Dressing “Emily In Paris”
Is Emily playing Dress-up in Season Three of the Netflix series?
Dressing Emily In Paris/A Passion for Purple? Reminds me of a bridesmaid dress I once had to wear!
All photos courtesy Netflix!
Ok, I admit I am a little late to the game here.
Emily in Paris (Season 3) came out before Christmas but I held off, keeping it like a piece of chocolate I wanted to savour slowly when I really needed it.
February, that’s what did it. Dull, dark, boring.
A little bit of Paris and the over-the-top fantasy world of a young American millennial taking the city by storm was in order.
Gingham and puffed sleeves are back?
My Take on “Emily in Paris”
You may remember when the series first came out in 2020, I wondered if Emily really was in Paris, so disenchanted was I to see how North Americans and the French were negatively and stereotypically portrayed.
Americans are dumb about France. They speak French badly. They are too enthusiastic,
And French women, well, they are chic but they smoke, are bitchy, and have affairs.
Wow. A bare midriff and pink feathers!
Still, I am hooked on this season. Because nobody is playing more at being “Chic.” in Season 3 than Emily.
Oh, what it must be like to be on that set every day, adorned head to toe with every major designer’s whimsical creation.
How does a girl living in Paris with a low-level marketing job afford these outfits, purses, shoes, jewelry and sunglasses?
Even one of her hair bands costs more than a week’s salary.
Yes, I know this is all beside the point.
This is fantasy land, a make-believe life in Paris, where unbridled fashion is its DNA.
This IS a Fashion Show!
No words!
Out of control 1980’s
The series costume designer (Marilyn Fitoussi) was apparently given “greater freedom”, a blank cheque and possibly some LSD to dress Emily in Season Three using designers that I know little about such as Essential Antwerp, Magda Butrym, Iris Apfel, Dundasworld and Leslie Amon.
Great publicity for them, but I do have a few observations if you will permit me —
Emily’s outfits don’t match in terms of prints or colours. Anything goes…together apparently. Must be a millennial thing.
Platform shoes with those horrendous wedge soles are de rigeur but you would need a full-time chauffeur to drive you around. No way you could walk even a block in those things even if you are thirty-something.
Emily with her French co-star Philippine LeRoy-Beaulieu/Contrasts?
Overdressed and a bit garish?
The purses are cool. I’ll admit that. But again all for show. Not practical. I am sure not even an iPhone would fit in one.
And, also, well, I noticed when Emily and the other American co-stars wear these designs, it really looks more like the clothes are wearing them.
They look overdressed, as if they were just trying too hard to look, Chic!
American actor Kate Walsh in her only tasteful outfit on this show with “Emily: in a French café
Whereas the French co-stars including Philippine LeRoy-Beaulieu (a woman of a certain age) are more often tastefully dressed, their outfits understated and enhancing their figures and style.
l’Américaine versus La Parisienne!
Perhaps that too was the point? Non?
Just wondered what you think.
(Can’t wait for Season 4!)
Please comment below.
See you soon!
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Diana Bishop the founder of The Success Story Program and A Woman of a Certain Age in Paris as well as a well-known correspondent with over 25 years working for CTV, CBC News, and NBC News. She loves travel, writing, and all things Parisienne.
Emily is too much of a cliché ! I prefer real Paris even if not perfect.
See you soon here dear Diana for real strolls, real life.
I have the same relationship with the show. I love that it is in Paris, and I love the French fashions. However, I agree that most of what Emily wears is extreme. Regardless, I have to watch it! J’aime Paris!
Totally! Love it still.
Lisa, Congrats. You were one of the first three people to comment on this blog … so you will be hearing from me shortly…Diana
I haven’t seen the show personally. Your description of it now solidifies my decision not to watch it. Paris runways have always been a little over the top, but no one wears those outfits on the street lol. My Mom’s word for it is “tacky”. Lol
Agreed. It is pure theatre and I think that is what the creators intended … only getting more outrageous with every season!
Diana … congrats, you were one of the first three people to comment on this blog so you will be hearing from me shortly … Diana
I totally agree. The clothes are overwhelming and unrealistic. Even given that in a marketing job you would be given promotional swag, it may compromise your job. I do love the outrageousness of it.
Thanks for your observations.
Veronica — I also love the outrageousness of it anyway too. Thank you for the comment.
Hey, and by the way, you were one of the first three to comment on this blog so you will be hearing from me shortly…congrats, Diana
I have not seen the show either, but if people have been enjoying it through these last few difficult years, tant mieux, stereotypes over-the-top fashion and all. Just as a comment on scarves, I lived and worked in Paris from 2005 and 2010 and came back to Canada with a huge collection of foulards. I still treasure them but wear them a bit less now. Salutations de Montréal.
This show was never meant to be a genuine ‘Tourists Guide to Paris’ it is entertainment and as such I think it provides this in spades. You need to accept the reality of it all sprinkled with the entertainment factors to fully appreciate it. My only critisism was Philippine LeRoy-Beaulieu’s dresses I felt were too low cut without the correct underwear support making her breasts look a little flat and drooped, but otherwise she was very well dressed. I cannot wait for season four.
Oh I totally agree Anita!! I think the creators are having a field day and putting us all on. It is over the top. I just wish that they weren’t promulgating stereotypes about Paris and Parisians that go back decades.. you were on the first three to comment on this blog .. congrats!!! You will be hearing from me shortly, Diana
Emily in Paris – pure fantastical joy and silliness. I agree – Emily’s wardrobe is beyond practical life and budget. I do love some of the characters even if they are “ringarde!”
Great article! Merci!
Isabel — thank you so much for the comment. I still love the show though, don’t you? I will be in touch with your shortly…Diana
You nailed it with “garish.” My husband and I see Emily’s outfits as pure comedy. Slapstick, to be more precise. But Philippine LeRoy-Beaulieu, d’autre part…oh-so-chic and stylishly sexy. (And don’t you just love her voice?) We will be retiring in France soon, and I can only dream of carrying off that French “woman of a certain age” in my over 60s!
Carolyn, You said it better than I did. Pure comedy and slapstick! Well done. I think the creators are having us on a bit, don’t you?
Thank you for your comment and you will be hearing from me very shortly…Diana
The implausibility of the plotlines and shallow, cliched stereotypes of the first two seasons made it painful and almost impossible to watch. I may give Season 3 a try but I’m not optimistic. Anyone who has been to Paris knows the depictions are beyond fantasy. Even the fashions are so out there they’re beyond inspirational. I can’t resist the shots of Paris streets but overall watching Emily in Paris only frustrates this retired real-life-marketing person.
Hi Lynda–well said. But Season 3 is really a comedy as if the writers decided they were overplaying just about every stereotype about Paris they could find and then just turning it up a notch with the clothes. Fashion models strut these theatrical outfits on Paris runways all the time, but who wears them? Emily and crew only as far as I can see. Thank you for your comment! You will be hearing from me shortly…
PS I tried to subscribe to Boomer Broadcast on your website, but it does not seem to be working…Diana
Will have to watch “Emily in Paris” before I can comment …!
It really is a lot of fun Gretchen…outrageous as it can be. Have fun, Diana
Diana : I’ve actually wondered if the creators of the show have ” tongue in cheek” ! The heroine and her American friend look garish and ridiculous in their outfits ,whereas as you say , her boss, the true Parisian , always looks understated and chic. A statement indeed !
Tongue in cheek is an understatement I think. They seem to really haveing a blast playing up just about everything in the show. How about the American boss wearing milk pumps over her designer outfit — oh la la and not in a good way but hilarious! Thanks for commenting Shardie!
Well, it IS an American series 🙂 Have any French women watched it? What do they think of the clothes in series 3? Personally, I’ve never watched it 🙂
Hi Trudy, It was panned by French women generally. So great to hear from you again. It has been a while. I will be in touch with you shortly…Diana
This show is a hoot. Totally ridiculous, over the top and light-hearted. The only thing I have noticed – yes I’ve watched them all – is that Sylvie is starting to dress a bit tarty. She was the classy antithesis of Emily. Now her necklines are lower ( but nothing to show) midriff exposed. Lol. It is quite curious as she was classy. Loved the pregnant boss’s huge water bottle. So vulgar. Well acted. A great laugh.
This show is a hoot. Totally ridiculous, over the top and light-hearted. The only thing I have noticed – yes I’ve watched them all – is that Sylvie is starting to dress a bit on the tarty side. She was the classy antithesis of Emily. Now her necklines are lower ( but nothing to show) midriff exposed. Lol. It is quite curious as she was very french. Loved the pregnant boss’s huge water bottle. So vulgar. Well acted. A great laugh.
Helen–I could not agree with you more! The low but bra-less look is a bit tarty and takes away from Sylvie’s sophistication. The pregnant American boss was a hoot! Lots of show .. but maybe shouldn’t?
So, thank you so much for your comment. And I will be in touch with you shortly. Diana
Tasteless but tasty/dramatic romcom, a delightful and entertaining for everyone. I just watched it and it reminded me of my time traveling throughout France; the French characters portrayed the the true nature of the Parisienne people 🙂. Loved and enjoyed the whole country.
Hi Grace, Thank you for the comment! Yes, there is still some truth to these stereotypes and as I said, despite the drawbacks, I think the creators are just having some fun with us! You will be hearing from me shortly… stay tuned!