By Mackenzie Boyce
With the release of Emily In Paris season two in December, fans can not stop talking about the drama, romance, and most importantly, fashion. Viewers have controversial opinions about the styling choices for the main character, Emily, played by Lily Collins. As a stereotypical American in Paris, she dresses in bright colors, often contrasting with the chic and neutral Parisian style. While she is quite bold in her decisions to clash patterns and don vibrant shades of pink, is her style really worthy of the criticism it’s received?
Let’s start off by talking about this underrated outfit, worn when Emily’s boss from Chicago comes to visit; this is my favorite look from the entire series. This outfit shows her love for patterns with the different, yet subtle, prints on both her skirt and sweater. The addition of the white Zara vest makes the outfit overall muted compared to her vibrant choices during other moments of the show. She definitely dressed to impress, and this outfit is one I would wear (if I could afford that Valentino belt).
Moving on to one of her not so great outfits, Emily’s first day of work. Clearly this did not make a good first impression, and she embodies the French perception of American fashion. The mix of colors and prints in this look is something that I cannot get behind. Although her success with pattern mixing can often shock me, this time it just didn’t work. Not to mention, the Eiffel Tower printed shirt would definitely be considered “ringarde” anywhere in Paris.
Another look that I love, which is an understandably controversial opinion, is her influencer lunch outfit. Now I know the green is a lot, the plaids are different, and the purse looks kind of like a bucket, but for some reason I can’t stop loving this look. Throughout the series, Emily shows that she knows where to shop for jackets, and this green Chanel coat further proves that point. I mean, seriously, can I have that in my closet! To tone back this bright green, she adds a black, white, and dark green skirt, which calms down the bold tone while still implementing her obvious love for patterns. She also uses the same color scheme in a plaid bucket hat, which overall brings the look together.
While we still can’t forgive outfits like this or this, she has moments where her wardrobe is absolutely stunning. We can’t forget about her St. Tropez look, which shows that she knows how to dress, despite her experiments that we might not love. Her vintage jacket, gorgeous dress, and big sunglasses show why this was the costume designer’s favorite look of the season.
Although we may not all agree on if Emily’s outfits were a hit or a miss, it’s important to show that everyone can express themselves through clothing. While her prints and vibrancy may not be for everyone, it does reflect her bold and outgoing personality. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you like what you wear, no matter what the world may have to say about it. Hopefully we can see how her style evolves in season three. Until then, au revoir!