How to get that Parisian “je ne sais quoi?”

Being a born-and-bred Parisian, it was only when I moved to London 4 years ago that I realised how our style was one of the most wanted in the city.

19:35 28 February 2022

People would refer to me as “the classic French girl”, the “trendy French girl” or “the Parisian girl”. But what does that even mean? Thinking about it during many breakdowns in front of my wardrobe, lost between the London and Parisian style like a no man's land of fashion, I have deciphered the principles of the Parisian wardrobe.

So if you would like to adopt that style, here are our (not so) secrets that I want to share with you to master the effortless Parisian style. Les filles, time to take some notes!

When it comes to makeup, less is more

Come back to your natural beauty. In Paris, we girls prefer “au naturel”, meaning not wearing too much make-up. Be careful, that doesn’t mean you have to look bare, but you have to master the make-up that looks like you are not wearing any make-up.

To master this trick, I have a few tips: swap your heavy foundation for a BB cream (I love this Erborian), use your bronzer as your eye shadow, stay clear of heavy contouring, no eye-lash extension, no hair extensions, no fake tan, and embrace your own hair colour… in brief, EVERYTHING needs to look natural! If you go out, just add a thin eye-liner trait to your pretty eyes, and you can opt for red lips but no more than that. Good thing about these Parisian beauty tips is that it saves you loads of time in the morning; think about all the beauty sleep you could get!

Adopt the basics of a wardrobe 

A white shirt, a pair of mom jeans, a nice pair of leather chelsea boots, a camel coat, a basic designer bag… Anyway you get the concept! It has to look effortless and good quality, so please invest in those pieces and skip Primark or Zara. Exit the bimbo look such as mega short dresses from Boohoo or Misguided, tacky crop-tops, neon colours; this is the nightmare of Parisians girls! If you wear a short skirt, exit big cleavage and big heels; the rule is you’re only allowed to choose one of these 3 options.

Invest in clothes of neutral colour, that fit you perfectly and will embellish your silhouette. If you want to add a bit of colour, you can use some classic prints such as a breton top or tartan styles, et voilà! Make it your own, even if it is a classic type of look you can always add your touch with a nice belt or some statement jewellery.

Since I’ve been living in London, I’ve been a big fan of TK Maxx as you can find great classic pieces for a low price. I also like to use fashion marketplaces like Depop or Vinted to find some of my precious French brands at discount prices: Sezanne, la petite etoile, comptoir des cotonniers, Maje, Sandro, Claudie Pierlot… 

And for those on a budet, a big time and money saver can be to use aggregators to get the look: my favourites are Lyst, ShopStyle or FashionFused. Here are some examples of pieces you could adopt: 

• This Breton striped shirt (marinière) — Sézane Noan Marinière
  
  
• Classic Navy Pants on Fashion Fused 
  
  
• A classic black shoulder bag by Avant-Garde – FashionFused 
  
  
• A cashmere jumper – Monoprix 
  
  
• Classic black boots from Jonak

Use Parisian instagrammers to get inspiration and examples of the Parisian lifestyle

Not only will they give you a sense of what it is like to live in Paris, but they’ll keep you updated on the lastest French trends and be a great source of inspiration for your look. 

A few that I follow and really like at the moments are: 

• Apolline Thibault: She’s mastered the feminine-masculine look à la parisienne and you can have a glimpse of her interior in her typical Parisian flat!
  
  
• Messy Nessy Chic: From her balcony, she will record all the parisian looks passing by! Very entertaining and instructive
  
  
• Jeanne Damas: Not only does she represent Parisian beauty, she also created the Parisian brand Rouje, all in one!
  
  

And many more… 

Et voilà, with all these basic tips I hope that you will master the Parisian look! If you have any questions, do comment below.