10 Timeless Items French Women Have in Their Capsule Wardrobes

I can trace my obsession with French style all the way back to the first time I watched Beauty and the Beast. Belle might have been bored with her provincial life, but I certainly wasn't. I begged my aunt to let me cut the hem of an old blue bridesmaid dress that resembled Belle's dress, asked my mum to style my hair in a bow every morning and insisted upon carrying a basket with me wherever I went.

Today, I still find myself trying to emulate the look of French women, albeit with less taffeta. I trawl through vintage photographs of Paris, looking at the outfits French women have worn in the past, and I have an entire archive dedicated to saved images of the ensembles my favourite French influencers wear.

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(Image credit: @tamaramory)

Deciphering French style has been made easy thanks to these essentials. 

Upon looking at these snaps, I saw a pattern begin to emerge. I realised that almost all of the French women I follow own the same core capsule wardrobe of fashion essentials. Of course, I am all too aware that this uniform may not apply to everyone in a country, but the women I'm particularly interested in all subscribe to a look I love.

"French women invest in timeless pieces over trends," confirms Marissa Cox, a French style expert and friend of Who What Wear who now resides in Paris. "Wearability is integral to a French woman's closet, as she doesn't tend to overdress. She looks for pieces that can be dressed up or down."

So which French fashion essential do the country's best dressers rely upon to ensure they look chic at all times? I decided to do the honourable thing and share them with you. Scroll below to find out.

1. TRENCH COAT

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(Image credit: @aida.bdji)

Style Notes: Coats don't come more classic than the trench coat, so it's little wonder that they appear so heavily in French culture and in the real-life wardrobes of France's chicest residents.

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(Image credit: @leasy_inparis)

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2. ROMANTIC BLOUSE

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(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

Style Notes: French women are masters at looking effortlessly polished, and the piece that helps them achieve this potent combination is the blouse. While they'll wear just about every blouse look out there, we find that the French women we follow tend to opt for elegant white iterations.

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(Image credit: @saraloura)

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3. FLARED TROUSERS

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(Image credit: @andi_mun)

Style Notes: French style tends to take subtle cues from the '70s, which is likely why so many of the country's sleekest dressers still consider flares to be their trouser shape of choice.

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(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

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4. BALLET PUMPS

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(Image credit: @vikilefevre)

Style Notes: We know what you're thinking: Ballet pumps for French women? Groundbreaking. But out of all the French-style clichés, this is the one item that French women actually wear.

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(Image credit: @erinoffduty)

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5. STRAPPY DRESS

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(Image credit: @tamaramory)

Style Notes: When it comes to dresses, the French typically prefer fuss-free silhouettes (unless they're couture). For day-to-day wear, you'll see countless Gallic women wearing simple strappy numbers, layered under cardigans and jackets in the colder months. 

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(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

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6. BLUE JEANS

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(Image credit: @frannfyne)

Style Notes: It's hard to think of a time when straight-leg jeans didn't dominate our wardrobes. French women have been championing this denim trend in vintage blue for years. 

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(Image credit: @juliesfi)

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7. BLACK BLAZER

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(Image credit: @leiasfez)

Style Notes: Finding a jacket to match your daily outfits can be tricky, but not if you have a black blazer at your disposal. French women use them to dress up their denim and to bestow their dresses with some je ne sais quoi. 

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(Image credit: @lenafarl)

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8. SOFT CARDIGAN

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(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

Style Notes: Cardigans are a winter staple in the wardrobes of French women. They also carry them through to spring and summer as an effortless cover-up solution.

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(Image credit: @aidabadji_)

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9. SHOULDER BAG

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(Image credit: @ruerodier)

Style Notes: More practical than top-handles and more elegant than crossbodies, shoulder bags are naturally the French arm candy of choice. 

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(Image credit: @theblab)

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10. MINISKIRT

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(Image credit: @annelauremais)

Style Notes: No one embraces the miniskirt quite like French women do. While they wear them with heels when the occasion calls for it, you're much more likely to spot them wearing miniskirts with chunky boots and jumpers or T-shirts. 

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(Image credit: @sylviemus_)

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This story was published at an earlier date and has since been updated. 

Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger is Who What Wear UK’s deputy editor and has over twelve years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content for Who What Wear UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories, and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, works closely with influencer talent on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media. Previously, Maxine appeared on TV in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o. 


Prior to Who What Wear UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship, she was offered a position on the Look magazine fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. She went on to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others. Maxine works remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh.