Stylish secrets of Paris streets

From Moscow to Melbourne, women are flipping through pages of French glossy magazines wondering how they can dress with the effortless elegance of Parisian women. Of course, if you want to truly understand Paris street fashion you need to visit the city yourself.

'The best way to get a taste for fashion is to do in Paris as Parisians do: sit at the terrace of a cafe, and watch people walk by,' says Marie Destombe, a Frenchwoman who spent six years in Paris before relocating to Hong Kong.

The creative director of a lingerie company says that 'unlike other nationalities, French women tend to dress down; they are the opposite of fashion victims, never over-the-top, so it is difficult to describe what makes it so special'.

Rebecca Leach, designer for French pret-a-porter label BGN, agrees: 'There is not a lot of fun or folly.'

French women invest in good key pieces in neutral colours such as beige, grey, black and some denim. Then, they complete their look with an accent of colour or a few stronger pieces.

Most foreigners gravitate to areas around the Paris metro stops of Boulevard Haussmann and Opera where the big department stores are, and Rue Faubourg Saint Honore and Rue Saint Honore for the famous high-end shops.

But if you want to find true French flair, seek out the small boutiques near the metro stops Saint Sulpice and Odeon, or Les Halles. Then there are the trendy areas of Rue de Bretagne and Rue Charlot, Leach says. There is also the Palais Royale or Le Marais and Bastille. 'The most in area at the moment for Parisians would be around the Etienne Marcel and Montorgueil metro areas,' Destombe says.

Leach likes Rue de Charonne, where Isabel Marant has a shop. The area 'is more underground', she says, adding that she also likes to wander about Metro Anvers by the Sacre Coeur, where there are independently-owned stores. 'The high-street trends that exist in London don't really exist in Paris; even the young are much more influenced by high designer fashion,' Leach says

Few local women can afford the famous brands, so they shop at the young designers', or multibrand, boutiques. Parisian women tend to purchase luxury accessories, handbags, shoes and jewellery that they can wear every day.

Interaction with shopkeepers is unpredictable. 'There is also a bit of Parisian snobbism in treating people badly, especially foreigners,' Destombe says. 'Having the same attitude lowers their arrogance, but none of that is pleasant.'

'If you feel you are not getting the best service, leave.' Leach advises. 'There is no reason to put up with unhelpful, rude staff, when there are so many who are great.'