Paris in July

[OvernightOatsAgain]

Help!!! .... I'm a jeans and boots kind of girl (well .... hardly a girl, I'm 70!) and live a rural life in a small village with my dog and a horse! .... but I am going to Paris in July for a few days. While I'm there (staying with friends) we are meeting some people for dinner at a very nice restaurant, and, for once, I would like to look presentable and girly. I need a dress ....

I am 5'7", slim build (size 10), grey hair, fair complexion. I don't do flowery, and prefer tailored shapes to floaty and frilly. Can anyone advise please. I haven't bought, or worn a dress for years, so no idea where to start. All advice from more fashion savvy ladies would be very gratefully received. Thank you.

Budget?

Paris can be very hot in July.

I was in Paris recently and was surprised at how under dressed everyone local looked. Lot of cropped trousers, t shirts and denim jackets or over sized shirts. I felt quite over dressed in a dress!

I suppose it depends on where you are meeting though? Is it day or evening?

I would be tempted to go with drapey cropped trousers and a plain top with a nice necklace I think.

The chic Parisiennes of my acquaintance probably wouldn’t wear a dress to a restaurant. They’re more likely to be in a silk blouse and black leather or tan suede mini!

But if you do wear a dress I’d stick to black and white shades - very simple shapes, definitely no flounces. (In truth it doesn’t seem to me the most fun way of dressing but they do look outrageously well put together.)

Have a look at Loulou Studio - the clothes don’t seem much in the initial photos - but they’re wonderful in movement.

https://louloustudio.fr/en/SS24/dresses/

This in particular in any of the colours:

https://louloustudio.fr/en/durion/

This reversible black cotton dress from

Alexandra Golovanoff

is the same sort of idea, though you might want something lighter if it’s really hot.

Like this Cos dress, maybe:

https://www.cos.com/en_gbp/women/womenswear/dresses/product.bow-detail-linen-midi-dress-blue.1234843001.html

which looks particularly good and more casual styled with trousers as in one of the photos.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Budget would be around £150.00 maximum. Thank you @TheOriginalFrench I'm not sure I could pull off a black leather mini ... my legs haven't seen daylight for years ... 😂.... but I do have a couple of nice silk blouses I could take and try to find a suitable skirt to go with them, maybe.

I'd look at Cos for tailored, minimalist dressing with that budget. Or Massimo Dutti.

You don;t have to wear a dress. Trousers and a shirt would be just fine.

I am your exact height and size- also do not do frilly and girly-and I would wear something like this.https://www.massimodutti.com/gb/vneck-midi-dress-with-topstitching-l06615100

Janne Mill woman is who I aspire to be. Chic and slim. Unfortunately I'm neither, so I've given up trying to fit in. I do wear dresses, and stand out a mile in Paris.

As others have said, if you want to fit in, stick to black or navy. No florals. If in doubt, head to Monoprix; their basics are good.

Paris should be hot by then. We've had abysmal weather but it's just starting to warm up.
https://jannemill.com/

Alice in Paris recently did a What to Wear in Paris in Summer. She's on You Tube.

You don't have to wear a dress but it might be easier to find a good dress at £150 than splitting the budget over separates.

As for fitting in, it will be heaving with tourists anyway. I think being yourself is more important than trying to be a (not convinced it isn't a figment of MN anyway) stylish Parisian.

Parisians have that flair for understated chic. Be careful of shirt and skirt looking too much like business attire. If you already have some nice silk shirts I would buy a pair of non jean cotton or linen trousers that you may want to wear again and then add in a piece of chunky statement jewellery (chunky fake gold necklace). e.g.:
https://www.meandem.com/cotton-cargo-culotte-stone
https://www.fatface.com/women/clothing/trousers/mina-crop-trousers/0002562.html?dwvar_0002562_color=BLACK&awc=5463_1718707628_a380340ec954aba1c873c3cdf541c71b&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Awin&utm_source=Skimlinks&dtm_channel=aff&dtm_source=Skimlinks&dtm_campaign=HighSummer&dtm_content=Sub+Networks
https://www.jigsaw-online.com/collections/sale-trousers-jeans/products/silk-blend-ikat-stripe-trouser-black

https://www.jigsaw-online.com/collections/jewellery/products/textured-enamel-chain-necklace-gold
https://www.jigsaw-online.com/collections/jewellery/products/crumpled-textured-necklace-gold

I just want to add, if you don't normally wear dresses I wouldn't start now - just a waste of money.
You are clearly slim so will have many options.
Jigsaw / Massimo Tutti will have good quality trouser options in your price range

Just returned from Paris. I, too, was surprised by the relaxed dress code. I wore a dress one evening and felt a bit overdressed. This was in less touristy areas as well. Having said that all the clothes, even though casual, were, of course, fabulous and effortlessly chic!!

I love this dress too. 100% cotton dress with embroidered detail · Black · Smart / Dresses And Jumpsuits | Massimo Dutti Simple but with a bit of embroidery.