Some Trends in Paris (as noticed by one JCA)

Again, I want to say "thank you!" for all the well-wishes I received for my trip to Paris last week. I had a great time (oh the delicious food and fabulous museums!), despite a few minor snags. (One, the weather- It was cold and raining every day! I didn't bring enough warm clothes. ;) Two, the employee strikes. The hotel we were staying at was in its first week of an employee strike. Even at the Palace of Versailles, there was an employee strike going on!)

The Parisian women (in general) are gorgeous and stylish, (which is expected, considering the city's unique and rich history with fashion). While there, I could not help noticing a few fashion trends that were very popular- which I listed below. I am sure J.Crew will incorporate some of them with its future collections (and in some cases, they already have).

Boxy, swingy jackets. These jackets were everywhere! Not a fitted jacket in sight when it came to the retail stores! Even jackets that were meant to be belted were worn without the belt. For example... I was at my hotel when I noticed one of the patrons was wearing J.Crew's Frenchie Slicker (Item 11293; Regular $165.00, now $69.99-89.99), without the belt. (Yes! I spotted J.Crew everywhere in Paris- and I loved it!)

J.Crew has been offering a lot more of these jackets the past few seasons. I predict that they will continue to in the foreseeable future.

Tight, skinny jeans. It was clear who were the tourists from America - because we were all (including myself) wearing dark trouser jeans. But the fashionable Parisians were all sporting skinny jeans in a variety of washes and colors. This look is great for those who are tall and lean- but what about the rest of us? ;)

Loose suit jackets. The suit jackets with tight jeans was another big look. The jackets were not fitted as they had more of a looser shape (which makes it look a bit more like men's suiting). Moreover, the sleeves were rolled up for a more casual look.

Gladiator & Boot-like sandals. This look was everywhere. There were lots of versions of these styles too. Some wore sandals that laced up to their knees. While others wore gladiator sandals with fringe detailing on the front. I also noticed several women wearing sandals with a wraparound the ankle, like it was a sandal boot.

Harem Bottoms. Also, known as MC Hammer pants. These pants & shorts were everywhere! (Refer to here to see Madewell's email promoting them.) And they were almost always worn by pretty & young women. Honestly, none of them looked good with the style- and if they can't "work it", I can definitely not! ;)

What are your thoughts on these trends? Are you a fan of any of them? Are there any trends you are hoping doesn't make it to the States (e.g. I nominate the Harem pants!)? ;)