Robe intemporelle. Timeless dress. French women have it all sorted out. They are leaders in je ne sais quoi style and have at hand some of the world’s best food and wine. Dotted around their towns and cities are landmarks of complete and utter architectural opulence. They are enviable with their perfectly tousled and ever so slightly unkempt hair. They have a certain bright eyed radiance about them and gravitate towards a classic no makeup beauty routine that is both subtle and glam- a walk along France’s pebbled streets will have you spot a perfectly smoked eye and marvel at the beauty of undone elegance. As always, the typical Parisian’s choice of clothing is so identifiable and yet elusive as ever. With careful attention to detail, anyone can master the much coveted French Girl Style. The good news is that it’s much easier to achieve than you’d ever hope. French women are known to invest in select clothing pieces that are simplistic, versatile and practical- what could possibly be easier to style? So, what are the mysterious qualities that make French women so stylish? Perhaps its their strict and almost religious following of self made fashion do’s and don’t. As many decades of women before me have done, I am ready to play copycat! Here are the style secrets of the french made accessible to you. Go on, take a leaf out of their book! These core rules are relevant to every age group and can easily be tweaked to suit you personally.
French women truly are in a sartorial league of their own fashion wise. Think prints gingham and houndstooth, scarves, berets, perfectly tailored blazers, well cut denim, leather booties, demure tan wedges, loafers, button downs, crisp blouses, silk shirts or camisoles, straight trousers, dainty gold jewellery, basket bags, trench coats, slip skirts, breathable linen, a little black dress, a floral maxi and more. All have inevitably found their place in the modern French Girl’s wardrobe. Their effortless stylistic fusion of classic and cool has long been emulated by women of all places and nationalities. Many of the world’s top fashion houses and icons, both classic and modern, are French. Rightly so, Paris has long been one of the world’s biggest fashion capitals and home of couture week, an industry event showcasing the latest designer and high end collections on selected runways to buyers and the media. These events influence trends for the current and upcoming fashion seasons.
Always keep in mind that the Parisians are trend setters rather than followers and this is why their wardrobes are seamless. They have their own recipe for fashion success and it is like no other. The French, first and foremost, subscribe to quality over quantity. Time and time again, they can be found wearing well made basics that are easily paired with another top or bottom, usually in elegant shades of navy, camel, cream or black. Another favourite is the striped breton shirt, a clothing piece of humble beginnings. What started as a sailor’s go-to rose in popularity when worn by designers the like of Brigitte Bardot, Coco Chanel and Pablo Picasso, who frequently wore his when painting near the French Seaside. It was classed as being sporty, casual and chic. It has long been believed that a true mariniere or striped shirt must feature twenty navy stripes, each ten millimetres wide and spaced twenty millimetres apart. Whether true to this rule or otherwise, the breton shirt is gorgeous in its wear now, wear forever appeal. Points if yours is monogrammed!
French headwear is seen as the finishing touch to an outfit. Berets and broad brimmed sun hats are the epitome of class and delicate femininity. They avoid overbearing looks through refraining from adding excess colour and texture when putting together an outfit. A true French woman will never dress to extravagance, show off, appear flashy or as if she was a walking billboard. As a natural extension of this point, they do not over accessorise and retain attention to a focal point of their look. French women dress in a modest and tasteful manner, avoiding obvious brand logos. They value comfort and display grace and ease through lived in clothing looks.
A french woman’s ideal uniform will save her time, energy and take inspiration from classic feminine and masculine style. Parisian’s are familiar with a range of body types and dress to flatter and accentuate accordingly. This is part of what makes French Style so universal and yet so personal all at the same time. They believe clothes look best just fitting and with a perfect individual cut. French women don’t want to appear overly done or as if they’ve tried hard by spending too much time and effort thinking about an outfit. This is a significant irony, considering the French aim for such a controlled, well cultivated look. French women know themselves and stick to their tried and tested signature pieces.
Parisian women are often on the slimmer side and there are a few reasons apart from genetics that may be behind this. Despite being known for posing frequently and offhandedly with des croissants, longuets (breadsticks) and des patisseries (pastries) likely leave these treats for brunch and instead hydrate sufficiently and consume fresh seasonal foods in droves. To the French, mindful eating is not hard work. To them, it’s all about balance- there is no need to deprive yourself of what you love to eat! From a young age, Parisian children are taught the importance of home cooking and taking care of their bodies and skin. They know the physical and mental benefits of a stroll and opt to walk instead of taking the elevator or calling upon a taxi. French women know that wellness rituals are pointless if they make you miserable. After all, beauty is something to give you pleasure and not vice versa. When you feel good, you look good. One becomes the natural extension of the other.
The French approach to exercise is non traditional but in ways achieves better results than Western methods. Take Sophrology for example- a structured method created to ensure optimal health and wellbeing. It consists of a series of easy to do physical and mental exercises that, when practiced regularly, lead to a calm alert mind and body free of tension. The exercises are known as dynamic relaxation or relaxation in movement. This practice is known to rid you of bad moods and build confidence. Perhaps you begin by picturing your stress as a storm cloud- eventually it will float away or dissipate once rain has fallen and stopped. This type of exercise is popular in France as true beauty coming from inside is undeniable. Inner wellness can not be refuted and has immense value. A smile will always have you shining on the outside.
I wish I made the time and effort to look like flawlessly well dressed! I’m part french too but clearly that skill was not passed down to me through the generations! 😂
Lovely post!
Oh, I had no idea! How interesting. Haha, that’s alright. I’ve always thought of you as someone very chic Olivia! x
How would you describe your style?
I wish!!😆 I dont know really! I guess its casual but can be dressed up too! But at the moment from being at home alot i’d say slob 🤣🤣
Haha, I hear you! Well, style does evolve and change with the times. Right now I’m also perfectly happy to wear pyjamas lots and live in my trackpants!
Wow, your writing is incredible. The way that you described the women and the streets of France – you really took me there to the heart of Paris with your words. Have you ever considered writing? This was extremely interesting – I often see French woman during my family’s trips to Paris and I knew that they were stylish but I could never quite put my finger on how they were. And I had never found out about that exercise technique either, I love exercises that realise the importance of both physical and mental health. How did you find out about all of this? Have you lived in France? Thanks for sharing xxx
Thank you so much for reading Denise! That’s exactly what I hoped for. I believe the hallmark of a good writer is their ability to take others to a different time and place- just provide an immersive experience for them really. I have considered writing but wouldn’t pursue this as a main job. I’ve been told I’d make a brilliant journalist but I reckon I’ll move forward with my interior design plans and grow this blog on the side! x
How were your trips to Paris? I have never been but would love to go. The closest I’ve gotten is living vicariously through Emily in the netflix show Emily In Paris, haha! I was in absolute heaven watching that show. It’s about an American girl that is transferred to a marketing firm in Paris. Her big opportunity lands her so many opportunities when it comes to love and expanding her career. You’ll have to give it a watch! It’s pretty good. I wrote this article solely on research, then paraphrased, added my own ideas and went from there.
You’re absolutely right about the Parisian’s approach to exercise. It’s just so wholesome and doesn’t focus solely on changing one’s outside appearance like we see so much in western countries!
Oh, I see! I’ve seen people watching Emily in Paris. I’ll definitely add it to my watch later list. Going to paris was great – it wasn’t the most wheelchair-friendly city, but the historical attractions and food there was incredible. Of course, you most certainly have a talent here, but you should pursue the passion that’s in your heart. If that’s interior design then go for it!
What I love about writing is this- in a society where so much emphasis is put on hard work, I get to choose smart work. I get to spend my time contributing to an ever growing source of information- the internet. I don’t see that going out of style or growing obsolete anytime soon! I just get to do what I love and have a space that grows with me. I get to help people and be helped by others. It’s almost funny. I’ve always found the internet to be a kind place. There will always be the bad, ugly and shocking but for the most part, my interactions with others have just been so wholesome. It’s lovely. What would you like to be when you’re older? x
I want to be an author and a strong voice in the disabled community that helps to raise awareness.
That you already are 🙂 I hope you achieve your dream of being an author! I know you’ll do great things.
I absolutely love french fashion! 😍 I fell in love with french fashion when I was 14 and have refused to wear anything else. It makes me feel so much more put together.
I loved this post! Keep up the amazing work! 💕
French fashion is gorgeous and so chic! You can put together endless outfit combos and really have fun with what you wear. What are your favourite go to outfits Jasmine? x
I agree! It is stunning! 😍 Of course, I still have my lazy Kmart go to’s but I try to wear mostly French styles. 🤗 I have a lot of dresses that look like the dresses in the photos you shared. But I also wear mum jeans with simple but chic French style tops. My outfit usually look very French, even people comment on how French I look! 🙉 I have French ancestors so maybe that’s where I get it from, hehe. 💕 xx
Haha, don’t we all? I so enjoy living in my pyjamas, sweatpants or a comfy tee!
Your outfit combinations sound gorgeous. I love a striped tee with fitted jeans or linen pants! Summer dresses are utter perfection also.
Oh wow! yet another french gal. Third one today, haha! That’s so lovely. Yes, must be where you get it from! x
Pyjamas are the best! 😆
Those outfits sound like perfection! Oooh, I love linen pant!! 😍 I have a few pair of them and I adore them!
French style is really cool!!!
Thank you for reading Mauro! Yes indeed.
Honestly this is such elegant style! I love it! I just want to go to Paris and eat a croissant!
Oh, I do agree. How blissful would that be? Thank you for reading Zara x
I love how you described French style and especially our streets. As a 100% French woman, I can assure you that you were right all along lol. When it comes to food, I laughed so much because yes, that’s a thing that we know how to eat a little bit of everything without depriving ourselves. My mom always taught me that if I were to deprive myself, I would gain weight unexpectedly & out of nowhere at some point because my body would take “revenge”. Instead, she said that I should learn to make peace with my body and food and learn to work with it, not against it. That can sound kind of weird but I think it is a thing a lot of young French girls have heard lol!
Oh, not strange at all! I really like what you said there. Your mom sounds like a smart lady who really knew what values she wanted to instill in her children. It’s so important that we grow up surrounding ourselves with positive and uplifting role models. I’m very happy you enjoyed the post. Thank you for confirming its accuracy and letting me know I’m on the right track with what I shared! I would genuinely not have a clue otherwise, haha.
Lots of love to you Camille! Hope your day is going well.
I absolutely love this style of fashion! It’s so interesting and chic!
Funny you should post this now – I just binged Emily in Paris a couple weeks ago and I’ve been using that as inspiration for putting new outfits together since lol – I’m obsessed with French style. Very well written you talented one you!
Too kind, thank you Nadia! How did you like Emily In Paris? I felt so inspired after watching that show! It’s quite quirky and really did give me those girl boss vibes. Parisians definitely have the best taste across the board!
Even me! Can’t deny the fact that the entire thing is an utter cliche, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless. My guilty pleasure is playing The Sims (don’t tell anyone) and I totally created Emily and all of her outfits, so we were both inspired by the show 😄 writing about it is definitely the more adult thing to do though, loved the post!
Haha, no way! That sounds like plenty of fun 🙂 I’m sure I would’ve enjoyed recreating her outfits too. I don’t play the sims but maybe I could do it in real life!
Maryam, your post made me fall in love with French fashion! It’s so classy and chic; my type of style! I’ll have to look up some inspiration on Pinterest later tonight 😂 this post was well written, you really had me envision Paris while reading this!
Okay, that is the highest of high compliments! Thank you Francine. So happy you enjoyed the post and were really able to feel out and picture the vision. Paris is such a dream, isn’t it? Every aspect of it has me captivated!