Fashion myths about French women: what do Parisiennes really wear?

I am constantly haunted by a stereotype: the image of a Parisian woman in black trousers, a pipe, a vest, with a scarf around her neck, a beret and ballet flats.

I visit Paris for work – when I was at Renault and now already in the role of a fashion designer. I spend a lot of time with the locals, with the French. During my last visit, I lived in the 15th arrondissement, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, and every morning I drank my first coffee on the boulevard at 8 a.m., when Parisians are running for business – to work, with children for school (although, from my observations, men do it more) rush to the Wednesday morning food market.

But what do I mean? Never. Never. I haven’t seen a “typical Parisian”!

I even did my own research to understand where this stereotype came from.

I couldn’t find an exact historical reference, but my own thoughts on this subject have taken shape into a coherent theory. The waistcoat, scarf and beret are typical garments of Marseilles and other French sailors. How did these attributes of the sea and masculinity enter the wardrobe of refined city dwellers?

At the beginning of the 20th century, Coco Chanel opened her first boutique not in Paris, but in Deauville, a seaside resort on the northern coast of France. Clients of Paris fashion houses settled there, fleeing the realities of World War I, and fashion houses rushed after them, including Paul Poiret, the most sought-after womenswear designer among aristocrats. How will the unknown Coco compete with the famous Poiret? Only by the power of thought.

She creates clothes in which it is convenient to walk along the coast, lie on a deck chair and sail. At the same time, these clothes are made of an inexpensive and comfortable material – cotton and wool jersey, because the supply of silk to Lyon factories has sharply decreased: production has shifted towards the production of fabrics for the ‘army. The prototype of the first Chanel “sailor” suit was the image of a sailor – wide trousers and a loose waistcoat.

What is extremely important to understand: neither Coco Chanel nor the French Parisian will ever allow themselves theatricality and deliberateness in the image and therefore repeat all the elements of the image that inspired it. Also, this set is traditionally used by French mimes, and now they exaggeratedly copy all the elements of the image: a red scarf around the neck and a beret with a pompom. But not the real French women.

My recent observations: the most popular item of clothing in Paris in the warm season is a semi-fitted dress with a full skirt, an emphasis on the waist and a length just above the knee (yes, Parisiennes have slender legs), the second most popular is loose pants with a voluminous shirt or sweater.

The most popular shoes – be careful, I was surprised by my own observation – sandals with a bunch of straps on a flat sole or a 3-4 cm heel.

A typical set of clothes for the cold season: a semi-fitted knee-length coat, gray or black, a voluminous scarf – also in the most traditional colors, boots without heels and hats. Not a single beret, even in October-November-December-February – I myself came to check: either nothing on the head at all, or a huge scarf to the top of the head, or a balaclava.

Not a single small handkerchief around the neck: only large scarves, anyhow pulled up.

Vests – there are also free ones. Among famous people, in my opinion, the “Parisian” style is best reflected by the British Duchess Kate Middleton.

France is a country of extremely practical people. And this practicality also extends to the formation of a Frenchwoman’s wardrobe. She chooses universal things of modest cuts, practical colors, semi-fitted or free silhouette, simple and concise design.

At the same time, they are feminine things, with an emphasis on graceful knees. Trousers-pipes, a loose tunic, a shirt, a blouse and a cardigan, a semi-fitted dress to the knees and a coat of the same silhouette, shoes with symbolic heels, a large scarf or scarf and “the wind in the hair” – that’s all you need to look like a typical French woman in Paris. Finishing touches: light makeup, fresh face and espresso at a table outside in the morning.

Coming to Paris, I constantly feel “out of place” in slip-ons, sneakers, moccasins or 6 cm platform sandals! Oh, and there are no dresses of the desired style and, apparently, there won’t be – not my length. And I bought a free-cut vest in the local Zara, brought from Moscow from my own brand – too tight by Parisian standards!

Victoria Irbayeva, www.irbayeva.com

Photo: Getty Images