French Women Are Wearing Socks With These Classic Shoe Styles This Spring

a stylish French woman sits at an outdoor cafe table with her legs crossed wearing a black leather jacket, tied neck scarf, mini Hermes bag, and jeans

(Image credit: @erinoffduty)

It's no secret that I often turn to the French style muses on my Instagram feed when I need some outfit inspiration. I can't help but fall for the allure that is their quintessential elevated and effortless aesthetic. During a recent perusal, I couldn't help but notice a trend among the Parisian women I follow. Many, if not all of them, were wearing socks with two classic shoe styles: ballet flats and loafers. Pairing socks with unexpected shoe options is nothing new, but when French women give a trend their own twist, I am all eyes and ears.

Ahead, you'll catch a roundup of eight inspiring outfits straight from the streets of Paris where your attention will be immediately drawn to the sock-and-shoe combo. We're not just talking about the usual basic white crew socks either—you'll also spot some colorful options and some frilly details as well. The ballet flats are pretty classic all around whereas the loafers tend to lean more trendy with chunkier silhouettes. Keep scrolling to check out each incredibly chic French-inspired outfit idea and to shop each look.

French influencer Sabina Socol sits on the streets of Paris wearing a gray turtleneck, jeans, red socks, and black loafers

(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

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French influencer Anne-Laure Mais wears light-wash cuffed jeans, burgundy red socks, and white Miu Miu ballet flats

(Image credit: @annelauremais)

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French style influencer posing with a cup of coffee in front of red doors in Paris wearing a sleeveless navy sweater vest, pleated white skirt, ruffle socks, and black chunky loafers

(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

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French fashion influencer poses on the cobblestone streets of Paris in a shearling lined jacket, neutral sweater, yellow mini Dior bag, cuffed jeans, gray socks, and black ballet flats

(Image credit: @annelauremais)

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French style influencer Géraldine Boublil sitting at an outdoor cafe in Paris wearing a balck leather jacket, neck scarf, jeans, white socks, and loafers

(Image credit: @erinoffduty)

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French style influencer Lena Farl smiles and poses on the streets of Paris wearing a faded baseball cap, statement earrings, trousers, sock, and ballet flats

(Image credit: @lenafarl)

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French fashion influencer Andi Mun poses on the streets of Paris in a white button-down shirt, gray sweater, burgundy bag, black skirt, white ankle socks, and black loafers

(Image credit: @andi_mun)

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Parisian fashion influencer sits on a bench in Paris wearing a black turtleneck sweater, neutral blazer jacket, jeans, tan socks, and snakeskin ballet flats

(Image credit: @pia_mbd)

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Jennifer Camp Forbes
Contributing Editor

Jennifer Camp Forbes is currently the shopping updates editor at Who What Wear, where she has worked in a variety of capacities for over a decade, including creative director and various editor roles. She’s well-known as a shopping expert that’s sought out for advice and insight on the latest trends, outfit ideas, and fashion picks thanks to her thoughtful shopping roundups, digital moodboards, and extensive knowledge of up-and-coming brands, plus the new arrivals sections of the chicest retailers. Jennifer has had a lifelong interest in fashion which led her to intern at Harper’s Bazaar as an undergraduate. Later, while working towards her masters degree in psychological counseling at Columbia University, she founded two digital fashion publications: Le Fashion and Olsens Anonymous. The popularity of both sites grew and after graduation she decided put her plans to become a therapist aside to pursue a career in fashion. While she has called Los Angeles and New York City home in the past, she currently works remotely from Massachusetts. When she’s not obsessing over and writing about her latest fashion finds, she is delighting in raising two little ones with her highschool sweetheart, perusing TikTok religiously, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, creating abstract photographs, and eating the best Mexican food she can get her hands on.