Fashion question for Paris

AGREED about skinny jeans looking better with sneakers. The whole issue of shoes is what's so tricky with the move to wider leg jeans. I think there's a few options here: 1) wear your skinny jeans and know you're not alone in doing so, because you're not; 2) go with wide-leg jeans that are either cropped so they're more sporty looking and purposefully showing off the sneakers (a tucked in shirt will help your legs look longer especially when the jeans are cropped) OR are a full-length inseam that basically go right down and over the sneakers basically to the ground; 3) pick a different style of pant altogether; I keep finding myself thinking about joggers as an option that blends two worlds: the looser fit on the leg with the tighter fit at the ankle. Something like these.

Pull up something like Google Maps.

Pick a location that isn't "tourist central", maybe a grocery store or school.
Drop in the little street view person and have a look.

Have you seen the barrel leg style jeans? They’re good with sneakers, and I think way more comfortable than skinnies.

Yes, skinny jeans are very much passé at this point. Wider straight leg denim is what's happening, as Helen says.

Ohhh the barrel leg style Helen mentioned is brilliant, I'd totally forgotten about that option!

"Yes, skinny jeans are very much passé at this point. '

What's this? And the months and months of planning I've had on putting together a program so that I could lose the weight and once again fit into my skinny jeans-- all of that work and mental energy, down the drain. I guess it's time to go back to the drawing board and enjoy a piece of chocolate cake.

My advice: If you can fit into skinny jeans, go for it! You are better than me!

Happy travels.

I get you Lulu…fashion is important…to us. Its all part of our whole travel vibe. Silly to many. And yes…Paris feels like a fashion capital…for us. I agree with Helen. Barrel jeans are trending and current. I only have one pair…but am taking them nxt week on our Scandinavian trip. I like the look and comfort. They look good with tennis shoes…most shoes.

Ohhh the barrel leg style Helen mentioned is brilliant

What if you're already barrel shaped? Does a double barrel cancel each other out and give the illusion of skinny jeans?

I have a couple of pairs of really nice jeans (A.P.C. and Naked and Famous) that are a 501-type cut in my rotation at the moment, and they even feel a bit narrow to be properly fashionable, except in a "classic" sense. I also wear a pair of Carhartt Simple Pants that I've had for years and they are now my most fashionable pair of trousers with their wide, straight cut.

Lulu, I LOVE my skinny jeans and they are stretchy so very comfortable. My travel philosophy is wear what I am comfortable in and what makes me feel great. Therefore, I will never give them up. I also prefer skirts and dresses when traveling. Probably skirts more as I can mix and match with tops and feel I am wearing a new outfit every day. And, I wear sneakers and sandals when I travel. I must add I am a senior so I'm probably at the age where I don't really care what folks think about my wardrobe. As the poem says, "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple......"

Do you mean that you would feel cold with temps of 70F?
Jeans might be too hot to wear then.
That would be a lovely warm summer day where I live!
I’m also going there in a couple of weeks, just taking lightweight washable pants .
Please wear whatever is comfy for you!

Here’s a video, just out today, of Paris streets.

https://youtu.be/-QI-RtjsBX4?feature=shared

Thanks everyone. Just to note again, I won’t wear sneakers unless it rains. That video showed everything . The jeans I want to take are skinny, white, and very stretchy, lightweight. Gies with my silver walking sandals well. I think I’ll just take them to have, but if I can get by in my summer dresses with a light jacket if needed I will.

What if you're already barrel shaped? Does a double barrel cancel each other out and give the illusion of skinny jeans?

Mary, that's precisely right!

I must add I am a senior so I'm probably at the age where I don't really care what folks think about my wardrobe. As the poem says, "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple......"

Laurie Beth, my midlife-aged self is QUICKLY running out of F's to give about other people's opinion of me, and I'm taking big inspiration from you here. I'm also off to google that line and find the poem!

Well, I’m 65 years old and don’t ENJOY wearing things that are dated or out of style. Nor will I wear barrel jeans at my age, or cropped tops, or mini skirts, or string bikinis. All fine and dandy to like the poem, but I DO care how I appear to others. People say “you do you”. Well, this is me. I’ll wear the purple hat if it’s extremely stylish.

"Yes, skinny jeans are very much passé at this point."

So what's the verdict on leggings?

My sources say leggings are seen as athleisure wear, so for going out walking around in Paris, if fashion is important I'd opt out.

And Lulu348, I support you asking a valid question. (I also know that barrel jeans are not for me - but may be for others.) Those who want to do things differently, as with everything on this forum, can just scroll on by. Have a great trip.

Laurie Beth: There’s a group of women who meet Saturday mornings at the Bloomington Perkins who wear red hats with purple dresses. Seen them several times.

Yes, Toby. There is a Red Hat Society. I'm not much of a joiner so I don't belong, but I love 'their uniform.'

I know…I am truly weird to care about current fashion. And I am 70 so who cares!? But I oddly still do. So I “do me” and you “do you” like many say. But when someone asks about a fashion question in Paris…or Milan or? I assume they care…somewhat? So yes…be comfortable. And I think we are all unique in whats meaningful to us.

@all2alb! It is NOT weird to be concerned about fashion….at any age. I’ll be 66 in November and it’s a big part of my life. I love it! Young people have stopped me on the street telling me they love my jeans or “whatever”. I’m not going to ever age gracefully. I’m fighting it all the way!

Just popping in to say that no one has said not to care about fashion OR to wear something one wouldn't be comfortable in. Also, caring about fashion and not caring what other people think of you (or your clothes) is not mutually exclusive.

Kate Middleton is still wearing skinny jeans. I guess she didn't get the memo. Barrel jeans may be in style, but not if your height challenged. And 70 degrees is too warm for me to bother packing jeans for September.

If your sneakers are comfy, wear them. You'll fit right in.

FYI, when I was in Paris in 2022, on October 1st someone turned on a switch and out came the autumn colors, cardis and scarves on the locals even though the weather was the same as September 30 when everyone was still in summer mode.

Regarding leggings, per my observations on the streets of London and Paris this past spring, for the most part only young girls, joggers/runners & those heading to/from a workout and tourists were wearing leggings.

Lulu, I totally get caring how you appear to others. I cringe when I come across bloggers and others saying to wear your old, worn out clothes and toss them out along the way.

Just to add, people in Europe, including Paris, wear the same variety of jean styles as people in the U.S. Some people care about the latest style that is in, and have the funds and the desire to buy the latest. Others don't have the money and/or the desire. (And, because I think about it and care and it influences my purchasing decisions, textile waste is a huge problem globally, and used denim is one of the most environmentally damaging sectors of the fashion industry.)

I was really watching, when we were in Europe this Spring, to see how much the wider-leg jeans have caught on, and I noticed that some people are wearing them, and some are not. Just like in the U.S.

To stereotype, I think that overall, fewer people in Europe have the money to buy the latest fashions, because clothing generally there is more expensive in Europe vs. the U.S., so (even in Paris) you may see a higher percentage of people wearing clothes that are not the latest fashion.

Another thing that I have noticed is that it seems that a vast percentage of all people wear some sort of sneakers. Even in the big cities. And, just like in the U.S., some are more high-end sneakers, but still sneakers.

We were in Italy this spring, 2025, and all the young gals were wearing the wider legs. No one that I saw in Europe wore leggings. Then we land at LAX, and there's leggings galore!
Oh, the young guys in Europe were wearing the athletic leisure wear, the sweat suits, but not the gals.
I am in shape, but I am not tall enough (5'4") to carry off the wide legs. So skinny jeans it is, but probably not leggings, unless I'm in a country that has a cold spring, and the outerwear is the dominant feature.
But really, comfort is the key. Safe travels.

Someone who worked in fashion (a catwalk model) said to me years ago; when it comes to style and fashion, silhouette is everything. Much more important than what label you're wearing or even what fabric. Your silhouette is what makes your style. That's always stuck with me and making a shape with my silhouette that pleases me is something I definitely consider when it comes to the cut of my jeans, bagginess of my top, how those two things interact, etc.

Just a rambling thought that's almost on topic.

While reading this, an Old Navy commercial came on advertising every style mentioned in the thread. It sounds like they’re all in style, so wear your favorite.

Enjoy your trip!

OP: please wear your skinnies with confidence and pride. They are still ubiquitous all over Europe right now.

Yes, those ugly wide legged jeans (worn with a bulky crew necked jumper) are all the rage, but I see just as many women rocking skinnies and looking fantastic and chic. The wide, high waisted pants manage to make everyone look chunky and stumpy. Skinnies elongate. They are amazing.

If you wear your skinnies with a slouchy or bulky sweater, you’ll look chic and timeless - and nothing beats the feeling of having long-looking legs!!! :-)

I saw everything in Paris last year when it came to fashion. Totally casual. The only place I've been in Europe where I noticed high fashion was Vienna. The women dress so elegantly and beautifully. On our day of departure a women was standing near the front desk, and it turned out she was our taxi driver. She looked so elegant; and then on the drive to the airport she told us she had just dropped her kids off for their first day of school. And she was dressed like that!

Meanwhile in Southern California...yoga pants and flip flops rule the world.

The only thing I noted from the OP was the wearing of white pants...I love a white pant, but I'd never be brave enough to wear them while traveling in a big city; though I agree they look great! I keep thinking of all the bird droppings in the Paris parks.

Speaking up here in defense of leggings...I said goodbye to my waistline a few years ago (because menopause) so I own five pairs of black 3/4 length Athleta leggings and wear them often (not in summer; I usually wear skirts or skorts then).

I have one pair of slim cropped jeans I like and feel comfortable in. Wide leg/barrel leg jeans look terrible on me. As someone else said, the silhouette is important and I am much more comfortable in an oversized top and skinny bottoms. I was in Edinburgh the last week of August and a typical outfit for me was black leggings, a sleeveless black linen tunic (to mid-thigh, like a short dress), a fitted jean jacket, Ecco sandals and a black cross body bag. I felt put together, comfortable, walked 10 or more miles every day, and didn't feel for one second that anyone was pointing and laughing at my leggings. My winter outfit is a variation of the above - tunic sweater or long sleeve shirt, scarf, coat, leggings, ankle boots or cute sneakers.

In any big city there are surely so many people from all over the world that you cannot say "no one wears____." Someone is wearing it. In Edinburgh there was everything from burqa, to Asian women in schoolgirl outfits with parasols, to puffy coats, to summer dresses with Birkenstocks. I was too busy enjoying myself to pay close attention to what the throngs of people were wearing.

All that said, I feel Paris might be its own beast in terms of the fashion vibe. No doubt there will still be tourists from all over the world wearing anything and everything, so I think you should wear whatever you enjoy wearing. For me, mid September is too late for white pants, and if I wore white pants in Paris, they would be filthy by the end of the day, so I wouldn't wear them. But if they make you feel great, or if your skinny jeans make you feel great, I say wear them.