluti, stylish Parisians invest in outerwear. It’s the part of your look with the biggest bang for your buck since it takes up the most visible area of your personal real estate. Hence, it makes sense to pour your hard-earned cash into pieces that are going to be admired and remembered.
In the spring and summer, think suede truckers, lightweight linen or cotton blousons, and push the boat out. In the winter months, go big on trenches and voluminous wool coats. It’s the one element of the Parisian look where you can afford yourself a little extravagance.
