Paris: Spring means skirts
A quick post to say what you want to know!
A spike up into mid-20C/74F brought out legions of women in light skirts and those skirts, on all shapes and sizes of adult women-old enough to no longer carry schoolbooks- are from just below the knee to lower calf.
I have not seen a kneecap except on youths.
Oddly, dresses are a bit shorter but I do not see the short skirts Mme Macron is known for, at least not around the more relaxed neighbourhoods of the Left Bank.
The skirts of casually-dressed women riding bikes, grocery shopping, meeting a friend for lunch or going to work are soft, gently pleated, subtly gathered, or or a-lined. Gone are the extremes of tight tubes or those Lagenlook voluminous skirts that look like one is dressed in Russian blinds. This Bellerose "Suez" skirt is exactly the effect, down to the sneakers:
Here's s stunner from Sportmax, pricey but you should see it move:
Completely absent is a look that once was everywhere on this cohort: the tunic or short dress over leggings. Though useful for biking, somehow the combo has vanished except on a few tourists, possibly from Quebec, where it is embraced. If there's a tunic, it is worn over slim trousers now.
The Vanishing Legging is not due to weather; in 22C/70F heat, I was surprised to see women in sweaters, heavy coats and big scarves.
The knee-length skirt is worn with flat shoes, usually with laces; sneakers, substantial sandals, derbys. All very sensible yet pretty, in pale spring hues. And no stockings: legs au naturel, whatever the skin colour, are clearly no problem.
A friendly boutique owner told me French women have definitely become larger in the 15 years she has been in business, so the easy-to-wear skirts may be related to that phenomenon- but I see them even on the classic échalotes. I will also veer into stereotyping again to note that their clothes fit.
A short woman can wear a slightly long skirt when her blouse and skirt fit.
No photos yet, jet lag has hit me terrifically hard this trip. I’ll see what I can do in a few days.
A spike up into mid-20C/74F brought out legions of women in light skirts and those skirts, on all shapes and sizes of adult women-old enough to no longer carry schoolbooks- are from just below the knee to lower calf.
Oddly, dresses are a bit shorter but I do not see the short skirts Mme Macron is known for, at least not around the more relaxed neighbourhoods of the Left Bank.
The skirts of casually-dressed women riding bikes, grocery shopping, meeting a friend for lunch or going to work are soft, gently pleated, subtly gathered, or or a-lined. Gone are the extremes of tight tubes or those Lagenlook voluminous skirts that look like one is dressed in Russian blinds. This Bellerose "Suez" skirt is exactly the effect, down to the sneakers:
Here's s stunner from Sportmax, pricey but you should see it move:
Completely absent is a look that once was everywhere on this cohort: the tunic or short dress over leggings. Though useful for biking, somehow the combo has vanished except on a few tourists, possibly from Quebec, where it is embraced. If there's a tunic, it is worn over slim trousers now.
The Vanishing Legging is not due to weather; in 22C/70F heat, I was surprised to see women in sweaters, heavy coats and big scarves.
The knee-length skirt is worn with flat shoes, usually with laces; sneakers, substantial sandals, derbys. All very sensible yet pretty, in pale spring hues. And no stockings: legs au naturel, whatever the skin colour, are clearly no problem.
A friendly boutique owner told me French women have definitely become larger in the 15 years she has been in business, so the easy-to-wear skirts may be related to that phenomenon- but I see them even on the classic échalotes. I will also veer into stereotyping again to note that their clothes fit.
No photos yet, jet lag has hit me terrifically hard this trip. I’ll see what I can do in a few days.
Comments
The Sportmax skirt harkens back to Russian constructivist design. It is magnificent but not practical for most people. Would be splendid for making an entrance onstage.
The first skirt is fine for cycling; the second too long and voluminous unless one has a proper "coatguard" or "skirtguard" as found on classic Dutch cycles. Those were for early 20th century long overcoats and skirts.
CK, my women friends in Italy hate that type of superficiality. Oh, they all have the smart-dressing gene even if they are in jeans and pullovers, and even if they aren't sylphs, but they see it as deeply regressive. One of my friends is a GP in Perugia and she was furious about all the broken ankles she had to set as some women insisted on wearing boots with spike heels in that town, which is a classic hilltown (or small mountain). It never gets as cold as Montréal there, but they do get snow and especially ice, on horrible slopes.
Duchesse, enjoy a restful flâneuse holiday. These insights are so enjoyable and enlightening.
Probably my #1 unwise consumption habit in past was buying some extravagant item and then saving it to wear « for good ». Fortunately stopping work dented my budget and instilled more sense, but I still have a few museum pieces to remind me to keep my head.
It’s great when a simple, successful alteration revives a loved but no longer cueernt garment, or when, like Beth, you can confidently DIY.
But stockings, no... they work against the carefree look. I have seen ankle socks, and low-cut « sneaker socks » in fine cotton, which look charming.
There are some nice things at Simons.