New York woman in Paris gets shamed by two French men over her outfit. She shows what she wore for her Pilates class: ‘unacceptable’
Many people expect culture shock to come from learning a new language or adjusting to unfamiliar customs. But sometimes, even an everyday outfit can become an unexpected source of attention and spark a much bigger conversation.
That is what happened after New York creator Aly Kima (@alykima), who lives in Paris, shared an encounter she says took place while she was on her way to a Pilates class. Her story has caught viewers’ attention, with many weighing in on whether the incident reflected local culture or the actions of a few individuals.
The discussion has since grown beyond the creator’s experience. While many viewers believed she was unfairly judged over her clothing, others argued that different countries have different expectations about what people wear in public.
People saw the moment very differently
In the TikTok video, Aly Kima says she had just arrived in Paris after a flight and was heading to a Pilates class located only a couple of minutes from her home. Feeling too tired to change into regular clothes first, she left wearing her workout outfit.
She explains that most people in Paris change out of their workout clothes before traveling to and from a fitness studio. Because the class was only a short walk away and she had just gotten off a flight, she says she decided to head there without changing first.
The creator says she had only just left her home when two French men approached her and criticized what she was wearing. She says one of them called her outfit inappropriate and referred to her as a “silly American girl,” speaking in French.
The creator explains that she previously lived in California, where she says it was common for people to wear sports bras and workout shorts outside the gym, including while running errands. She then shows viewers what she was wearing, a cardigan over athletic clothing, before saying, “This unacceptable.”
She later captioned the video, “Parisians always humbling me.” The creator suggested the encounter reflected one of the cultural differences she continues to notice while living in France.
The video quickly drew mixed reactions from viewers. Many rejected the men’s comments, with one person writing, “I’m French, this outfit is completely okay, you just met an asshole.” Another commented, “The problem is not you or your outfit or Paris. It’s the man.” One viewer also asked, “Why is a man commenting on what you’re wearing?”
Several commenters who identified themselves as French or Parisian also disagreed with the men’s reaction. One person wrote, “As a Parisienne girl your outfit is stunning, probably some jealous people. Sorry for that. I promise some of us are super nice.” Another added, “As a Parisian, definitely not inappropriate. Just ugly,” suggesting the outfit may not match local fashion preferences but was not offensive.
Others viewed the encounter as an example of women being judged over their appearance rather than a question of local customs. One commenter wrote, “This is just another way to police women & their bodies. There’s no law in Paris that’s against dressing casually.” Another added, “They’re just misogynists no matter how u slice and dice it,” while someone else wrote, “Girl, you’re in a cardigan.”
Not everyone agreed with the creator’s perspective. Some viewers argued that expectations about clothing vary from country to country and that people living abroad should be aware of local customs. One commenter wrote, “You are in Paris, not in California. So easy.” Another said, “Indeed he was rude but your shorts in my country is an underwear.”
The discussion also echoes another recent story in which a woman said she was confronted in Paris over her outfit while sightseeing. It also recalls an earlier incident involving a blogger who said she was denied entry to the Louvre over what staff described as a “revealing” outfit.
(Featured Image: Screenshot via @alykima//TikTok)
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