Fashion Photo Diary! The 7 Elements of Parisian Chic PLUS My NYC Summer Style Flashback

Elegance, Romanticism & Simplicity. The keys to Parisian style. Werk! I haven’t had the good fortune to visit the City of Lights yet but I adore the effortless style of the city.

Last summer I had my own “look” going on the same day that I was a panelist with other Love and Relationship Experts in Manhattan. The event was organized by the beautiful people at Together Apart, who, like me, are obsessed with positive living and juicy, healthy, glorious relationships fulfilling their highest potential in loving energy.

My fun, risque look that day didn’t have any of the elements of Parisian style and a mere 6 months later I would never wear something like that again, but it was a moment! It feels too overtly sexy now, a bit too obvious, but it was cute. A mix of Bebe and Zara. Manhattan chick chic. Presently I am more into elegance. Hmmmm… -aa

hen you think about Paris, you think about romance. Romance, and fashion. The fashion of Paris is an eccentric blend of detailed minimalism and chic styles, with a touch of boheme. This is a style that reflects the romanticism of the city through its elegance and timelessness. Parisian style is one that has been carefully adopted around the world. Elements of Parisian style can be found everywhere, and are not difficult to embrace.

Inès de la Fressange describes in her book, Parisian Chic, what she feels are the seven core elements of Parisian style. She calls them ‘The Magnificent Seven’.

The Magnificent Seven:

1. A Man’s Blazer

2. The Trench

3. The Navy (cashmere) Sweater

4. The Tank

5. The Little Black Dress

6. The Perfect Jeans

7. The Leather Jacket

Looking at these items, we see an array of elegant pieces – luxurious and classy. While the seven items listed are all very different from one another, one thing that they all have in common is their simplicity. A lack of complicated designs never takes away from the intricacy of a piece. Parisian style prides itself on its careful minimalism. That’s not to say that there isn’t detail, or liveliness in the fashion of Paris. It’s not uncommon to find eccentrically sophisticated patterns hidden in say, the inner lining of a jacket, the hem of a dress or the cuff of a shirt. It’s these hidden elements of decoration that present the idea of secrecy, and intimacy within the style of Parisian fashion.

This minimalism is shown not only through the lack of heavy patterns, but also through color. Parisian style rejects loud and bright colors for a more neutral look; blacks, whites and grays are common, often with just a hint of color, much like the patterns described earlier.

The look is very carefully crafted; everything must coordinate and nothing can be missed. Parisian style often cannot be shown completely in just one item of clothing, but rather a whole outfit. Like a puzzle, every piece is essential to place together the picture. And, when missing a piece of a puzzle, you can’t replace it with a piece of a different puzzle.

Parisian style is a unique look that stands alone. In terms of Parisian style, the puzzle pieces are represented not only by the looks and items listed above, but also through hair, makeup and accessories.

or accessories, don’t go overboard. Again, minimalism is emphasized here.  Simple and subtle jewelry, such as pearls, will complement the idea that a little can go a long way. Less is good, and quality outweighs quantity in Parisian style.

Sunglasses, big sunglasses, are essential at all times; they reflect the life of luxury that the style presents. A chic handbag is an essential here, but again, they are there to complement the outfit, and must match their charm.

In terms of hair and make-up, simplicity is again important, to show a sense of natural beauty. Solid colored hair, with an absence of highlighting or streaks is essential, along with simple yet sharp makeup. You want to look healthy and confident, and a natural look will do this.

Parisian style is classy, chic and confident. To adopt the style of Paris you need to remember these essential elements. While it is a style uniquely introduced in Paris, there is no denying that it can be seen around the world. Elements of Parisian style are not hard to find, whether in shops locally, or shopping online, it’s not difficult to adopt a wardrobe of Paris chic.

Summer Fashion Flashback at “Together Apart” NYC

Black and white dress image owned by the writer. Images of Abiola Abrams by Kristal Mosley of iCreateTV.com.

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