Back from a week in Paris where I spent a good deal of time just people watching and looking at what the Parisians were wearing. I enjoy street fashion more than runway fashion because it varies from region to region. The people in a particular area put their own spin on what designers are producing. I think it’s an expression of the mood of people.

Here’s what stood out for me this past week in Paris as different from what I see daily in the US:

1. Coats with belts that didn’t look like the belt came with the coat. In some cases, it couldn’t possibly. I even saw a few down-feather coats (ala North Face) belted. Sometimes it looked great, sometimes not so much. Some women chose to match their belt to the rest of the outfit, making the coat look like it was paired with the outfit.
2. Speaking of matching the accessories, there was a serious matchy-matchy thing going on in Paris. The hats matched the coats, or the shoes matched the bag, etc. It looked like they were headed to a time past when your grandmother’s rules applied.
3. As far as boots went, there was a noticeable absence of over-the-knee boots. Most of the boots were the riding style – low heel, tall boots. Functional and ready for the serious walking done in the city.
4. So on to functionality. Everything seemed to be more practical these days. Gone were stilettos and large handheld designer bags. Returning were flat shoes or low heels, shoulder bags or messenger bags and – gasp – the backpack (note: I do not like the back pack look on anyone that is not a full-time student).
5. The colors were interesting, nothing bright but not too much black either. Most accessories were brown – sandal or saddle. The browns were blended with grays and blacks. There didn’t seem to be any concern of mixing the neutrals with the primaries.
6. The biggest surprise was the amount of leather I saw being worn in the daytime. Leather pants and leather leggings. And on everyday people. I even saw a few men in leather pants and these were businessmen not hipsters.

So which of these trends will take hold in the US?
Will we start to accessorize outerwear with our own accessories or stick to the belt that came with the coat? Will we return to matching our hats, shoes, and gloves? Will we become more comfortable blending browns with blacks? Will Americans grab on to the leather trend? I have seen a few women in the US look fabulous in leather, but it still usually reserved for the very fashionable.
We are already onboard with riding boots and we are warming up to the messenger bag. As for the others, some trends translate and some don’t – they are like expressions that way. It’s up to us to determine.
But that’s what makes us unique, non?