| Paris? | | | | is your very own time in Paris! Jeans and |
| Are sneakers a barely acceptable | | | | sneakers are international. People will not be |
| dress-down’ accessory in Paris, or a | | | | offended by your attire. Unless you dress in |
| fashion statement which US tourists can use to | | | | 80’s disco garb with polka-dot sneakers, |
| their advantage? The Senior Editor of web | | | | nobody around you will mind your looks. |
| magazine Paris Eiffel Tower News, Phil Chavanne, | | | | And if they ever notice your jeans, LL Bean |
| discusses the topic from all angles. | | | | trekking shoes, and Patagonia jacket, well, push |
| Being the Senior Editor of | | | | come to shove, they might think you’re |
| Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com, visitors’ | | | | American. And so what? In all likelihood they will |
| e-mails have a magical tendency to find their way | | | | appreciate your visiting Paris. |
| to my desk. The good side of it is I am allowed | | | | Dining out in sneakers |
| to pause vainly as an expert on all that is Paris, | | | | Does it mean you can wear sneakers |
| and impart my thin knowledge of the French | | | | everywhere, on any and every occasion? Not so. |
| capital to studious travelers. Amongst the many | | | | For instance, can you have dinner in a restaurant |
| questions offered, one keeps coming back: Is | | | | shoed with your brand-new white sneakers? |
| it considered bad taste to wear sneakers in | | | | For the sake of it, let’s imagine you are |
| Paris? Ah-ha! That’s an issue P.G. | | | | strolling along in your Levi’s jeans and |
| Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster would have | | | | Lands End boots. It’s now dinner time, you |
| been delighted to jump on. Following in the | | | | are hungry, and scanning the landscape looking for |
| footsteps of this worthy role model, I shall bring | | | | a promising restaurant. There is it! The menu |
| an answer to this existential torment once and | | | | displayed outside is appetizing, prices are within |
| for all with thundering authority. | | | | your comfort zone, the place is not so crowded... |
| Paris, French fashion, sneakers | | | | Ah, but guests are dressed smartly. Will they let |
| Paris-bound tourists are often of the opinion that | | | | you in? Will you fit in? |
| French women are die-hard fashion victims. This | | | | I have yet to see a door sign indicating No |
| claim is definitely exaggerated, though access to | | | | Sneakers Allowed’ in Paris. Some high-brow |
| stylish clothing is heavily facilitated in Paris where | | | | places may expertly leave you at bay: Do you |
| women magazines such as Elle’ and | | | | have a reservation? Sorry, we are full tonight. |
| Figaro Madame’ dictate what’s | | | | But beside those rare snobbish places, no |
| fashionable and what’s not. | | | | restaurant will refuse to seat you because you |
| In my humble opinion, perennial tastes look very | | | | wear casual sneakers. |
| much alike in Paris and New York City. | | | | Therefore the right question is not Will I be |
| Globalization tends to homogenize fashion, making | | | | allowed in?’, but Will I feel comfortable |
| work-a-day wear similar in large cities. | | | | entering a dressy place in sneakers?’ I |
| No matter, the sneaker concern remains valid. | | | | venture that you probably would not. And the |
| Sneakers are now such a commodity in the US, | | | | problem is that being self-conscious is a surefire |
| how is it in Paris? | | | | way to kill your meal. Your attention should be in |
| The generally accepted business dress code in | | | | your plate and on your food, not on your shoes |
| France usually bars sneakers from entering the | | | | and garb. |
| corporate environment, except for low-level | | | | My practical rule is Dress according to the |
| positions. Thus the Parisian woman wears | | | | lieu’. If you intend to dine out at expensive, |
| good-looking city shoes to go to work, unless the | | | | dressy restaurants when you are in Paris, just |
| business which employs her cultivates a sporty | | | | bring your Pradas. Better yet: pay a visit to |
| image in which sneakers find a natural home. | | | | Stephane Kelian’s and Robert |
| Yet sneakers have become design icons in their | | | | Clergerie’s boutiques in Paris, and buy |
| own right. Adidas, Puma and Nike each have their | | | | yourself gorgeous-looking footwear by these |
| own Parisian stores, and crank out more models a | | | | Parisian designers. |
| convincing fashion-victim could easily shake credit | | | | A night in sneakers a the Opera |
| cards at. Adidas recently teamed with iconic | | | | There are other places where sneakers just |
| fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto to create Y-3, | | | | won’t cut it. |
| a new line of dress-up sneakers. Stella McCartney | | | | The Opera House is one of them. But I know no |
| also has her own Adidas line. | | | | one who would be so foolish as to dress in jeans |
| What major difference in shoe-attitude could we | | | | and sneakers for a night at the Opera. Therefore |
| identify between American and French | | | | the sneaker issue is deemed moot. |
| she-consumers? The latter will wear sneakers as | | | | What about the cabaret? I say it is much better |
| design items, not as workaday shoes. Sneakers | | | | to dress up when you plan to spend the evening |
| won’t be bought for comfort, but will find | | | | at Moulin Rouge’, Lido’, and |
| an easy way into a tight purse when they | | | | Paradis Latin’. Though the stage is the |
| compliment dress-down pants and make their | | | | only spot well lit in these places, people around |
| owner look good. The She-Parisian loves sneakers | | | | you will usually dress up for the occasion. You will |
| which make her feet look thin, small, and classy. | | | | be more comfortable in some formal wear. |
| A mere glance at the types of sneakers most | | | | How about the boats on the Seine? If you are |
| commonly seen on women’s feet in Paris | | | | boarding a boat for a dinner cruise, don’t |
| is telling: you won’t see any wide, cushy, | | | | wear sneakers. This is a romantic experience, you |
| comfy-looking, plain vanilla sneakers. You will see | | | | will want to make the most of it. An evening |
| small, thin-looking, flat-sole, designer sneakers. | | | | dress is de rigueur’. On the other hand, |
| For the same reasons, a pair of Stephane Kelian | | | | if you simply want to cruise up and down the |
| or Robert Clergerie shoes will almost always be | | | | stream, sneakers are fine. |
| favored over a pair of good-looking Pumas. Shoes | | | | Museums? Forget style, wear very comfortable |
| are a fashion statement, and the more | | | | shoes. Nobody will look at your shoes, art is on |
| understated it is, the better. | | | | the walls. But walking down the Louvre galleries is |
| That’s another major difference between | | | | a tiring experience: so much too see, so many |
| French and American women. Understatement is | | | | galleries, so slow the pace. The good |
| a cardinal rule in French fashion. Anything that is | | | | doctor’s advice: go with cushion and |
| too visible is considered garish. This is why the | | | | comfort. |
| little black dress is such a fashion icon, and why | | | | Art gallery vernissages’? Style is your |
| Audrey Hepburn will always be remembered as | | | | cue. Art galleries are small, vernissage evenings |
| The Quintessential Fashionable American Woman. | | | | are short. Evening dress, black preferably, nothing |
| Tourism in sneakers | | | | flashy, and good-looking design shoes. No |
| All this does not mean you can’t wear | | | | sneakers. |
| sneakers when you travel to Paris! | | | | Wrapping up |
| For one thing, sneakers are usually comfortable | | | | Dress for the place you go to. If you are unsure |
| walking shoes. As the very best way to discover | | | | about the dress code, you may call in advance to |
| Paris is to stroll along its streets, wearing shoes in | | | | get appraised of it. Pack a dressy pair of shoes, |
| which you feel comfortable covering five miles a | | | | or buy one when you are in Paris. Bring a discreet, |
| day at a leisurely pace is an important decision. It | | | | understated evening dress. |
| will influence your general mood during your stay | | | | But don’t back away from sneakers for |
| in the French capital. | | | | other not-so-formal occasions. Wear them |
| Do not back off from wearing sneakers if these | | | | shamelessly in the street. You will blend just fine if |
| are your best walking shoes. | | | | you harbor a pair of jeans and a pair of sneakers. |
| My second point refers to the look | | | | Nike is an American brand, and it is very popular |
| issue’. Will I look good in the streets, or will | | | | in France. Levi’s, Diesel, and Calvin Klein are |
| I be the laughingstock of all these snooty, | | | | American brands, and they rule the French jeans |
| dressed-up, fashion-conscious Parisian women? | | | | scene too. In fact, I can’t quite think of |
| Frankly, you should not ask yourself this question. | | | | any domain in France where American culture did |
| Because who cares about your looks in the | | | | not leave a mark —- except maybe |
| street? Never be self-conscious, just be | | | | cuisine. |
| comfortable in your shoes. You are a tourist, this | | | | |