In the last 4 years, I’ve been to Madrid, Barcelona, Florence, London and Paris. And what I learned instantly from visiting all these beautiful places is that Europeans literally just ooze style — it comes to them so easy and effortless.
One big thing I did while I was recently in Paris was observe just about every single outfit that passed me by. Through doing this, I not only picked up lots and lots of inspiration, but also some style rules that I realized I’ll want to apply to my own wardrobe to shape future outfits I throw on my body. And here I am to share them with all of you! Read on! ❤
6. Fancy Coats Are Superior
Peacoats, double breasted coats, trench coats – every time you see a European pass by, odds are they’ll be wearing a fancy looking coat that literally screams fashion. Every now and then you’ll see an anorak or bubble jacket, but it’s definitely not like in the US where athletic wear is more popularly worn. For Europe in general: when you go out, you wear your best. And literally everything looks good hugged in a coat.
5. Hats Are Actually Pretty Cool
One of the easiest ways to up your fashion game is to toss on a captain’s cap (also known as a fisherman’s cap or fiddlers cap). You can find these caps from lots of big retailers like Zara and H&M, but also all over smaller little stores all across London and Paris at cheaper prices.
Parisien’s also do wear berets every now and then. I bought mine at H&M, but you can also find a good beret just about anywhere on the streets of Paris — including thrift shops. Even in the states, I think tossing on a hat is a good way to show that your style is universal, and transcends just one region. Meaning even though I’m no longer in Paris, that doesn’t mean I’ll never wear my beret again!
4. Cool Prints, but With Muted Colors
I learned right away that Europeans are extremely stylish, but not flashy. When in Europe, if you don’t want to make it obvious that you’re a tourist, my best advice would be to stick to your neutral colors – that be your blacks, whites, grays, blues and browns – with maybe a dash of a popping color if you absolutely want to wear it.
Houndstooth, checkered prints, and subtle animal prints are the perfect way to wear something new and exciting in without going too loud or over-the-top.
3. Pay Attention to Your Shoes
I love a good Doc Marten shoe. No matter the style, D.M’s always look fashion forward and stylish. Back home, I always gravitate towards the regular boot. But after seeing lots locals in London sporting loafers, I’m now dying to get my hands on a pair. But in either style, getting a good D.M shoe in a neutral color is a huge plus that can upgrade any outfit instantly.
Most Parisien women would walk by daily wearing heels and boots, no matter where they were going. It’s honestly admirable — I couldn’t imagine how much pain their feet must’ve been in after a while. But paying attention to your shoes shows that one is putting extra thought into every aspect of an outfit — not just making the clothing the star.
2. Nothing, Absolutely NOTHING, Beats A Red Lip
But we knew this already. 😉
When Friday night hits in Europe, a perfect way to take your look from day to night is to make it pop with a red lip. I did this plenty of times, including the night of my 21st birthday (to see my birthday lookbook, click here!)
To check out some of my favorite red lipsticks, click here!
1. Timeless Classics Are The Way to Go
In America, the reason fast fashion retailers are such a success is because Americans give a demand for them.
In easier terms — we as Americans are so obsessed with trends and the “new”, that we inadvertently fuel these retailers and give them the business they need to survive. Even if that comes at a negative global cost. Don’t feel entirely guilty — this “fast fashion” thing is the culture we’ve created, a zeitgeist that’s somewhat beyond any one individuals control.
But this isn’t exactly the case when you go to Europe and truly observe how they dress, from a fashion standpoint.
Europeans dress in a classic and timeless way. And thats why their considered so stylish. Yes, maybe they pay a little bit more for that expensive wool coat, but its a coat that’ll last for years to come and will always look fashionable. They may not follow every trend that comes out, looking “new” in every Instagram post, but that doesn’t mean they look outdated or as if they have no style — instead, they look timeless. It’s a way of dress that is highly admirable and always works. And honestly — its a view on fashion that maybe we should consider here in the States if we want to work towards a more sustainable world.
xoxo,
GABBY SINN 