Edit No. 27: What to Wear in Paris, Season by Season

Dressing in Paris, without the pressure.

More and more of you ask me the same question in private. “I will be visiting Paris for the first time. I’m so excited, but I have zero fashion sense. What should I wear and pack for my trip?” It is a question that comes back month after month, year after year. It felt only natural to answer it fully, in an Édit Privé entirely dedicated to this subject.

Whether you are preparing your very first trip to Paris, already know the city but not at this particular time of year, or are simply looking for some guidance on how to dress à la parisienne, wherever you are, this Édit was written to accompany you.

Paris can be intimidating. Its image as the “fashion capital,” shaped by Fashion Weeks, runway shows, and spectacular imagery, often creates the impression that the city itself is one endless catwalk. This idea can place unnecessary pressure on visitors, as though one must know how to dress in order to be worthy of Paris.

In reality, everyday Parisian style is much simpler. It is discreet, restrained, classic, and functional—designed for walking, living, working, crossing the rain, sitting at a café terrace, and starting again the next day. This sobriety is not a lack of chic or creativity, but a form of mastery: one that privileges cut, fabric, and detail over effect.

For those discovering me here for the first time: I am French. I grew up in a small village in the French Alps, then lived in Paris, London, Paris again, before settling in Amsterdam, where I live today. Years spent moving between cities taught me something essential: style is never fixed. It absorbs. It evolves with places, rhythms, and daily life.

Living somewhere long enough, one inevitably takes on its codes, often without even noticing. My own style has been shaped by Parisian classicism, a certain British rigour, and a more modern, functional approach influenced by Northern Europe. The guiding thread remains French, but enriched by these successive influences.

As you read this Édit, you will likely realise that you already own most of what you need in your wardrobe. And above all, there is no obligation to “dress Parisian.” Even in Paris, you are free to wear what feels like you. The guidance shared here has a single purpose: to help you feel comfortable, confident, and fully yourself in the clothes you choose to bring. This is not a guide to getting it right, but to feeling right.