French Fashionistas Share Whether You Should Wear a Beret in Paris

For Tan France, the designer and fashion expert known for his role on "Queer Eye," berets in Paris are a no-go.

Speaking with Insider, France shared what to avoid wearing in Europe — and berets, the soft, round hats that have become a Parisian stereotype, topped the list.

"The best example I can give you is a beret in Paris," he said. "They're not really wearing those, and you might embarrass yourself."

While berets have largely become a caricature of Parisian style, French content creators said there are certain ways to wear them without looking too much like a tourist or playing into tired stereotypes.

The show, which follows Emily, a beret-wearing American as she navigates life in Paris, struck a chord with many Parisians.

It also, according to creator and art historian Mélodie Bance, helped spur an increase in the number of berets spotted around town.

"There actually was a revival of berets a season or two ago, I think when the trend was tending towards more girly fashion, and maybe with the popularity of 'Emily in Paris,'" Bance said. "However I would say they have since been put back to the closet and you can mostly see them on tourists."

A post shared by Marielle Haon (@mariellehaon)

Marielle Haon, another creator based in Paris, similarly saw the trend reappear following the show's release and rise in popularity. But aside from tourists, she said, she typically sees older French men wearing the accessory.

And according to Pia Moubayed, a creative strategist who runs a popular lifestyle Instagram account, it should stay that way.

"It's a major no from me. Berets belong to cute elderly French men only," Moubayed said. "Anyone else wearing a beret in Paris is neither born nor bred in the city."

A post shared by Mélodie (@melodiebance)

Haon, known for her classic, sophisticated style, said if she were to wear the accessory, she would choose a red beret to enhance a more casual outfit, or a black one with a white coat for a more chic look.

Another option, if you'd like to try out the look, is it go for a more feminine, classic outfit, Bance told Insider.

"I would say it could be a fun accessory to add to a 1960s dress for example, for a more feminine and put-together outfit," Bance said.

And while Moubayed isn't a fan of the beret look, she said there is a way to do it, if you really want to — but try to avoid using it as a guide to French fashion.

"A beret might be cool as part of an edgier outfit, taken out of its context," Moubayed told Insider. "But please, do not wear it as a token of the Parisian lifestyle. It's the biggest — and most unfaithful — cliché you could go for."