By Fanny Moizant, Managing Director, vestiairecollective.com, the luxury resale clothing site
In Paris we don’t have a big tradition of dressing up during the party season – it’s not that we’re humbugs exactly, of course we adore fashion, but you won’t find many groups of girls dolled up to the nines for the office Christmas party. I love the effort British girls make to look festive, it’s fun and celebratory, but there’s no denying that the showy ‘sparkles and sequins’ look year on year can get a bit tiresome.
Here are my thoughts on how you can inject a little Parisian ‘insouciance’ into your outfit to create a point of difference.
Minimal bling. As Coco Chanel, our unofficial French patron saint of minimalism famously said: “Before I leave the house, I always remove one piece of jewellery so I don’t look overdone”. A good amount of glitz seems only right at Christmas so at least one eye-catching piece of jewellery is a must, but ‘earrings and no necklace’ or vice versa is a good fashion mantra to follow.
Masculine tailoring. This is sure to make you stand out amongst the sea of sequins at the boss’s Christmas do. A crisp white shirt can look great tucked into a pair of tuxedo trousers or a bright silk vintage skirt. The more feminine you are, the more impact a masculine aesthetic can have. Keep it really feminine with bright red lips and a soft hairstyle.
A small chic clutch. An oversized Hermes bag can look smart while you’re out shopping but it isn’t right for the evening – you never want an accessory to overshadow an outfit. A small quilted Chanel-style bag on the shoulders or an envelope clutch will work with whatever style of party outfit you’re wearing.
Fashion Classics. The French may occasionally be criticised for being a bit too classic; we definitely don’t jump on new trends each season. I have a few classic little black dresses from different eras in the wardrobe I revive for parties, and love leopard print which is fun and timeless.
Experimental but muted. The French tend to favour blacks and navys for evening dresses rather than ‘look at me’ brights. We do however love to experiment with all shapes and styles, so if you’re wearing an evening maxi dress or jumpsuit then try keep it to a dark base colour and let your accessories or your sexy fur stole create a bit of added drama.
For more luxurious and vintage French party looks from brands from Isabel Marant to Maje, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and more, check out the partywear section on the homepage of vestiairecollective.com.
