What Emily Should Have Worn In Paris

 When I first heard that Emily in Paris was styled by Patricia Field, who styled many looks for Sex and the City, I had high hopes for the show. However the show did not meet my expectations. Both the fashion and the writing were below par. Not only did many of the outfits not make sense on their own, many of the outfits Emily wore were not appropriate for the given setting. I have seen many people rank and critique Emily’s fashion. However, I have not seen any articles completely dedicated to fixing her wardrobe. I quite enjoy putting together outfits. So, I decided to make a list of the outfits I think Emily should have worn during her stay in Paris.

In the opening scene we see Emily jogging in Chicago on a muggy day. While I understand that it may be cold, I have a feeling that anyone would get super sweaty and icky jogging in a heavy puffer like that. And the jacket… it’s flat out ugly. The neon yellow just doesn’t sit well with the grey and red. I think her black leggings and white shoes would look much better with this more lightweight jacket I found online.

In the next scene Emily is at work with her friend Madeline, discussing Madeline’s upcoming trip to Paris. Emily currently works at a marketing firm. When I first saw her outfit, I didn’t think it was really that bad. That was until I saw it up close. It has a print and reads “Kenzo” above it. Simply put, a dress with a printed picture all over it isn’t appropriate for a professional setting. I also don’t think the black belt and white cowboy boots complement the dress nicely. The look isn’t terrible, but it could be better. The outfit that Madeline is wearing is much more appropriate for an office setting. Madeline is wearing a simple dark blue jacket paired with a cohesive dark blue pencil skirt. She is wearing a strapless white top, a black laptop bag with a gold chain, and a gold necklace. My friends, this is work appropriate. The look is cohesive, and it’s simple without being dull and boring. It says “I’m professional, I know what I’m doing, and I have style.” The same can’t be said for Emily. I wanted Emily’s look to flow with Madeline’s style. Emily should have worn the Timeless Tweed Set. Tweed jackets and skirts have always been associated with a chic and elegant style. I think the pearls and flowers lining the jacket and skirt perfectly complete the elegant look the set was trying to achieve. While I don’t know the exact price of Emily’s dress and shoes, I can assume that her outfit is incredibly expensive. Anyone who has watched the show for more than two episodes will have noticed that Emily couldn't realistically afford her Paris lifestyle. This set is easily paired with a simple white bodysuit. I love bodysuits because form-fitting garments give off a more clean and professional look. I like these black suede pumps because they are simple and can be paired with other outfits. Watches have always been a symbol of professionalism. So naturally I surfed the internet for a white watch. I had found a really pretty Dior one that would go perfectly with this outfit. Unfortunately it was over $8,000 and was being sold on an “authentic watches” website so I don’t actually know if it’s legit. Just felt like talking about it. Anyway the next best thing I could find was this watch.

The outfit that Emily wears when she arrives in Paris isn’t bad… If she threw away the brown backpack and replaced it with a black backpack to be coherent with the color scheme of the look, it’s just an average outfit. There’s nothing special about the look, and that’s the problem. Emily is arriving in Paris, the city of love and romance, for the first time. This should be an extravagant and breathtaking moment! If there is a time for Emily to wear a bold eye-catching outfit it’s now! There are so many looks that could have made the cut here and this just didn’t. I would have Emily wearing this pink and white tweed mini dress. This Rayne Pearl Bow Clutch compliments the dress perfectly. I’m in love with these Bow Decor Slide Sandals but my feet are probably too small for them :( I think this outfit would be great with a big white bow and some long white gloves.

The look Emily wears TO HER FIRST DAY AT WORK IN PARIS is by far one of the most horrendous tragedies that occurred on this show. Who in their right mind would wear an edible tower landscape printed shirt, paired with a green python skirt, a white crop top, and shoes that have at least six different colors on them? Emily, unfortunately. The look Julian gave Emily when he first saw her was much deserved. The marketing firm that sent Emily to Paris couldn’t have sent someone more underqualified for the job. Emily can’t speak French, doesn’t put much effort into learning the language, is upright rude, and dresses like an American tourist that gets lots of weird looks on her first day on the job. One of my biggest critiques of Emily’s style is that her outfits are never appropriate for work. Emily should have worn this Eleni Cornflower Tie Shirt. She could have paired it with this White Rhinestone & Bowknot Detail MiniSkirt. She could have paired them with these Minimalist Chunky Heeled Boots. As for accessories, I think this Carvela Structured Tote Bag, a white headband, and the Anne Klein watch I mentioned earlier would complete the look.

In this scene Emily goes jogging again. She is wearing a white tank top, black leggings, and a white top layered over it. It’s definitely an improvement from her first look, but it’s still not great. The sheer white top layered on top gives off the vibe that the stylist wanted to make this look special and have some flamboyance, without actually knowing what to do, so they just threw this on top. Emily is simply going for a jog, so there was no need to try to make her look extra. My advice for Emily is to ditch the top.

I don’t know if this look was intentionally made to look like a disaster, but I’m going to give it a replacement anyway. When Emily had the audacity to waltz into her job wearing this monstrosity she should have been fired immediately. I think Sylvia was being merciful when she told Emily not to wear that outfit again. I think anyone will agree that the multiple different patterns and colors were doomed from the start. This was by far the worst look from season one. Straight leg pants have always been a staple item for women in business. The same can be said about button front shirts. Silver hoop earrings, these black heeled boots, and

the structured tote bag from earlier would have worked.

The outfit Emily was wearing when she met Camile would have made me run the other way. The hot pink blazer clashed with the black legging, white shoes and brown green shoes, and whatever shirt she was wearing underneath. Given that she was shopping for flowers prior, I decided to give her a floral wardrobe replacement. My replacement is a white bustier crop top, layered with this floral printed top, paired with dusty pink high waisted straight leg pants, purple pumps, a pink shoulder bag, a lavender flower for her hair (I don’t think a clip is included on this. So if you bought it you would have to DIY it), and this lavender butterfly necklace.

Episode six starts off with Emily wearing a simple black dress and a black leather blazer. She pairs it with a pearl necklace and a black rhinestone bag with a red head charm. I actually like this look. It’s chic, cohesive, and work appropriate. My only criticism would be to drop the bag with the charm. The bag and charm ruin the chic image and makes Emily come off as touristy. This Natalia Medium Flap Shoulder Bag would be a perfect replacement. And can we talk about Midny’s outfit here?! It’s one of my favorite outfits in the whole show because of its color scheme. It’s so pretty yet casual at the same time. It’s the perfect thing to wear at a cafe in Paris. I also love how it’s the complete opposite style of Emily’s outfit. Friend’s whose styles are completely opposite have it all. Real besties.

In this scene Emily returns to work to apologize after losing a client with a two million dollar watch. The look itself is slightly cohesive. But the plaid collides with the stripes and ruins the whole outfit. This look is childish and isn’t professional at all. The look demonstrates that Emily doesn’t take her job or this apology seriously. Otherwise she would have worn an outfit that is acceptable in a professional setting. When apologizing to someone you definitely shouldn’t be trying to make a bold and risky fashion statement. This Kamala Kulture Shirred Waist Dress and black suede pumps are a simple yet professional look that say “I’m sorry”.

In this scene Emily wears a pink and white houndstooth jacket and skirt set to work. I certainly don’t think this outfit was the most work appropriate. It’s hard to put into words, but I feel like the pink and white houndstooth doesn't give off a professional vibe. Pink and white just aren’t automatically associated with professionalism. I think this set would feel more like something that is work appropriate if it was black and white. But seeing as this workplace tends to be more casual and allows people to be more free with their style, I’ll let it slide. The black top Emily has under her jacket isn’t cohesive with the pink and white look. She should have worn a white bodysuit under it. 

For the most part, the Fashion in Emily in Paris isn’t that great. There are a few good looks, and a few looks that would be good if a few items were changed or removed. The outfits in the show don’t make Emily more likeable, which is bad because she is a jerk. 

Please note that I don’t own any of the items I linked in this post.