How Parisians style their jeans
IWAS in Paris last month, mainly for the Swarovski X Neelofa campaign, and the trip was surprisingly amazing considering the windy 6 degrees C weather. The idea of flying to Paris and leaving my daughter on her first birthday is mind-boggling. She is too attached to me. I bring her everywhere — for loaning, fitting, meeting up with designers, wardrobe sourcing (shopping!) and occasionally meeting with my clients — with a nanny by my side, of course.
But I did it, kissed her goodnight and caught my red-eye to Paris. Besides completing my shoot successfully, my goal was to dress stunningly like a Parisian while I was there. And the best part was Paris Fashion Week was on the same week.
The prospect of bumping into celebrities and style stars running from Elie Saab to Dior, Balenciaga and Chanel, excited me. They always do it in style. After all, if you’re going to bring your fashion to A-Game, where else would you do so but the City of Lights?
EYES ON STYLE
With my hotel balcony looking down Place Vendome and overlooking Eiffel Tower, I had a good view. My eyes were fixated on the sidewalks outside for a high fashion stroll. Everyone dressed to the nines all week, experimenting with a lot of colour-blocking, mastering monochromatic style, oversized coats and well, oversized everything and lots of bright colours.
But what inspired me was the way they incorporated “a touch of effortlessness” or “a dash of Parisian” in every outfit they wore. Nothing is OTT with a Parisian. There must be one key piece that grounds the whole look together.
And I realised that the key outfit formula is denim and a band T-shirt. Which is amazing since 99 per cent of us own at least a pair of denims. Whether we’re running errands, heading for a meeting or going out with friends, denim is repeatedly our solution for any and every outfit conundrum.
Since we rely on it so often, we don’t necessarily approach denim with a sartorial fervour like a Parisian.
Let me help you break out of your rut, and welcome cooler and creative ways to style your jeans like Parisians.