The Pretty Top That French Girls Always Instagram

The impulse to show a little extra skin in the summer is usually borne out of necessity. Sure, denim cutoffs aren't exactly the most original thing to wear during a heatwave, but can you blame a girl for not caring when it's 100 degrees outside?

Ditto my new top obsession: While I might not usually opt for necklines that dip below the sternum, nor garments secured by a flimsy bit of string, I can't shake the feeling that I need a tie-front top in my life right now. Maybe it's the weather, or maybe it's the fact that every painfully chic Parisian I follow on Instagram seems to own at least one of them (usually the Bianca by Insta-famous Aussie brand Réalisation, which comes in eight different prints and colors).

Skimpy as the style may be—and some versions are definitely more bra-prohibitive than others—the sleeves balance out the extra décolletage, and with the addition of high-waisted jeans (or, yes, jorts), the flash of midriff is nothing if not seasonally appropriate.

Keep scrolling to shop our favorite tie-front tops and see how French girls are styling the trend.

Next, see the French-girl way to wear jeans and sneakers.