How the French girls do it

Style tips from the city of light

Hello you!

I remember writing a blog post once that began something like… ‘I’m back from Paris where I enjoyed stalking all the French women’. I’ve (harmlessly) observed them for years, always wondering how they manage to look so effortlessly cool and secretly wishing of them would take me under their wing. People watching is a favourite sport of mine and my love of studying the style of French women as they saunter past me has now become part of my day to day life. Since making real life friends with a few, I’ve even been able to get some real answers.

Here’s my report back to you, in case you have the same wide eyed wonderment I used to.

Simplicity is key

French style is all about just enough but never too much. Unlike the streets of London where you’ll see people wearing whatever the hell they want and personal style is a noble expression, the French have a much more subtle approach. Personal style is expressed through the tiny details of an outfit. Think the choice of earrings, a hint of vintage or colour. Nobody is out to steal the show by being obvious. They want to steal it by being understated, effortless but alluring all at once. This is where the artistic element comes in.