December 29, 2025
Finally. I understand why women in Paris have distinctive personal style. It’s a question of having an abundance of options.
Let me clarify. In the United States, if you go to any major shopping area, you know that you’re going to see at LEAST 80% retailers with whom you are already familiar. The clothing in all these stores looks very much the same, until you get up into the really expensive brands. And if you’re shopping for “fashion” jewelry – what we used to call costume jewelry? You see the same half-dozen brands over and over…
So when we shop, there’s a certain element of “this will do fine” in our choices. We know that we aren’t going to wait for a month and a half until we find that perfect brooch with a snowy owl (or whatever your current passion might be…)
Conversely, there’s very little need for settling or any kind of compromise in Paris. You want an owl brooch – you’ll find 30. You want earrings that look like teeny little pea pods – piece of cake. And if you don’t find them, you know that if you’re just patient, you will eventually find exactly what you want!
Yes, you can find things like that in the United States, but you have to look for them. Much of our best selection is available through the Internet. In Paris, selection is thrown at your from shop windows down a dozen side streets.
Overall, the number of stores in Paris is shocking to me. Yes, Paris is bigger than Chicago, but not THAT much bigger. There are more “fashion” jewelry stores in the 3rd Arrondissement than there are in Chicago. There are more bookstores within three blocks of the Pantheon than there are in Chicago. I think you get the idea…
Thus, if you’ve spent a chunk of your life looking at these store windows, and shopping in these stores, you’ve absorbed and internalized the knowledge that you don’t HAVE to settle. You can be as picky as you want, and you will find what you desire, with a bit of patience.
SOOOOOO….. since we can’t have all of those stores moved to the US, we will have to adopt the patience necessary to avoid compromising and settling for less than EXACTLY what we want.
Make sense?
Moving right along: first up – my packing was excellent! I would have packed a second pair of gym shoes – my silver sneakers, probably…
I have to admit that I packed more scarves than are shown here – I cheerfully mix striped tee shirts with black & white print scarves. I also have a gloriously beautiful purple print scarf that goes with all of my shades of purple. Some day, when it’s not SO gloomy in our apartment, I will endeavor to photograph some of these things, to share with you!
Pearl earrings – Nordstrom; Fair Isle cardigan – J.Crew; cotton turtleneck – L.L.Bean; loafers – Franco Sarto; velvet bag – LoveShackFancy; jeans – J.Crew; White cotton turtleneck – L.L.Bean; earrings – Janus Edinburgh; sneakers – ara; Dusty purple turtleneck – L.L.Bean; dark twilight blue turtleneck – L.L.Bean; amethyst earrings – Latelita; scarf – Emily Carter; black cashmere cardigan – Lands’ End; black cords – Lands’ End; boots – Blondo;“even” striped tee – Lands’ End; narrow striped tee – Madewell; earrings – Classicharms; Paris print scarf – Scapes by Elizabeth; cashmere cardigan – COS; ponte knit pants – Eileen Fisher
Paris is NOT dressy, unless you deliberately seek out the most expensive parts of the city. Out in the rest of the world, where normal working people live, you can spend a week in jeans, sneakers, a nice coat (down will definitely do!) and a scarf. Nobody will notice.
Moving on…. our hotel!
A tiny side street, off of a tiny side street. That said, these streets are chock full of little shops.
Our hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas! We found that – just like last year – the decorations in the city as a whole were muted. I don’t have an explanation.
This photo isn’t great, but it might give you some idea of what the inside of the elevator at our hotel looked like! The rust swag-like thing on the right is indeed a swag PAINTED in the elevator…
Our room was… obliquely shaped. You can see the very acute angle of one corner of the room – better shown on the diagram on the bottom left. Nothing like lying in bed surrounded by irregular walls! Going to the bathroom in the middle of the night was a bit confusing the first few days:
Said bathroom was delightful. Towel racks that double as radiators that double as towel warmers that double as a quick way to dry hand-washed lingerie – genius. Antique mirrors rather than big walls of industrial products – beautiful!
The trip in from the airport to the city will expose you to more graffiti than you ever wanted to see; happily, the city has more creative “artists” at work. One thing that you see a lot is small images made from tiles – they’re everywhere, usually on corners, almost always overhead above the reach of anybody on foot:
Many of these installations are very simple, but some are more complex. Many are witty, and every now and then you find a tile wall that could never be described as anything but art:
Of course, stunning tile work is a tradition in Paris! This is the walkway under the colonnade of the Petite Palais. If you can spy the two women walking away, in the distance, you will maybe be able to tell that they were wearing MATCHING COATS. I was tempted to ask…
Something that I’m seeing more and more – clever and witty sayings in windows of shops and restaurants:
It’s such fun when see quotes translated from English to French, from famous American and English writers:
I’m always impressed that someone in Paris took the time to put together and then deploy a stencil to honor a hero from WWII and after:
Yes, this is sideways – this is the sign on a bin on a street corner, where you can drop off compostable food waste! We PAY to have our compostable waste picked up, here in Chicago. Being able to just dump it into a communal container would be nice, eh?
My favorite public art in Paris, right now, is a pair of murals by Shepard Fairey, on the front of city hall – the Hotel de Ville. He’s the artist who did the Obama Hope posters, back in the day. He’s madly popular in Paris!
This eye-catching work gave a construction site a bright boost of interest:
Maybe the most environmentally reasonable kind of street art is text written on sidewalks. It can’t last long, and it ends up on a million shoes:
I’m including this sign, above a shop that sells art supplies, because I thought it was so whimsical and just plain fun. Everything doesn’t need to be just uninterrupted functionality; there’s room for a sense of humor!
So WHAT was the big trend in Paris?
Thrift stores. Re-sale stores. Pop-up stores of vintage clothing. USED CLOTHES WERE EVERYWHERE.
Literally. In our neighborhood – say within 10 blocks of our hotel – there were at least two dozen resale shops. Probably more. And a LOT of them had lovely things. I’m not sure why all of these stores managed to open in the last year; remember that last year I was in the same neighborhood, and there were only two or three vintage stores…
Maybe a feeling of unfairness in the world?
Store windows had all kinds of pretty things. I’m particularly smitten with the idea of a rainbow of buttons on a cardigan:
I saw lots of very simple outfits on women of all ages. Lots of jeans, lots of down and quilted coats and jackets, lots of sneakers. And LOTS of accessories:
Many women were wearing beautiful wool coats – dark colors, and a LOT of dark plaids and checks. They were always roomy and had a bit of ease and swing to them… Jeans were baggy. Hats were knitted, with a folded edge. Every color of the rainbow:
Every time I walked past this store, I had to admire this slanted clothes rack! I suspect that small notches are cut into the bar, to hold hangers in place. I remember years ago that The Kooples had notches cut every inch and a half or so in their clothes bars, to keep clothing neatly separated. I’m going to do that in my closet, some day when I have a landlord who will understand…
Something the French do really well is remember their war heroes; there are dozens of these little plaques all over the central part of Paris:
And there are lots of larger, more official monuments. I forget where this one was, but it caught my eye with its dramatic sculpture:
I know I said that Christmas decorations were muted this year in Paris – but that’s NEVER true of florists. And yes, there are florists everywhere… This is just a sampling:
It’s interesting to me that in the 30 years I’ve been visiting Paris, the way in which the women there really commanded “personal style” has diminished substantially. They look more like you and me now…
Except they’re FIT. Don’t forget the walking a million miles, and climbing tons of stairs…
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, I considered how someone who didn’t love the color might wear olive!
Hi Janice. First, I am from Brazil, a really warm climate, really very hot this last week.
Your post about Paris was adorable. I spent some days there at the end of September and have the same impression of you. The amazing small art in the walls, walking everywhere, stairs all the way in the metro.
Following your advices about travel wardrobe, I feel very confortable walking there, blending with the local, at least respecting my clothes.
Thank you for all the posts.
Have a beautifull 2026.
What a great post!
I’ve never been to Paris and have no immediate plans to go, darn it. You have given us a wonderful view of Paris can look like outside of the touristy areas. I will sit in my Florida kitchen with a croissant and cafe au lait and your port and dream I am there.
Thank you.
I didn’t proofread. Sorry for the typos.
I love this! You articulated what I’ve been thinking about style when you describe our homogeneous choices in the USA. My solution is craft/art/makers markets where you can talk to the artists and you know you are buying something unique. If you frequent a big market regularly you can buy from the artist again (I go to a huge one 3x year). I’ve taken to wearing a specific top when I shop because I know my favorite scarf maker will style it for me with the perfect piece from her work. And I never see myself coming and going, as my mother used to say.
Thank you for this beautiful and thoughtful post. I love Paris, and while I haven’t been back in a decade (due to life intervening), my heart will always have a special place for the city.
A couple of things I’ve picked up there (as well as from your beautiful, French aesthetic)…a gorgeous scarf goes a long way. You can wear denim jeans, a basic tee and a simple, well cut coat–with a fabulous coat, it looks so very chic. The other? Black. Black hides a multitude of sins, can be worn year round and doesn’t have to look goth or severe.
I’m so glad you brought up thrift stores. This is an area in which my 30 year old, Boston living daughter has been ahead of me. I was always worried about things being dirty, yucky or just worn out. Not so anymore! You can find gorgeous pieces, of the best quality, and at a good price, but it’s a HUNT! My best advice, especially if you live in a more rural area, as I do? Poshmark! I have found the most beautiful LL Bean and Talbots sweaters in perfect condition. Just a thought for those of us who don’t have quality Thrift stores nearby!
I too am a thrift store shopper. After weight loss due to health I felt so wasteful buying new clothes every 20 or so pounds. Poshmark, eBay and Mercari are all worth a look and many items still have the tags on them.
Some folks cannot believe I am wearing used clothes to posh events!
Hello. I loved this post—it was very informative for someone in the US. I’m a NYC native living in DC, so I understand the shift in style and the lack of stores here. Now that I’m traveling to Europe, this gives great insight into their style. I have a signature look, and I travel to Asia often; my style fits or even suits better there. I think I can adapt my work wardrobe for Paris. Reading this made me think of my many cardigans; I should invest in more wool coats for winter. I’m a pants person, picky about jeans, so quality is important, and as a plus-size, fit matters too. I’ll save this post for my upcoming trip. It’s lovely that you had a fun and stylish time.
Really great post. I visited Paris w my daughter this year. We both noticed the difference in how they were dressed compared to prior trips. There is choice, that is true, but many seemed to be dressing like us. Sigh…
Now the hunt is on for 2026! I will be more focused to find a better wardrobe with interesting details
Happy New Year Everyone!
So sad that style is changing in Paris….my mother took me thrift shopping when I was young and I’m now almost 73. You find the best most unique things. I worry with everyone only wearing leggings sweatpants and athletic wear that one day we’ll find nothing good. So..that just makes me take better care of what i have-my granddaughter loves thrifting too and will have lots when I’m gone!
Absolutely delightful! So informative, and the photos make me swoon. Have a marvelous time!
Interesting post.
I feel like Americans have endless clothing options, even more with online shopping and overnight delivery, and huge closets to store their wardrobes, while Europeans generally have much smaller closets and own much less clothing. Clothes are generally more expensive here, although the growth of Vinted and other second-hand options is changing that. Paris and London have far more chic clothing stores than Lisbon, where I live, but it’s still quite seasonal. (Try finding a NYE dress September.)
In any case, it sounds like you had a great time!
Have never been to Paris…sigh… have read lots of books about it, though, which your post illustrated beautifully. Have you ever read ‘Perestroika in Paris’ by Jane Smiley? That might be my favorite. Wonderful story about a horse and his friends. I love all the little nooks, tiny streets, and quirky vingnettes which you came across. Thank you for this lovely treat.
Thanks for sharing all your great Paris photos! I really loved the accessories one. I agree with the “sameness” of US clothing. I’m over it! I’d like some more unique items.
Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing. So glad you had a fantastic trip. All the best for 2026.
Janice,
Your cluster approach has always “ floated my boat “, and that is exactly the packing technique that I used while packing for a Christmas out-of-state trip !
What a wonderful visual tour you have provided for us , thank you ! I only wish I could have visited some of those shops with you !
I’m going to London (fingers crossed!) in March, and I’m already thinking of a new cluster approach to packing…
hugs,
Janice
LOVE the rainbow buttons on the cardigan! I have a practical basic cardigan that I may try that on
I wonder if the women wearing identical coats are identical twins? They are the same height, arms are the same length, they’re carrying the same shoulder bag the same way, and they have the same hair. Thanks for this post, Janice. I love to see your view on Paris. Love the Girl with the Pearl Earring on Rue de la Perle. And the restaurant windows, which I had to put through a translator to English. I have been to Paris several times, but not since my late 20s, which is several decades ago. At that time, all I was interested in was the art galleries, museums, gardens, churches and cemeteries. I was completely devoid of interest in French fashion, or any other fashion! and can’t remember a single thing that anybody wore. Looking forward to 2026 with you! Happy New Year 🧡
Thanks for the tour, I especially love the olive/berry-colored window display. I’d go in there in a heartbeat.
If the coats/jackets are timelessly understated, you can easily jazz them up with hats and scarves
… featuring this year’s trend color.
Merci, Janice. I loved the signs – as I speak/read French quite well, no translation needed. And those berry colours – and the cardigan with the beautiful buttons. Was in Paris last December – and also thought it was quite “dressed down” and still something beautiful around every “coin”.
Happy New Year!
Love this post, a feast for the eyes and food for thought.
Thank you, Janice!
Dear Janice, thanks for sharing your trip with us. I only add my 2 cents about the waste collection. In Europe everyone pays each year for waste collection through a specific fee. This is collected by local or regional governments who then hire a public, private or hybrid company to manage it. So it’s not totally free, but I suspect the more or less 100€ per person (on average for Spain or France), is well below US fees.
Have a jolly pre-New Years Eve!
I’m so glad you had a wonderful trip! I love your travel wardrobe with the pops of purple. I’m requesting a wardrobe based on that beautifully bright painting by the construction zone. Love the bright blue and the bright pink on her lips! Give me all the color lol. :)
It sounds like such a great trip!
I love thrift shopping in other countries. I found the most beautiful coat in Berlin 20 years ago and my daughter and I had a great time thrift shopping in London last year. Long live a circular clothing economy!
We lived for a few years in the Netherlands and I miss those heated towel racks! They were a godsend with small messy toddler clothes. I love that you notice waste collection – in Groningen where we lived you had neighbourhood public waste bins (they looked like a large-ish city waste bin on a small platform, but the trucks would come with a crane and lift out a massive container concealed underground!) and a waste disposal card that allowed you to put in 5 bags per calendar month for free, any extra you had to bring to the tip yourself and pay. Recycling points were free and near every supermarket for plastic, glass and paper, and all bottles/cans were consigned in large supermarkets, result: very little broken glass because you could get a bit of change for them! Here in England there’s no bottle recycling programs and I am constantly shocked by how many bottles and cans are everywhere!
This is wonderful post! Thank you for the photos and the stories.