Two Outfits, Two Cities

There can be no denying the fact that living between the fashion capital of the world and the colorful streets of Dublin has had a serious influence over my sense of style. While fashion in Paris typically tends to be more classical, revolving around basics pieces and signature items, Dublin street style is a lot more daring and eccentric. 

Today I thought I would put together two outfits, one in Dublin and one in Paris to show the contrast between these two unique cities.

Outfit One: Dublin

Ever since moving to France I’ve noticed a huge change in my style but whatever it is about Dublin, perhaps the enchanting allure of celtic culture, makes me want to embrace a much wilder dress sense. There’s just something so refreshing about creating an outfit that sings in harmony with the city’s obscure architecture and contrasting color schemes, the diverting rooftops and the charm of the cobbled streets.

Fashion in Paris however is much more elegant. We take comfort in simplicity and practicality is our definition of luxury.

Dublin is a city where when it comes to dressing up, the more eccentricity in an outfit the better. As a result of living in a climate that is so cold and harsh, us celtic girls have been cultivating our skills for layering over generations and creating elegant silhouettes while doing so has since become our witchcraft. We love silhouettes to seem obscure, distorted, sometimes not even humanlike but above all, always feminine. We love playing with different lengths on the body from the asymmetry of our scarves, to long dresses worn under short coats. While warmth is paramount in the Dublin outfit to avoid the chill of the Liffey and the never-ending rainfall, we never fail to radiate our femininity through our unique and colorful dress sense.

As for shoes, you’ll never look inside the wardrobe of a celtic lady without finding at least one pair of heeled ankle boots. Our talent is being able to glide over the cobblestones in them and we know that like a pinch of confidence, they are the secret to making even the most crazy of outfits work.

Outfit Two: Paris

Much unlike Dublin however, Paris is a city that is all beige. Neutral color schemes triumph as women move beneath the pavements of the city’s sandstone buildings. Fabrics that emit sentiments of luxury and a richness of textures is what makes or breaks that Parisian outfit formula and in the merciless January weather there is no better friend than a chunky cable-knit jumper matched with a pair of blue denim jeans for a look that is chic, practical and altogether timeless.

And the final essential component to the Parisian outfit is of course the color black. In the words of Yves Saint Laurent,  “there is not just one black but many blacks ” and in Paris there is a subtle art to this achromatic style. Black is comfortable and all purpose. Feigning minimal effort and thought in your ensemble as you flaunt a look that is altogether stylish and care-free is just another way Parisian women radiate an elegance that is effortless and luxurious.

And that’s it for this outfit post! Which one do you prefer? And do you agree with how I view the aesthetic of both cities? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Thank you guys so much for reading and I’ll see you very soon in my next post.

~Mandy xx