French women are known for the classics. A good pair of jeans plus a cable-knit sweater plus timeless accessories make up one of the many outfits that I think of when imagining what one would wear to galavant around Paris. One thing the items listed above have in common is that we call them basics. Since French women are very well known for artfully styling wardrobe essentials, that tends to be what we associate them with. If you take a closer look, however, you’ll notice that they also champion a lot of non-boring items.
Taking a break from exploring French basics led me to notice themes like funky stripes, menswear staples, unique tailoring, and more. There are a lot of micro-trends to be found in Paris, but some of them pop up more often than others. Below, see the eight non-basic things that seemingly all of the French girls own.
French girls are known for their love of stripes, so this point may not surprise you. While black-and-white striped T-shirts are what most people consider to be French fashion staples, I beg them to think again. Colorful retro stripes seem to be in every French girl’s closet these days.
Adorable.
The collar and puff sleeves take this amazing dress to the next level.
You’ll own this one for life.
Oh so retro.
French women love the effortless appeal that comes along with a “borrowed from the boys” approach to their wardrobe. Right now, menswear ties are trending harder than ever. This is your perfect excuse to dive into the trend.
An entire brand named after the “homme” aesthetic is right up my alley.
This will come in handy.
I’m all about the leather look.
Any French girl’s closet is a treasure trove of blazers. From what I’ve seen on Instagram, I’m assuming nearly all of them have one in every color. While they love the classic silhouette, they always find a way to wear a blazer that’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Shopping for a unique blazer is the perfect way to get a statement piece that is also timeless.
I’m obsessed with the leather waist ties.
A spliced blazer goes hard.
I’ll take as much denim as I can get.
A blanket scarf can take any simple top-and-jeans combination to a whole other level. Throwing something like this over a blazer or coat makes for the ultimate layered look. We’re all familiar with the ACNE Studios scarf, an It buy that I’m currently debating ordering right now, but no matter where you get your blanket scarf, you simply won’t regret it.
Pretty in pink.
This color is a must.
I’d wear this guy every day.
Structured silhouettes pair well with the effortless pieces that make up a French girl’s closet. I rarely encounter a military jacket in the U.S. these days, but in all of Europe, it’s a very popular piece. I’m grabbing one to finish off all of my looks.
I’m obsessed.
A utility take on military chic.
Yes.
While many people often overlook their lingerie drawers, French women have been giving theirs extra attention. They’re the ones who invented the word lingerie after all. Ultra-romantic lingerie is right up their alley, and you’re destined to find delicate lace, pretty pinks, and floral embroidery in their collections.
I just got this bra, and I love it.
All of the colors, please.
My favorite robe to lounge in.
Here’s to a trendy buy that I personally can’t get enough of. French women excel in the art of expertly layering tailored separates. Here’s one they’ll wear with or without the blazer. It can do no wrong.
I’ve been eyeing this guy for quite some time.
Runway-worthy attire.
Immediately yes.
If you love Chanel as much as I do, you probably attribute the French woman’s love for tweed to the brand’s use of the timeless fabric woven into everything. A little jacket like this can totally upgrade any T-shirt-and-jeans moment. So naturally, the French say j’adore.
