Children's Clothing

As a baby-obsessed lover of fashion and god mother to three of the cutest kids ever, I am always finding the best clothes to dress them in, and constantly on the look out for the latest children's styles and trends.  Since moving to Paris, I have found that not only are the adults--men and women alike--impeccably dressed, but so are the kids, and they are sometimes in better outfits than me (although I don't like to admit this).  From fur to Fendi, Parisian children are never without the latest and greatest clothing and accessories; even if they are not extremely expensive.  One of the most vivid images I have of a Parisian child is one who was wearing loafers with corduroy pants with a belt, a button up shirt and a coat with a fur trimmed hood.

{source: http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1210409/thumbs/o-ALONSO-MATEO-570.jpg?1)

First of all, this was one of the most well dressed children I have seen in person, who seemed to find this sort of attire both comfortable and familiar.  While this was definitely not the only child I have seen dressed this way, I find that the younger they are (those who are obviously dressed by their parents) are much more stylish than those who may pick out their own daily outfits.  My amazement of the stylishly dressed children of Paris is not to say there are not stylishly dressed children back in the states, it is more so that I find the majority of children in Paris to be dressed extremely well, where as American children are usually dressed for comfort and to be able to get dirty throughout the day, more so than they are dressed for style.  This idea that children are dressed well in Paris is reinforced by the extremely stylish and trendy children's departments of the major department stores around Paris.

My trips to Galleries Lafayette and Printemps have always brought me to the extremely large and entirely hip children's departments.  While big department stores back in the States definitely carry most of this same clothing, somehow seeing the large selection in Paris makes the notion that Parisian children are very well dressed, that much more real.  All in all, I am loving the sort of fashion show put on by children all over Paris, and often find myself inspired by the outfits they wear!

It's In the Bag

On most college campuses backpacks are the norm with the occasional nylon tote, those totes being from the French company Longchamp. Before coming to Paris I anticipated less backpacks and more Louis Vuitton. What I actually saw was surprising.

I decided to keep a tally of the different bags I saw on my way to and from school. I only counted the bags on women that appeared to be around my age. My oh so scientific survey was broken down by style and color. The styles I saw were Cross Body Bags (12), Shoulder Bags (6) Typical French Designer Bags [Chanel, LV, Hermes] (5), Totes (4),  Longchamps (3), and Backpacks (2). It should be noted that the backpacks that I saw were not your typical Jansport backpacks either, they were leather, but in general they aren't popular because they scream "tourist" and make the person wearing it susceptible to the infamous pick-pocketers. In comparison, cross body bags are easy to protect from theft and can be worn both on your shoulder and across your body. Now, when it comes to color you would think Black would be the clear cut winner right? Wrong! Black and Brown were tied at 7 each, followed by Red (6,) Tan (5), Gray (3), and Yellow and Green each had 1. Some other things I noticed were that one American Designer in particular was extremely popular when it comes to bags over here. I saw numerous Marc Jacobs purses throughout the day, more than any other designer. I guess his stint at Louis Vuitton made him popular with the French?

It's Brown, Marc Jacobs, AND a Cross Body! C'est Parfait!

Most college women love a good tote bag, and there are some great French options besides the cliche Longchamp (not that there is anything wrong with a Longchamp!). Some of the totes I saw were leather and not recognizable in terms of a designer. Most of the totes, however, were Vanessa Bruno. If you don't know Vanessa Bruno here is a picture of one her totes, which are extremely popular in Paris and come in various colors. 

Who knew the French would love sequins?

And there you have it! The handbag how-to's of Paris. So next time you're looking for a school bag, think like the French and ditch the backpack!

Gyms...in Paris?

As an active member of the gym back home I joined a gym within four days of my semester in Paris. The gym is called Cercles De La Forme and is located in the 11^th district. The gym is filled with people of all ages and different socioeconomic statuses. After joining the gym I immediately noticed the differences in fashion. Almost every person that walks in and out of the gym is dressed in their clothes they wore that day. Their hair is still perfectly aligned, makeup is still matted as if it was put on earlier that morning and their shoes have not yet been changed into sneakers. After entering the gym each member goes into their designated locker room and changes into their gym clothes. Then, after their workout is complete they go back into the locker room, potentially take a shower and then change back into their regular clothes from that day.

             

     After being a member of various different gyms in America for the past seven years I can confidentially say this is not the same in the states. Having fashionable workout clothes to sport during the day is currently the trend. Brands like Lulumeon, Athletica, Nike and Lucy are all companies that have figured out a way to dress men and women in daily trendy workout attire. Of course there are certain people in America that go to the gym from work or class and change into their gym clothes however it is not a “cultural” thing. Here…it is.

           

      I am a student a Pennsylvania State University but when talking to girls from all over the states about what they “sport” to class they have a very similar responses. They would tell you, “I wear gym clothes, even if I’m not going to the gym that day.” It is a way for females to dress comfortably, show off their bodies and not have to change if they do decide to go to the gym later that day.

             

     People who work out in Paris are in their workout clothes ONLY to work out…those in America rep it all day long.

Keep reading for the next post on what exactly they are wearing…

The Little Black Bootie

 One major staple we have identified since being in Paris, and Europe in general, is a simple bootie.  Tall boots are out, and are a sure fired way to be pegged as an American.  Back home, it needed to be a very special occasion to get me into a pair of heels, but after one week here, I fell into the grasps of Parisian fashionistas and I had to buy a pair of Little Black Booties.

I see them on the metro, hear them clattering down the sidewalk, they are anywhere and everywhere.  I have not yet managed to incorporate them into my everyday ensemble, but they are a must for the night life in Europe.  Just this past weekend, I had three friends visit that are studying in Barcelona, all of whom brought with some form of short boot with a heel.  This craze for a short boot has gone international, and I can only imagine it popularized right here in Paris first.   

In America, any kind of heel for daily routine like grocery shopping, laundry, and other frumpy errands seems a bit ritzy, but here dressing down for public activity is frowned upon.  Even if said Parisian's outfit is not that over the top, they are almost always paired with a heeled bootie.  The practicality of a bootie trumps high heels due to the fact that they are easy to walk in, yet bring an overall fashionable finish to any outfit.  

Depicted below is the first "European staple" I have purchased since being here.  Though I don't think I'll ever give up on my tall boots, incorporating simple items such as this will help in our journey to assimilate into daily European life.

The Meaning Behind our Long, Puffy Coats

Leggings, a baggy sweater, combat boots, and a long, puffy North Face-like jacket. Where I come from, this is the accepted form of apparel for almost any occasion. However, it was almost instantaneous when I realized this ensemble would not work in the fashion capital of the world.

It was only too soon that I was able to answer one of the most frustrating questions I had been asking myself since day one in Paris: how can all of these people tell that I am an American, before I even open my mouth to speak? The answer: my long puffy coat told them from a mile away.

Walking down the streets of Paris is like sitting in the front seat at a fashion show, no matter where you are. In the photo below is your average “Parisienne” on the metro. She is wearing a fur jacket, leather pants, her hair is in a bun on top of her head, and she casually holds a chic bag to pull the look together. Not to mention, she is wearing all black – the staple color for the women of Paris. This woman, I believe, would not be caught dead in workout pants or a large puffy jacket.

            No matter how fashionable one is in the United States, I believe it would be an adjustment for any one to try to blend in and dress as the people of Paris do.

            Our fashion sense differs greatly from that of “la Parisienne.” We cling to our high boots, large jackets, and bright colors, and see nothing wrong with them. At home, these staple articles of clothing are accepted and even admired. However in Paris, that is surely not the case.

            Every week I notice a new detail of the typical Paris woman’s every day fashion, and every day I try to think about my Americanized wardrobe, and how I can change it to incorporate that detail. It is going to be hard, and it is going to take a lot of time, but my hope is to learn as much as I can from the women of Paris, and incorporate their style into my own. My first plan of action: find the most chic coat that I can and say au-revoir to my puffy black one. 

About Us

This is a blog about fashion styles--similarities and differences--across national boarders.  The concept of Style Across Borders was born out of the many travels that we--students studying abroad in Paris--have had and will have throughout Europe.  As we embark on our adventures across the continent, we will document and report on the local styles and how they are alike or dislike fashions that we are accustomed to or have adopted while living in Paris.  Each week we will either post on our international fashion observations or what we newly discover in Paris.  The contributors of this blog are five American female college students, studying abroad for the first time.  As we are immensely passionate about fashion we are extremely interested to see how our personal styles are influenced while immersed in a different culture, as well as the changing style across borders.