By Ines Borne for 90 Suits Paris
The series highlighting Lily Collins has divergent opinions. If abroad the opinions are generally very positive, reviews are bitter in France : so cliché, too watered down and does not reflect reality. The same goes for the outfits !
Abroad, the looks are clearly welcome while in France, French do not necessarily find them accurate regarding Parisian fashion. And yet this is not necessarily true, especially since two of the series stylists are indeed French.
Let’s analyze some looks that certainly apply to current French fashion and see which Parisian brands are enhanced through the famous series!
The blazer
The blazer is often worn by Lily Collins but diverted from its traditional aesthetic. It comes in particular with the Vichy print, a typical French print. Indeed, this print was made popular by none other than Brigitte Bardot.
As an integral part of Emily in Paris closet, the blazer is overrepresented in the streets of Paris : oversized and borrowed from the men’s wardrobe, or fitted with nothing underneath in order to bring a touch of femininity and elegance. Moreover, the blazer continues to be one of the Spring-Summer 2022 must-haves.
The tweed
Who says tweed says Chanel and who says Chanel says France.
The tweed is still very popular among Parisians who want to be easily chic. Moreover several French ready-to-wear brands such as Maje, Claudie Pierlot and Sandro have declined the tweed in smooth and pastel colors in order to change from the classic black, white or navy blue tweed.
Below is the main character of the series wearing a Balmain pink tweed mini skirt.
Louboutin heels
Christian Louboutin, a Parisian designer of luxury shoes well known for its red sole, is deeply enhanced in the series. Many French celebrities including Marion Cotillard continue to perpetuate the popularity of the high end shoe brand.
The beret
Sometimes cliché, the beret is nevertheless still much appreciated by French women. In reality, it is not necessarily caricatural and can be stylized to add a true value to the outfit. The key is to succeed in diverting it from the traditional sailor/beret/baguette association!
Use bright or light colors in order not to lock yourself in with the strict black beret, make it unique with a brooch, wear it in a rock n roll style combined with a leather trench coat and ankle boots… There is no shortage of ideas, as these head-wears lend themselves to a wide variety of styles.
More casual looks
In general, it is true that Parisians tend to favor more casual and comfortable outfits. They will therefore choose pants rather than a skirt or a dress.
The second outfit would be even more Parisian if the heels were replaced by a pair of sneakers.
If the crop top is a must for the youngest, leggings are still widely worn. In addition pants are rarely skinny cut but rather flare, boyfriend or even cigarette cuts.
But then what’s wrong with the looks of the show?
Why are Emily in Paris outfits so strongly criticized by the French when several pieces from the series are nevertheless worn in everyday life ? Because it’s not really about the cut or the style but rather it’s about the colors!
Indeed most of the characters in the series dress in very bright colors. However, apart from the summer season when the colors are more sparkling, the French wear the rest of the year a much more sober color palette with beige, camel, black, gray or taupe tones for instance. Even if Paris is a city where the plurality of styles is a real wealth, outfits in flamboyant colors are less common. It is this nuance in particular that makes the looks of the series not unanimous. Thus the same outfits in the series with sober and darker colors would be more faithful to current Parisian fashion.
High heels are also out of step with the real looks of the capital! Most Parisians wear way more flat shoes on the street than high heels. Therefore they wear sneakers, sandals or derbies. Parisians sometimes put on the famous Louboutin heels or even high heels by Dior, YSL and Roger Vivier nevertheless more for special occasions rather than in everyday life. Indeed, it is difficult to walk in Louboutin on the paved streets of the French capital.
Finally, several strong pieces are associated together and worn in the same look in the series. These strong pieces stand out and give relief to outfits. On the other hand in reality, Parisians limit themselves to a single strong item, such as a designer bag or an original accessory for example. Most of Emily in Paris outfits would therefore be worn in everyday life, however, with fewer strong pieces, more neutral colors and more comfortable shoes !
