Why the French Don't Look Like Slobs

One of the peculiar things about Paris is that many of the working-class people, metro musicians, and even homeless people, are more put-together than your average American.

Recently, I was riding along metro line six (the line that runs past la Tour Eiffel and l’Arc de Triomphe = tourist central), the metro line that is most frequented by beggars, “metro musicians,” and tourists alike.

Low and behold, a man got onto my metro car and began playing traditional French songs on his accordion.  After ten minutes of listening to his rendition of Edith Piaf’s La Vie en Rose, he walked up and down the metro car looking for handouts.  The peculiar thing about this man was that – despite the fact that he was essentially begging on the metro – he was very put-together, wearing a collared shirt, jacket, iron-pressed jeans and leather loafers.

In fact, that’s one of the peculiar things about Paris: many of the working-class people, metro musicians, and even homeless people, are more put-together than your average American.

The other day, while walking along la Seine, a woman wearing earrings and a seemingly nice dress approached me.  I thought perhaps she was lost or had a question… turns out, she was a beggar.  When this dawned on me and I started walking away, she said “s’il vous plaît madame, j’ai faim,” (please miss, I’m hungry).

On a less depressing note… most of the people working in super markets wear their own collared shirts, nice jewelry, and perhaps even a cute scarf to accessorize while on the job.

Seeing as even the poorest of Parisians manage to put themselves together, it is no surprise that French people in general are appalled by Americans who show up in their baggy jeans, oversized t-shirts, and general lack “je ne sais quoi,” to tour around the city of lights.