Parisian Trend Board: Fall '13

In addition to jeans and converse, we've noticed some very dominating trends in Paris during our past two months in the capital - as displayed in the beautifully crafted (if we do say so ourselves) trend board below by Jamie et moi:

After taking about an hour just sitting at a cafe and snapping pictures of Parisians in their natural habitat, we looked back on our photos for commonalities between them and fashion magazines we've picked up over the weeks (Vogue Paris, Jalouse, and Le Magazine du Monde). Three striking similarities hit us: denim & chambray (left), stripes (center), and cross-body bags (right). These three classic, enduring trends are clearly so in Paris this fall.

Denim will forever be a go to - but not just in jeans anymore. We've seen almost too many people rocking the denim jackets and chambray tops. However one thing we have noticed in Paris is that people appear almost more willing to wear the Canadian Jumpsuit look - AKA denim on denim - here than we've seen as frequently in the States. Weather it's a denim jacket with jeans or a chambray top and denim vest, the Canadian Jumpsuit is surprisingly everywhere.

Stripes are a nautical, Parisian classic - what does one picture about Parisian fashion if not stripes? And this trend is as popular as ever this fall. Designers show it in diagonals and with bright neons on the runways, while we saw the classic black & white horizontal stripes in our street style observations.

Finally the cross-body bag is an obvious go-to for practicality on the Parisian streets, even if some of the audience doesn't wear the long strap across the body and instead down by one side. Small cross-body clutches are definitely in Paris this summer - from Chanel to H&M.

Overall, classics remain classics and practical wear-ability remains practical wear-ability in Paris this season, not unlike in our hometowns across the East and West Coasts of the USA.

à bientôt,

xx taylor

Read about Taylor's adventures in Paris on her blog, A Marketing Major and on her tumblr.

Marion Cotillard as a Fashion Icon for Americans

Paris is unarguably an impactful global fashion force. This can be seen not only in the reproductions around the world of the street style, the grand-scale Fashion weeks every spring and fall, and the simple, chic day-to-day life; but also in the way their celebrities are admired and copied around the world. A clear example of this in the fashion world today is Marion Cotillard.

Marion Cotillard was born on September 30, 1975 in Paris France. Her family was full of actors, directors, writers and the like, so she pursued an artistic and creative lifestyle from a very early age. She appeared in a number of roles in both Hollywood and French films, but her breakthrough role came in 2007 as Édith Piaf in La Vie En Rose. She won an Oscar for her performance, and has since been cast in a number of roles with very little similarity to each other. Her ability to remain true to herself while portraying a number of vastly different characters also translates to her fashion sense.

She is so classically Parisian, and yet her style is easily commutable to Americans, whatever their proclaimed and differing fashion styles are. Below are examples of her wearing a particularly Parisian look, the Little Black Dress, in a number of different ways.

Photo: Tim Whitby/Getty Images for BFI Photo: Alo Ceballos/FilmMagic

 
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic Photo: Michael Tran/Contributor/FilmMagic

Photo: Getty, Landmark/PR Photos, style.com

American fashion is known for being trendy, innovative, risky, and bold. There isn't exactly a "classical" American fashion type, because it has been growing and transforming since it's inception. However, when we dress classically, we pull inspiration from those who have been doing the classical look for so long; for us, this is the Parisians. Marion Cotillard is a perfect muse for a developing American fashionista, because she remains so true to herself and has really perfected her look. At the same time, however, she is certainly not afraid to experiment regularly with colors, shapes, patterns, textures, and materials. She gives everyone something to work with. 

Photo: Getty, Landmark/PR Photos, style.com Photo: Paul Warner/WireImage

Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images Photo: Jon Furniss/WireImage

Photo: Jun Sato/WireImage Photo: Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Photo: Ferdaus Shamim/WireImage Photo: Matt Sayles/AP/Corbis

Photo: Landmark/PR Photos, Getty

As an American studying abroad in Paris, I consistently look to Marion Cotillard for inspiration. While she is a bold example, and certainly everyone in Paris does not dress like her on a daily basis, she captures a certain essence which is relatable for Parisians and Americans alike. I like to think that Hollywood had some influence on her fashion sense as well, therefore transmitting Hollywood and Parisian styles across fashion borders.

-Zoë

Blue, Skinny, Boyfriend, Flare, Ripped... -Theres a Pair of Jeans for Everyone

Before I left for France I spent weeks and weeks doing research online to try and figure out the best items of my closet to pack in order to blend in as much as I can here in Paris rather than look like a total baseball cap wearing American. No I don't wear baseball caps or fanny packs on a regular basis in the states but I was still worried that there would be something about me that would stick me out from the crowd of Parisians and I wanted to try an avoid that as much as possible.

Serena from the TV show Gossip Girl was often seen wearing jeans despite her high New York socialite status. 

I often look to her character for fashion ideas.

So through my research I read blog post after blog post telling me that Parisians don't wear jeans and that I should limit my packing of them to 1 or 2. For a blue jean loving californian that I am, trying to avoid bringing what I wanted (6 paris of jeans) was probably the hardest part of my packing process. I narrowed my my pile down to 3 pairs (2 blue and one black) and called it quits. I don't think I would have been able to narrow it down any further.

When I got on my flight ( in which I wore leggings because just in case no one was wearing jeans in Paris I wanted to be ready) I instantly noticed that at least 50% of the French passengers were wearing some type of jeans. I thought to myself, maybe they are just wearing them to be comfortable for the 11 hour flight they have ahead of them but no that wasn't the case. After I landed and had spent my first week in paris I noticed just how many Parisians wear jeans, and the number is a lot.
Everywhere you look there is someone young or old wearing the classic so called "American" pant style that the many packing and fashion blogs I looked into before me trip told me I would not see. But I did see them and I have worn them probably 3-4 times every week. I even purchased 2 more pairs here in paris so I would have some more variety, because when it comes to jeans, even the simplest of pairs need to have some variety.

The original Levi "blue jean" was invented in 1873 by Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss. The two were able to turn denim, thread and a little bit of metal into the post popular clothing product in the world. Levi Strauss had moved to the gold rush era San Francisco to open a dry goods business in 1853 where he sold clothes, boots and other goods to the small retail stores of the American West. He teamed up with Jacob Davis a tailor from Reno, Nevada to create and patent work wear riveted-for-strength made of brown cotton duck and true blue denim. On May 20, 1873 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent to Levi Strauss & Co. and Jacob Davis for their invention. This is how the blue jean, called the "XX" at the time, was born. In 1890 the original XX blue jean was given its iconic lot number 501, which was later trademarked as a style.

Today I think it is safe to say that everyone in France and the United States no matter where they spend their time or the culture they belong to have at lease one pair of jeans in their closets. Jeans come in all sorts of fits nowadays including skinny, tapered, slim, straight, bootcut, high waist, low-rise, flare, boyfriend, crop, as well as now in any color and pattern you can think of. In magazines there are even full spreads now telling women and men how to find the right pair of jeans for their body. Although the blue jean is mostly identified with American culture, as much as the french don't want to admit it, they wear blue jeans almost as much as us americans do.

Both here and in the U.S. I have observed that denim jeans can either be dressed down or dressed up completely which is very comparable to that of the little black dress in which one can do the same thing. I did some research of french designers and their ad campaigns and was able to find many French higher end brands displaying a model wearing a type of jeans. 

 

Jeans are some of the most intimate yet most relaxed item of clothing one can wear because of how they fit the body. Our jeans reflect us as well as, because of the fading nature of the material, reflect the lives we've had in them. Jeans carry a symbol of youth and casualness but also class, which is a combination not really found often in a single item. One can buy a pair of jeans at the Gap or pay the amount comparable to buying a pedigree dog if they so wish. That is what makes jeans so great, they are accessible and acceptable to be worn on everyone. 

To me my jeans are my comfort and my part of America that will ware with me as I travel throughout europe. They will be able to tell a story through their coloring about the good, the bad, the simple and the tough times with a look just as I will be able to say those things out loud. I am grateful that here in France the Parisians wear jeans just as much as I do at home because without my jeans life would not be nearly as comfortable.

As Diana Vreeland said, "Blue jeans are the most beautiful things since the gondola." I would have to agree. Thanks for reading!

-Emily

Converse: the Universal Shoe

This past summer I purchased my first pair of Converse Chuck Taylor Classic's to wear while I am abroad in Paris for the semester. I knew that I would be doing a lot of walking while abroad so I wanted a durable and comfortable shoe to wear. I wanted a shoe that could be worn with many different clothing items. Deciding what clothing items to bring to Paris was hard because I wanted to blend in and not stand out. After talking to people who had studied abroad I felt getting Converse was not a decision I would regret.

My friends collection of Converse 

Converse was founded in 1908 in Malden, Massachusetts by Marquis Mills Converse. It first started off as a rubber company making sneakers and boots for men, women and children. Several years later they started making sneakers for professional basketball players. A basketball player named Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor not only wore the new Converse on the court but became a salesman around the United States for Converse. This is were the classic pair of Converse that many people including me own today got its name, hence Chuck Taylor. The Converse shoe over time began to not just be worn by athletes but rockers, celebrities, as street wear, the youth and so on. (converse.com)

Converse©

Now that you know a little background about the shoe here is where Paris, my Converse and America come together. I have been in Paris for two months and I can say that I wear my Converse about twice a week. When I wear my Converse I do not feel like I stick out in the crowd of fashionable Parisians I walk by each day. To my surprise I have seen many people wearing Converse! While the majority of people that I have seen wearing them have been either in their teens or 20's, I have seen a few older people wearing them too. On multiple occasions I have seen one of the mom's in the building across from me wearing brown high-top Converse on the street with a long skirt. Today I saw the mom walking with her daughter wearing her brown high-top Converse again but this time wearing red pants and a red coat. The Parisian teenagers and twenty years olds wear Converse just as teenagers and twenty-year old wear them in America. The most common way to wear Converse in Paris and America is with jeans.    

Group of friends on a Paris street all wearing different colors of Converse
 

A woman wearing Converse on a street in Paris

Back at my college in Arizona, Converse is quite the popular choice of shoe. My friends wear them as an everyday shoe for class, to sporting games and this past year are starting to swap out heels for Converse! I believe the reason that Converse are such a popular shoe is because not only are they versatile and comfortable but come in several different colors and styles so that you can make them your own. I believe that when someone wears any style of Converse it exposes a little bit of their personality. One common personality trait that I believe wearing Converse portrays is that you are down to earth.

My friends in college swapped out heels for Converse one night, Katherine and Amanda

More of my friends from college wearing Converse

I think that Converse are a universal shoe that is worn the same way in America and Paris. People like to wear Converse because they are comfortable, versatile and you can make them your own. One thing I love about Parisian style is that they pride themselves on being individualistic and I think that wearing Converse helps add to that. Converse is all about being who you are and being comfortable with who you are. When I wear my Converse in Paris I feel confident and comfortable and thats all that matters!    I will leave you with Converses' slogan, "Shoes are Boring. Wear Sneakers"(converse.com)

My friend Emily, Zoë and I in Germany wearing our Converse 

Emily and I at Versailles

Bye for now!
Marina

NYFW vs. PWF

New York and Paris hold their own in fashion, greatly influenced by their cultures. Trends are often influenced by a cultures history and previous lifestyles which held true for New York Fashion week. Runway shows are a performance, often putting together outlandish looks that are unpractical for the typical fashion loving street walker.  Every fashion week I take more note on the attendees, because they turn high fashion looks into something wearable.

NYFW Street Style: While many New Yorkers and fashion week tourists are pushing the boundaries with new looks, they all stay true to the New York Style. Classic black remains a staple, as well as jumpsuits and colorful patterns.  In general, the spring looks are playful and fresh. 

PFW Street Style:  Like New York, Black is the most consistent trend that will continue to be reinvented every season. Throughout the years color has been gradually added to "La Parisienne's" wardrobe. For spring 2014, designers are adding pops of color and geometric inspired shapes. A common trend seen on many street walkers are structured-edgy shaped clothing. Bright colored pattern pants seem to be a common trend between PFW and NYFW.

- Jamie

The All-American Girl's Perspective on Paris Fashion Week

After sending about a million emails, this lucky All-American girl had the opportunity to attend some Paris Fashion Week runway shows and parties.

What Caught an American Girl's Eye

Black on Black on Black.

Of course the presence of overwhelming black at PFW was not a surprise, black is fashionable. Paris is fashionable. PFW is black. Its presence on and off the runways was nevertheless chic and effortless at the same time. However, because this was SS14, the amount of black viewed on the runway was still somewhat surprising, for Yang Li in particular who showed only monotone looks, in comparison with Aganovich's light pinks and pastels as well as brights and neons from designers at Pre-Helsinki, Manish Arora, Issey Miyake, and Ground Zero.

Black at Yang Li

Black at Yang Li

Black & Sneakers outside Yang Li

Black outside Yang Li

Black outside Hexa by Kuho

Black before Hexa by Kuho

Black at Pre-Helsinki

Color

Despite it being collections for next spring and summer, this American girl was surprised to see the overwhelming amount of bright colors at Paris Fashion Week this year - on the models and the attendees. However, while the designers had outfit after outfit filled with bright colors, attendees were more reserved and instead wore one or two accent pieces of color - however, this distinction may be attributed to the fact that it is fall here in Paris but summer on the runways. According to the runways, SS14 looks like it will be filled with bright pinks, yellows, and rich blues.

Color outside Issey Miyake

Color at Ground Zero
Image courtesy of Ground Zero

Color at Ground Zero
Image courtesy of Ground Zero

Color at Ground Zero
Image courtesy of Ground Zero

Color at Manish Arora
Image courtesy of Manish Arora

Color at Manish Arora
Image courtesy of Manish Arora

Color at Manish Arora
Image courtesy of Manish Arora

Color at Hexa by Kuho

Color at Hexa by Kuho

Color at Hexa by Kuho

Color at Pre-Helsinki

Flats & Sneakers

Now not to say that heels were not seen during fashion week, but it was almost as if flats were chicer than heels, which I do not believe would ever happen in LA or New York. Attendees were rocking booties, oxfords, and almost overwhelmingly, sneakers. Not to mention the booties at Aganovich and Vans sneakers at Yang Li. All of these sneaks are beginning to make be think the Converse shoes ads in the Paris metros may be right...

Flats outside Issey Miyake

Flats & Sneakers outside Yang Li

Sneakers outside Yang Li

Sneakers, Sweats & Black outside Pre-Helsinki
This man's shirt is also reminiscent of the plaid we noticed in Paris last week.

Sneakers at Yang Li

Sneakers at Yang Li

Sneakers outside of Hexa by Kuho

Chucks Sneakers after Hexa by Kuho

 

Flat booties at Aganovich

The Sweats Trend

I've got to say, I expected the sweats trend to last a season in NYC and be completely out of style - not running to shows at Paris Fashion Week paired with chic skirts or designer pants. From Acne to Sasu Kauppi, designers are creating beautiful designer sweatshirts and pants that attendees are rocking at fashion week.

Sweatshirts at Pre-Helsinki

Sweatshirt at Acne Studios Party

Sweatshirt, black & sneakers outside Issey Miyake

Sweatshirt before Hexa by Kuho

While there will always be more to say about Paris Fashion Week, these were the details on and off the runway an American eye noticed as totally what she expected, or totally the opposite.

à bientôt,

xx taylor

Read more of Taylor's adventures in Paris on her blog, A Marketing Major.