Style is subjective. What may be visually appealing to one set of eyes may not be to another. If you are more attracted to a Degas painting in shades of grey, you may be a fan of the blog Harper & Harley, versus the brightly-coloured palette of Picasso, which better aligns with the publication Man Repeller.
With Paris Fashion Week having come and gone, we have once again been offered a sampling of the most à la mode human body canvases—thank you, fashionistas! With so many dynamic and provocative looks, I’ve been experiencing sensory overload and it’s taken me a bit of time to recover and assemble this article. Let me assure you that it was well worth the wait. Here is my list of the best street style at Paris Fashion Week that will inspire your wardrobe selections for many months to come!
The red cape
I’m a strong advocate of not wearing red. It never seems to work with my olive skin tone, but this look is making me rethink my rule altogether. This shade is both subtle and bold. It’s more subdued than a fire-engine red, but the silk texture gives it a mesmerizing shine. Now, where do I find it?!
The subtle suiter
Not only is the casual low-swept bun an excellent homage to HRH Meghan Markle, but the oversized sunglasses are an excellent contrast to the understatedness of the suit. Now, the suit … can we please just talk about this suit?! I have become obsessed with suiting up ever since the trailer dropped for A Simple Favor. My roommate even bought me cufflinks with my initial on them—but that’s another story. The brown and turquoise colour combo is such a nice take on fall (a time when we usually go for reds and oranges), and it makes you want to disregard your mother’s advice to tailor your clothing because oversized is now officially chic!
To the point
I am such a fan of the pointy shoe trend. I know a lot of you might think they look a little too witchy for your taste, but I think they look like shoes your boss would wear: demanding, but not unreasonable. The white/black combo has never looked more comfortable and crisp. The high-cut pants are also starting to grow on me. Who knew showing off your ankles with a wide-cut pant could be so flattering?
Grey on grey on grey
I never thought that tying a sweater over top of another sweater was a good idea. In fact, I thought I would look more mothball granny than uptown Insta girl. This goes to show that you don’t have to buy one piece that has all of the flattering dimensions you want. Layering isn’t just for keeping warm, my friends. Apparently, it can also be a way of giving an outfit depth and shape.
Fluorescent Holly Golightly
Um … where do I begin? The long gloves, maybe, or the sheer sleeves, or maybe even the long hem of that dream-like trench coat? This look could have so easily been too much, but sticking to shades of blue and green really made the bright outfit feel cohesive. I feel like this is what it would look like if a Disney-like character leapt from the pages of her enchanted kingdom, got sponsored by a major fashion house and rolled into Paris with a chauffeur and a fully booked runway schedule. Thank you, fashion gods!
Textured little dress
If this dress isn’t Chanel, then I will feel crazy. This dress is so quintessential Karl Lagerfeld, with the highly textured fabric and light colours. This feels very 2018 Charlotte York with the conservative collar, straight hair and clutch. Now if only I had the budget of Pat Fields to go with it …
I heart it
Not only does it look like the most comfortable dress to wear, but the dress is both busy and simple—striking the perfect fashion balance. While it may look like a red polka-dot dress from a distance, those are most certainly hearts. The big sleeves are also very on-trend without being the focal point of the garment; and, like many outfits this season, it’s all about showing off the ankles!
Sculpture of a lady
This blouse really highlights why fashion designers are truly artists. The designer made a sculpture of a classic button-down shirt. Had the outfit been quite colourful, it would certainly have been too much for the woman wearing it, but since the stylist stuck to basic blacks, it shone on the streets of Paris.
A pretty mess
There are so many patterns in this one ensemble, but they all go together so effortlessly. I can’t say I’m going to go buy two different shoes and wear them together, but it does make me feel more daring when mixing prints in my wardrobe.
Red monochrome
This person either looks like a politician or a duchess, I can’t decide, but what I do know for sure is that this outfit knocks it out of the park. The scalloped rim of the coat really makes the sharp red look delicate, and who could complain about an asymmetrical dress cut? That’s not something we see every day, but it’s really working well.
Leggings are fashionable now?!
Probably the thing about this look most worth highlighting is the little black leggings peeking out from that pink dress. We see you, leggings, and believe me, I will most certainly be wearing my cozy leggings with every dress I own, to my mother’s disappointment.
Graffiti gorgeous
I love how the designer took a classic trench coat and embellished it with blue and red ruffles. Not only did it appease the big sleeve trend, but it also brought a new flavour to an old look. More importantly, the skirt peeking out of that trench coat looks like it was hand painted, which I am all about. It’s so unlike a fashion label to select painting over dip-dying, or even graphically designing patterns on fabrics—how old school!
What were your favourite looks from Paris Fashion Week? Comment below which outfit you liked the best from our list! We can’t wait to see how all of you fashionable folks will recreate these ensembles around campus.