The 10 items every self-respecting Parisienne has in her wardrobe
Two years at home has made most of us fall in love with the French uniform all over again. You know the look: slim-cut trousers; a dislike of obvious make-up bar a smudge of eyeliner; an obsession with boots, messy long bobs, thick jumpers and great jackets; a fondness for white shirts, Breton tops and flat shoes.
Perhaps it's because we miss France; maybe it's that their effortless, flattering aesthetic chimes with our new post-sofa lives. Possibly it’s because throwaway fashion suddenly feels distasteful, and all of these items can live in your wardrobe for years to come.
The happy-making thing about French style is how ageless it is; 30-year-olds and 60-year-olds often dress remarkably similarly, and mothers and daughters regularly borrow from each other’s wardrobes. The key is being unaffected, whether you’re trying to get a new job or a new lover. If in doubt, think Camille Cottin in Call My Agent, not (mon dieu) the hapless Emily from Emily in Paris.
Here are 10 items to base your wardrobe around this winter.
1. The trench
In Paris, looking as though you've tried too hard is the greatest sin you can commit. Enter the beautifully cut trench – throw it over jeans and a jumper for a stroll, or with straight-leg trousers and a blouse for dinner (effort? Moi? Jamais!). Ideally, your trench should be big and bulky and potentially pilfered from your grandmother’s wardrobe.
Trench, £375, Ganni
2. The straight trousers
Far more than Londoners or New Yorkers, Parisians eschew skirts and dresses for an endless array of trousers. Skinny jeans are still ubiquitous (fashion trends be damned) while high-waisted trousers, like this belted pair from one of France’s fastest growing brands, are beloved by locals of all ages.
Grey trousers, £135, BA&SH
3. The white shirt
Oversized white shirts bring a multitude of benefits: they’re flattering, they balance out tight jeans and – best of all – they look as if they might have been plucked from a man’s cupboard after une nuit d’amour. In reality, shirts made for men can be too bulky around the shoulders so buy a longer straight-cut woman’s style and waft around, Jane Birkin style.
Oversized shirt, £59, Hush
4. The Breton top
Some of the stereotypes the British have about their closest neighbours are undeniably unfair; others are spot on. Falling firmly into the second camp is one that says French women have a lifelong love of navy blue and white stripes. In Paris, a weekend wouldn’t be a weekend without a good striped jumper – pair it with jeans, flats and a glass (maybe two) of red wine en terrace.
Striped jumper, £65, Aurelie
5. The chunky knit
Who doesn't want to dress like Camille Cottin's character in Call my Agent with her tight jeans, black capes, colourful boots and deep green coats? More often than not, the piece tying Cottin’s envy-inducing outfits together is chunky knit. This one from Navy Grey is just the right side of bulky and is ideal for wrangling with film stars in the French countryside.
Navy jumper, £195, Navy Grey
6. The metal-buckle belt
We like to believe that French women are world champions at tying a silk scarf in countless ways. Although young women today are far more likely to use that skill for belts – buckled through jeans or high-waisted trousers; tied in a knot over a tweed jacket or chunky knit, or used to create a pretty silhouette for a shirt dress or caftan in summer.
Belt, £129, Maje
7. The tweed blazer
A French actress once told me that much-vaunted Parisian style was merely the locals being afraid of looking vulgar. And what could be less vulgar than a slightly boxy oversized tweed blazer? More modern than fitted Chanel-style jackets and more laid-back than a crisp navy blazer, they can be thrown over whatever takes your fancy.
Blazer, £250, Rouje
8. The oversized grey coat
A good Parisian coat should be slightly too big for you (thereby avoiding bulky Michelin Man style arms from too many layers) with drop sleeves. Worn open when the weather permits – to show off the outfit underneath bien sur – they should come in either navy, grey, brown or black.
Coat, £85, Aurelie
9. The go-anywhere flats
Lily Collins in Emily in Paris breaks every French fashion rule. She wears furry crop tops, miniskirts and an endless succession of berets. But nothing is more wince-inducing than her obsession with stilettos in a city of cobblestones. Parisians walk everywhere and as a result rarely wear anything higher than a heeled ankle boot. Pretty, comfortable flats, therefore, are a necessity.
Shoes, £100, Uterque
10. The knee-high boots
Charlotte Casiraghi epitomises high-end French style, and she is a woman wedded to her knee-high riding boots, whether she is within 100 metres of a horse or not. Wear under skirts or dresses or – in a look that has fallen out of fashion in the UK but is still popular across the Channel - over skinny jeans.
Boots, £645, Dear Frances
