BOYS The new-rave thing isn’t catching on so big in Paris. However, tacky 1990s style is. Congratulations, Parisians. French boys are wearing Vichy lumberjack-tartan long-sleeve shirts, or simple, colorful t-shirts under bleached denim jackets (some of them are cutting their sleeves off, too). Another big option is a fluorescent overly-ornamented tracksuit jacket. Good old Levi’s 501s are, of course, ubiquitous. They are worn on the waistline and you see them in white, black, or dyed almost any color but blue. Last decade’s popular accessories are back too: Bumbags, gold- or plastic-framed glasses, a flashy cap with the visor turned up, or even a pager hanging on a crocodile belt. The shoes are mostly vintage sneakers, and are often the only inarguably tasteful thing about the outfits on boys in Paris in 2007. Let’s just hope that B.U.M. Equipment doesn’t make a comeback next.

GIRLS French girls in 2007 are making their grandmothers look like whorish mall chicks by comparison. What we mean by that, of course, is that young French girls are dressing conservatively. They wear smart short coats (a lot of fur), Empire-waisted dresses (no longer than above the knees), and large belts (often worn just below the breasts). Down below, it’s elegant designer high heels and black opaque pantyhose. Parisian girls are also going for a lot of old Miladys accessories: Hairbands, leather gloves, old brooches, and large shawls or thin scarves. A lot of them are even using cigarette holders. Mostly everything is (or at least looks) vintage. We’ve spent a lot of time speculating about what’s making Parisian girls cover up so much, and the only thing we’ve come up with is that they are acknowledging the fact that men like to unwrap girls as if they were birthday presents.

BOYS New rave is the thing here, but it’s a bit Vegas with all the icons and symbols inspired by the early-90s Rave Nation crap. So you’ll see things like Mickey Mouse gloves and ears, hip bags (meaning fanny packs), huge prints in bold colors, and whistle necklaces getting mixed up with colorful shiny jackets, bow ties, and cummerbunds (that’s correct, fucking bow ties and cummerbunds). Tights, leggings, and skinny pants (Cheap Mondays mostly) are still in for guys. Shoes are ballerina flats or pointy Chelsea boots with five-centimeter heels. Boys are wearing mostly long hair and those asymmetrical haircuts are slowly disappearing. Big sunglasses inspired by the late 70s and early 80s—angled or round—are everywhere too. Wearing tights seems a bit risky in case of a situation such as a “bus-on” (that’s when the vibration of a bus you’re riding gives you a boner) but Germans are known for their bravery.

GIRLS Young ladies in Berlin today have big hairdos in screamy, artificial colors, like fire-engine red or pink. Some even wear wigs. (An obvious oversight there, as the very sensation of touching a wig is enough to send seismic waves of douche chills through the strongest man’s heart.) The general silhouettes are oversize or slim, but nothing in between. The slim silhouette is all about high-waisted trousers, skirts, or tights and some kind of torero-style shawl. Girls often wear huge belts with this look. The oversize silhouette girls wear huge dresses that are cut in an extreme A-line, or they combine guys’ t-shirts with massive men’s suit trousers fixed by a small belt at the waist. The rapper types are still at it with the giant hoodies, 80s tights, and Nike or Adidas high-tops. They also wear wedges or rough boots. Big glasses with bigger frames—mostly from the 70s—are popular with everybody.

MORE FROM THIS ISSUE