Fashion Communicating Culture in Paris

I recently read an article on the secrets to how Paris locals spot tourists so easily. On my trip to Paris a few years ago, pretty much everyone spoke English when approaching my family and me. We all got a bit frustrated and confused trying to figure out what about us made it so obvious we were tourists. While, of course, the insufficient French is a big clue, I was surprised to see that fashion is just as much of a giveaway to Parisians. In the reading, people in Paris spoke about the matter and said they can tell within seconds who is American and who is from Paris by their outfits. Americans wear much more casual outfits, while Parisians dress up more. This stereotype is portrayed in many TV shows and movies, and when I read it, I could not help but think of Mitchell Pritchett from Modern Family going to Paris as the perfect example.

Image Credit: Hulu / Modern Family

All he did was buy a more elevated look that coincides with the Paris style, and was then perceived as a Paris local. From jeans and a cardigan to a trench coat, scarf, and hat, Mitch transformed into a spitting image of a Parisian man. Understanding fashion as a part of culture, just as I did with this blog post, will open your eyes up to the significance fashion has on human identity. The example of Parisians being able to define their cultural identity solely through their fashion choices shows that fashion is just as much a communicator as language, which I find pretty powerful.