Paris Fashion Week is always simply stunning. Haute Couture, movie star glamour and often a scandal or two thrown into the mix.  Paris is all about the fashion.  Parisians look relaxed about what they are wearing, comfortable in their style choices. It is the way they carry their outfits off simply and stylishly that wins them praise in the fashion style stakes.

According to Stephen Clark’s in his book Paris Revealed he discusses fashion with a female friend who states, “It’s a lot to do with self confidence and sophistication”.

Parisian Style – French Fashion

Whilst strolling the streets of Paris recently on a cultural and fashion based trip these are the things we picked out as things we love about Parisians (male and female use of the term).

Parisian Style: Courtesy of http://befrenchculture.pbworks.com

• A lot of Parisian men wear hats and look dapper. Men look fabulous especially in a good suit and a well cut winter coat. The hats are trilby style, almost in a homage to Cary Grant and his peers, or if they are more provincial, a flat cap
• Men wear scarves for fashion not practicality, it adds a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ to their outfit. Usually a chunky knit, a stripe being popular in purples and blues

Parisian Male Style: Courtesy lbosquejo.blogspot.com

• You get a “Bonjour” in every shop/café/restaurant – a good welcome goes a long way and is always nice
• Older women look smart even if they are just going to the hairdressers or the local shops. They wear suits with silk scarves and look stylish no matter what. But if you notice they now all wear sensible shoes (well most of them!)

Parisian Style Grown Up: Courtesy of Advanced Style Blog

• Women wear heels even on the cobbled streets of Paris. For Autumn the cigarette trouser is in, mainly in black, cropped at the ankle with the heels
• It’s acceptable for a lady to sit outside a café/bar with a glass of white wine, olives and the latest fashion magazine, a perfect way to spend an afternoon whilst waiting for friends to join you
• The cape is still very popular this season. Navy is the colour de jour with a duffle coat button detailing on the front

We also found it amazing that brands of old that are no longer found on the UK high street are still going strong on the Continent. Remember C&A and their Clockhouse childrens range? Or Etam who even have separate Etam Lingerie stores across Paris. They clearly are doing better over here than the likes of Marks & Spencer did.

There is a lot of shopping to do that can be done in Paris. From the European High Street chains to the French boutiques. Paris has a lot of wonderful boutiques you just have to hunt them down. Check out the Rue Blanche for some good boutiques in the 9th arrondissement, close to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.