New York woman heads to Pilates in Paris. Then two French men allegedly shame her over what she’s wearing: ‘Here’s what I’m wearing’

A quick trip to a Pilates class became an unexpected reminder of cultural differences for one American living in Paris.

New York-based content creator Aly Kima says two French men allegedly criticized what she was wearing as she walked to her studio, an encounter she later shared on TikTok. The video has since drawn over 748,000 views, with many viewers arguing the exchange said more about one outspoken stranger than life in Paris.

In the video, Kima explains that she still experiences “culture shock” despite living in Paris. She says she had just gotten off a flight and was heading to a Pilates class only a couple of minutes from her home, so she decided not to change out of her workout clothes beforehand.

An encounter she didn’t see coming

“Most people change from their workout outfits into their regular clothes to go in and out of the studio,” she says. “But I’m exhausted. I just got off a flight.”

According to Kima, the encounter happened almost immediately after she stepped outside. She says two French men stopped to criticize her outfit, with one allegedly telling her it was inappropriate and calling her “a silly American girl,” adding that the remarks were made “all in French.” The alleged encounter echoes another recent TikTok in which a woman said she unexpectedly became the subject of a stranger’s remarks about her clothing.

Kima says the exchange caught her off guard because it differed from what she had grown accustomed to in California. “I used to live in California, where we would go out in, like, a sports bra and booty shorts to the grocery store,” she says, explaining why she didn’t think twice about walking a couple of minutes to her Pilates class in workout clothes.

She then shows viewers the outfit she says prompted the remarks, consisting of a light cardigan, dark biker shorts and flat open-toed sandals. Framing it as an example of what she believes is viewed differently in Paris, Kima says, “Just for context, this is an outfit that is not appropriate to wear around Paris, even if you’re headed to a workout class,” before concluding, “Here’s what I’m wearing. This unacceptable.”

Paris has long been associated with a more polished approach to everyday dressing, though there is no rule preventing people from wearing workout clothes in public. Even so, gym attire is often viewed as something to wear to and from exercise rather than throughout the day. Questions over what counts as appropriate workout attire have surfaced elsewhere too, including one TikTok creator’s account of being asked to cover up at a Planet Fitness.

Many commenters who identified themselves as French rejected the idea that Kima’s outfit would normally attract criticism. One of the most-liked replies read, “Im french, this outfit is completely okay, you just met an asshole.”

Another commenter, who also said she was French, wrote, “you just met a silly person. Be yourself, wear whatever you want, you’re glowing! (I’m a french woman)”

Others questioned the details of the encounter itself. One viewer asked, “How would he knows you are american …?” while another focused less on the clothing and more on the alleged interaction, writing, “Why is a man commenting on what you’re wearing?? I hope you pushed back.”

Not every response centered on the clothing. One commenter simply remarked, “Leaving California for Paris is crazy work.”

Many viewers questioned whether the comments Kima described reflected Parisian attitudes at all. While she viewed the encounter as another moment of culture shock, commenters suggested it sounded more like an unpleasant interaction with one stranger than a broader social norm.