French style is legendary. To look like the French, one essential aspect is wearing clothing that flatters your figure and fits you well – this is called dressing Frenchy!
Do not wear dresses that are too large, and avoid heels that you cannot walk in – elegance does not come from being forceful or striving too hard to achieve it.
1. Long Wool Coats
Long wool coats are one of the chicest winter staples in French dress. Women often pair them with feminine midi dresses or long tees and jeans combos to elevate their look without resorting to fleece-lined leggings or bulky winter boots. Many brands now offer versions of this timeless piece with polished details like notched lapels and button front closures that add an elegant, tailored aesthetic that makes this piece easy to layering piece.
Loulou Studio’s Ido coat, handcrafted in France from organic wool and cashmere blend fabric, is the epitome of style. Musier Paris offers their Kento coat as an architectural take on this trend with clean pinstripes and structured shoulders; for something casual yet flattering that provides both comfort and flattery, Reformation’s pelisse-inspired topper is an investment piece with its shawl collar and belted asymmetric wrap front design.
If checkered prints are more your thing, J. Crew offers an elegant Italian wool-blend coat with an eye-catching lady collar – both feminine and formal! For something truly different, try Mango’s recycled wool trench with premium touches like warm lining and tortoise buttons for an eye-catching finish.
Black is an ideal color to choose for a women’s wool coat, especially since its versatility makes it the go-to pick this season. Look out for tailored knee-length styles featuring subtle tailoring and belts accentuating the waist; alternatively, opt for an eye-catching red jacket, which has made quite an impression this season and can instantly elevate any ensemble.
2. A Little Black Dress
The little black dress (LBD) is a staple of every fashion enthusiast’s wardrobe. Versatile enough for any event and occasion, the LBD was first popularized by Coco Chanel when she was featured in Vogue magazine in 1926 – its popularity continued through the Great Depression years as filming required dresses with black hues so as to prevent distortion in Technicolor filming processes.
The advent of casual fabrics and sportswear in the 1980s revived the little black dress as fashion’s go-to piece. Designers such as Alexander McQueen, Riccardo Tisci, and Clare Waight Keller utilized leather and other casual materials that became trendy to modernize shift silhouettes for shift dresses – particularly among younger “mod” generations – using shift silhouettes like leather. Furthermore, miniskirts became a necessity as designers experimented with new shapes and lengths of this silhouette as staples within mainstream fashion.
Grunge culture flourished during the 90s among young people who preferred wearing little black dresses as part of a versatile and comfortable fashion statement. Grunge dresses were often worn with combat boots or sandals and various accessories like belts or bracelets to complete their look.
3. A Faux Fur Coat
If you’re in search of something bolder than a long wool coat but still wish to keep things classic, try opting for a faux fur coat. Faux fur offers an animal-friendly alternative, eliminating the need to raise and kill animals to produce its coats as well as pollution caused by animal skin processing. Solid color faux fur coats tend to require less dye and manufacturing time than their patterned counterparts and allow you to pair it with any outfit instead of being limited to monochromatic ensembles.
Faux fur coats look particularly elegant when worn with dresses in matching hues. Olivia Wilde has made faux fur jackets fashionable this winter by pairing winter white faux fur jackets with little black dresses, Hermes-esque scarves as belts and dainty kitten heels to create effortlessly chic party looks.
For a more formal occasion, brown mink-inspired faux fur coats can also add a classic Hollywood feel without wearing black underneath; Michael Kors offers such an example in its collection of brown faux fur coats.
Animal-friendly options also include our animal-friendly hooded faux fur coat, perfect for layering over any outfit and offering that elegant faux fur look. Crafted of high-quality material called TISSAVEL, it’s both soft and durable – perfect for pairing with dresses and skirts!
4. A Long Skirt
Long skirts are an essential piece in a French wardrobe and can be styled in numerous ways. Boho-inspired denim or silk designs make long skirts suitable for casual weekend attire as well as more formal events or special occasions.
Longer-length skirts can be highly flattering on many body types, especially petite women with shorter legs. To maintain a balance between femininity and sophistication, mid-calf length is often best.
In colder weather, a long skirt can be styled with a sweater for extra warmth and coverage. Tucking it into the dress can create an attractive look, or layer it over the top and cinch your waist with a belt for an even more significant effect. A long skirt also looks chic in warmer climates when worn with white tanks or blouses, as well as sandals and straw tote bags to complete an effortlessly chic ensemble.
A timeless French look, the combination of a white blouse and printed skirt can be worn for any event or special occasion. To look your best at work, pair a fitted long-sleeved silk blouse with a matching skirt. If you are short in stature, tucking your shirt front down can create an eye-catching visual elongating silhouette and drawing attention away from any deficiencies in your body structure.
