Paris dress code ?
Jan 27th, 2000, 08:01 AM
#1
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Paris dress code ?
<BR>Is black,black,black de rigeur <BR>in Paris ? Last fall, in <BR>Florence and Rome, I couldn't <BR>have been more obviously a <BR>"tourist" in my bright dresses <BR>had I been wearing sneakers in a <BR>5 star restaurant.Black is fine <BR>with me but is anything else <BR>unfashionable ? I will be in <BR>Paris for 3 weeks..leaving home <BR>4/23.
Jan 27th, 2000, 08:18 AM
#2
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I tend to always wear black when travelling because it is easy. Anything goes with it, it is an easy color to dress up or dress down. A simple silk scarf or a strand of pearls is a great way to go. From a purely fashion standpoint, I think that the brighter colors are OK for spring and definitely summer, 3 weeks is still a little early to break out the colorful dresses. Then again, I have been told that my closet is mostly black anyway................
Jan 27th, 2000, 08:49 AM
#3
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Jackie, <BR>You will be safest with black I think, but accent it with colors - blouses, scarfs, sweaters, jackets, but nothing too "summery", it can still be cool in April anyway. Navy blue is good as well - when we were there last April black was probably the color of choice of most of the women but we did see plenty of folks with red, gold, etc. blouses, including my husbands cousins - they live there so if they feel it is OK to wear a bright red sweater over black pants I say go for it. Remember darker colors don't show dirt as much, a plus when you are out and about on the Metro, etc. I tend to keep to black myself and then coordinate other colors with it, keeps the packing simpler too. <BR>
Jan 27th, 2000, 09:52 AM
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I would say don't worry about it. <BR>In the most expensive seats at the Opera Bastille, I saw one gentleman elegantly clad in a T shirt, black of course. <BR>At a restaurant, there was a man clad in an undershirt at a neighboring table. (He did have on trousers and shoes.) <BR>You might tone down the American brightness as my wife did. But the Parisians are going to know you are an American as soon as you say anything. <BR>When my wife approached a clerk in a store or wanted to speak to a waiter when we were in a restaurant, the person automatically started speaking English to her before she had a chance to say anything. <BR>On the buses, people were often helpful in giving directions, even though they barely spoke English. So sometimes, it is a plus to be spotted as a tourist. <BR>But, hang on to your money and other valuables! Coins have two sides!!
Jan 27th, 2000, 06:52 PM
#6
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Agree with Oui, Oui, Oui. But, you needn't wear ALL black. A black dress, or skirt (with ivory, white or pastel blouse or camisole), or slacks (with blouse or tee) along with a blazer or cardigan sweater in a fabulously flattering color and comfortable black shoes will take you anywhere. Just about anything is fashionable - with black.
Jan 28th, 2000, 06:41 AM
#7
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Jackie, <BR>I already answered this but I went and looked at some of our pictures fromour last spring visit with family who live in Paris and this is what the females were wearing in the pictures one day when we were all out together (remember, they live in Paris and are French!) 34 yr. old niece (she's a M.D.) - pencil thin jeans, white long sleeve blouse & black vest, black socks & black flat shoes; her mother - 50-something - black slacks, white blouse, black socks & shoes, black jacket. Our other niece, age 23 - law student - jeans, green turtle neck sweater & denim jacket, black socks & shoes. Two teenager - girls, 14 & 15, "bib overall type jeans", one with white turtleneck sweater and the other with red turtleneck, both had running shoes on. Our aunt - 75 yrs. old, black slacks, cream colored sweater & black socks & shoes, black raincoat. Our cousin, 45-ish - red turtleneck sweater and black pants - she also had a cream colored jacket. In other pictures they were dressed in similar type clothes, again mostly black slacks (or jeans) and colored tops. This is how I dress when I go there also, I've worn jeans or black slacks with colored tops or blazers in Paris & no one has treated me like a "tourist", in fact they usually speak French to me and English to my husband (who is French!!). Incidentally the males in the family pretty much wore black slacks (or jeans) and turtlenecks as well as dark colored jackets. The twoo little kids (ages 4 and 2) wore just about what you would expect little kids in the U.S. to have on, I didn't see any difference there! Hope this helps.
