What Not To Wear In Paris

Paris is sometimes referred to as the “Fashion Capital” of the world, and France as a whole has earned a reputation for being stylish. Since this is the case, visitors to Paris are urged to step up their style game a notch.

Parisian style is typically minimalistic and simple. Wearing dark pants, a neutral scarf, and attractive yet practical walking shoes will help you blend in seamlessly.

You should strive to strike a balance between being comfortable and looking nice when deciding how to dress in Paris. Getting your style to that point where you can pass for a Parisian is ideal when in the French capital.

The purpose of this list of things to avoid wearing in Paris is not to intimidate you. Instead, this is to help you get the most out of your time in Paris.

Why You Should Blend in With the Parisians

To begin with, you won’t immediately be labeled as a tourist. They are friendlier if you make an effort to dress like a local. You’ll be less of a target for the frequent pickpocketing that occurs in tourist hotspots if you dress like a Parisian.

So, what shouldn’t you wear in Paris so that you don’t stick out as a tourist and become a convenient target for thieves? The list’s contents may come as a surprise, but rest assured: they’re all here for a reason. Here’s our rundown of what not to wear in Paris, from TV character costumes to stuff that could get you arrested.

What Not to Wear In Paris

1. Don’t wear anything that’s too “Emily in Paris”

The French have strong opinions on “Emily in Paris,” and they’re not all positive. The way Emily dresses is a starting point for the Parisians’ negative impression of the Netflix show. You should try to avoid the following at all costs!

Don’t put on anything that’s excessively busy, confusing, or trying too hard to stand out. Extremely blow-dried hair, heavy makeup, and stiletto heels fall under this category.

Colors like black, white, beige, navy, and olive green are neutral and should be considered. They may be combined in any way you like, making them ideal for travel bags. Consider instead the marketing executive Sylvie in “Emily,” who is known for her understatement.

Imagine sneakers, but with a clean white color instead of eye-popping neon. It’s okay to wear denim if it’s worn in and looks almost fitted. Add a black jacket, a white shirt, a trench coat, and a shirt dress.

Just one scarf, large belt, or pair of enormous earrings, each worn separately, will do. It’s the same with logos. They’re fine, but in bulk quantities only.

2. Red Beret and Striped Shirts combo

Although berets are popular in France’s capital city, Parisians typically opt for drabber hues when donning one. Berets, both brown and black, are another popular example. People will wear it while it’s freezing outside. The red beret and striped shirt ensemble are adorable, but most Parisians won’t wear them.

Unless you’re an elderly man playing petanque in the park, berets aren’t a typical French fashion accessory. The striped Breton shirt is indeed ubiquitous in France, but that’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of alternative options.

3. Shirts, shorts, pants, and hoodies that are too big or too loose

Parisians do not dress casually by donning items such as baggy shorts, flip-flops, baseball caps, fanny packs, backpacks, oversized t-shirts, large pants, oversized sweatshirts, etc.

You shouldn’t wear all that things in Paris if you’re the type of person who puts effort into their overall appearance and the impression they give to others.

Rather than wearing sneakers, try some other pair of comfortable shoes. Instead of a graphic tee, guys should choose a polo shirt or button-down shirt. Wearing jeans is very okay.

But don’t wear them to a fancy restaurant unless you’ve taken extra care to make sure they’re in excellent condition and not too baggy. Better yet, ditch the jeans in favor of a pair of true adult pants.

4. Baggy Shirts with Huge Print

It’s highly unlikely that you’ll find somebody in Paris sporting a baggy T-shirt emblazoned with large, brightly colored text.

They might look good in a hip-hop music video or perhaps in certain other parts of the world, but you won’t see anyone wearing them on the streets of Paris.

What to wear in its place? You have the option of wearing a top that is either semi-cropped or a basic t-shirt with a slimmer fit.

5. Tight Clothes

Even though they have a more progressive view on sexuality, Parisians tend to dress more traditionally. There are hardly any instances of women wearing tight miniskirts, and low-cut shirts are not very common.

They prefer to avoid displaying a lot of skin in favor of a more traditional, seductive style. Therefore, you should put on something that is comfortable and does not cling to your body.

Or you could strive to strike a balance with your clothing. a top with long sleeves paired with a shorter skirt. A top without sleeves paired with a long skirt. It would also be OK to wear trousers with a body-fitting shirt.

6. Stilettos

Firstly, you shouldn’t go about in thin heels on cobblestone streets. Unless you have superhuman composure, you will probably trip and fall. Second, it’s not exactly cozy on those bumpy floors. Furthermore, you will most likely ruin those sneakers.

French ladies often wear heels such as thick kitten heels or adorable boots, but 5-inch stilettos are unusual. French people put a lot of mileage on their feet getting around the city, so they want shoes that are both fashionable and functional.

Additionally, dressier sneakers are very fine to wear during the day.

7. Activewear or sportswear

Avoid wearing sportswear when sightseeing in Paris unless you plan on engaging in some sort of physical activity (running, jogging, walking, etc.) that will cause you to break a sweat.

No one will say anything if you visit some of the Parisian sights while wearing yoga pants, but you’ll surely stand out as a tourist.

Do not come wearing sweatpants. Even though fitness attire has become the norm in the city, Parisians still dress more traditionally. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t go around in workout gear unless you want to get in some exercise. You might as well be walking around with a sign that reads “tourist” if you do that.

What to wear as a substitute? Whether the weather is warm or cool, a lovely pair of straight-cut or thin jeans are a good choice.

8. Heavy Make-up

If you have an image in your head of a well-dressed Parisian, this may seem contradictory. Makeup is commonly used in Paris, but among the things they rarely do is put on elaborate, multi-layered makeup.

Of course, you’re free to use any makeup style and color palette you like; it’s simply not the norm around these parts.

The key to pulling off the Parisian look is to use less makeup as the locals do. Light makeup is recommended. As long as it’s not too much, cosmetics like mascara and eyeshadow are fine.

9. Camouflage clothing

In Europe and many other countries, only uniforms worn by the military or law enforcement can be camouflaged. Therefore, only “active” members of the military or police enforcement are allowed to wear the print in public. So, please put that army jacket and camo pants away.

Fear of uncertainty, insurrection, or support for terrorist organizations is usually at the root of camouflage legislation.

Supposedly, the EU’s standards are based on the need to differentiate between citizens and members of the armed forces on patrol. Crime waves committed by people dressed in camouflage have been blamed for similar events in other countries.

10. Lastly, don’t wear o bring fakes

In the European Union (EU), the sale of fake products is not governed by any unified set of regulations. Some countries, however, have strict laws against buying or possessing fake products.

In France, it is illegal to own or transport a knockoff designer item. The French police force has also undergone extensive training to identify counterfeits.

Posters showing the Lacoste crocodile and a Chanel handbag warn passengers at Paris’s Orly Airport not to bring counterfeit goods into France.

There are plenty of reasonably priced yet high-quality designer handbags, shoes, and garments available. Plenty of stores in Paris sell these. Don’t even consider packing that fake Hermes belt or Louis Vuitton wallet. Don’t buy them if you can help it!