Moody Chic Retro Parisian Vibes

I sometimes find that styling a new piece can feel daunting. Especially when I’ve never owned anything like it. That is how I felt when I got this light blue sweater dress from Chicwish. I had been eyeing it for so long that by the time I got it I kind of froze. “What direction do I go?” I thought. But after applying one simple little trick I knew exactly how I wanted to style it. I adore how this turned out. As I strolled down Central Park West I felt this lewk’s moody chic retro Parisian vibes.

Tip: Don’t know what direction to go? Check the brand’s piece description.

When I am not sure how to style a piece I’ll sometimes seek the product’s description for inspiration. Brands will often write about what inspired them to create a piece of clothing in the product description. When I use this trick I look to the description for key phrases and buzzwords.

The phrase that stood out to me, in this case, was “classic French fashion.” After a quick Pinterest search using terms like “Paris Sweater Dress” I stumbled across my inspiration image. I fell in love with the moody 1970s retro Parisian vibes.

Inspiration photo:

Where my eye was drawn:

• Hat
• Scarf
• Crossbody purse
• Sweater dress
• Brown leather boots

Using the elements to put together this lewk full of Moody Chic Retro Parisian Vibes:

• Hat: I chose a white beret because… well Paris style.

• Scarf: I really like both their neck scarves, but I felt it was too much with the button detail on the waist of my dress so I tied it to my purse for a whimsical touch.
• Crossbody purse: I wore a crossbody brown leather purse to match the inspiration. I LOVE crossbody purses for running around the city. It’s nice to be hands-free when running for the subway, rummaging for my credit card, or munching on a black and white cookie.

• Sweater dress: My light blue sweater dress served as the foundation for this lewk. Sweater dresses are often my pick for dressing chilly weather. It is nice to feel a little less like a walking marshmallow with not having to add an extra layer over my base outfit and under my jacket.
• Brown leather boots: I went with my brown leather booties to compliment the inspiration. I also really like wearing these for a night out in the city. The heel is higher than I would wear for everyday. But it’s wide base makes it walkable for evening excursions.

Finishing touches:

• Red lip: I don’t think any Parisian outfit is complete with out that classy pop of red!

Beret Styling Tip: PLAY!

Beret’s can feel intimidating if you’ve never worn one. So don’t feel bad if you aren’t crazy about them your first try putting one on. The lack of structure and shape makes it tricky.

My white beret is the first I’ve owned. To be honest I didn’t love it when I first put it on. It took some playing, trail and error, and some Pinterest inspiration searching to figure out what worked best for my face shape, head, and hair line. But now… I want one in every color!!!

Outfit Details:

• Sweater dress; Chicwish 2020
• Beret; Hat to Socks 2020
• Crossbody purse; Fossil 2018
• Scarf; Vintage
• Brown leather booties; Frye (Purchased on Poshmark)

Photos by Allie Provost; pretaprovost.com