Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Parisian Style


Even with the Internet, television, newspapers, and magazines, I've lived in Paris too long to know what passes for fashion among American teenagers.  For all I know, 14 year olds in Washington and New York dress exactly like this group spotted in the 16th arrondissement recently.  Short with boots, shorts with sandals, straps showing, tatters, too many rings and bracelets, I've seen it a million times.  Give them a couple of years and they'll have fake tans and cigarettes to complete the look.

10 comments:

Julie said...

That photograph is wonderful. Everyday I come home shaking my head wondering if there's a factory somewhere churning out seizieme teenagers as they all look exactly the same.

This is especially tragic as I have teenagers of my own and can't always spot them correctly at a distance. I am getting old, I fear.

La Mom-an American Mom in Paris said...

When I moved to Paris many moons ago, no one -- but no one -- wore shorts. Now even women my age are sporting them. No women wore jeans back then, either -- thank God that trend looks like it's here to stay!

La Mom
An American Mom in Paris

TN said...

Jean shorts are in again...go figure

Maria Speidel said...

I live in L.A. and these girls (and boys) could have been photographed on Ventura Boulevard or Larchmont or the Grove or anywhere. Particularly puzzling is wearing boots w/ short when it's like 90 degrees, but fashion is fashion and short shorts have ruled for at least a year. Also, short flouncy skirts with the waists pulled up to empire waist level. . .

Unknown said...

Oh dear. The short shorts epidemic is also plaguing the 7th, 17th and other bourgeois neighborhoods full of young girls dying to break out of their shells. I'm not at all surprised you caught sight of them!

paris museums blog said...

Another jaded expat, lol. So many people come here thinking it's going to buzzing with runway models and ultra-chic youth, only to realize they all dress the same! I guess that's globalization for ya!

Starman said...

I guess I'm the only one who noticed the young boys eyeing the girls. Maybe I'm getting old, but the boys seem much too young for these girls.

Courtney J. said...

I'm from Michigan but spent a year in Paris and I must say that these teenagers are dressed much better than those here in Michigan! I'm so happy that they're not wearing flipflops-- can't stand them! haha.

Anonymous said...

Is there a French term for "muffin top"?

Anne said...

Thanks for all the comments.

Starman: those boys were the same age as the girls, it's just that time of life when the girls mature first.

Courtney: not too many flip flops in Paris but plenty of thong sandals and regrettably more and more Crocs.

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