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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nWhy French Girl Style?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You may wonder why we always hear about French girl style, and not Spanish style, or some other country\u2019s style. Well, the answer to this question lies in France\u2019s rich history of fashion design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fashion and France have been synonymous for centuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the 17th century, King Louis XIV sought to make France the epicenter of European fashion. His own wardrobe was colorful, ostentatious, and intricately decorative \u2013 a stark contrast to the austerity of the clothing design in many surrounding nations like Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marie Antoinette’s extravagant taste for fashion in the 18th century further cemented France’s role as the fashion capital of the world. She employed dressmaker Rose Bertin<\/a>, dubbing her the “Minister of Fashion,” who designed lavish dresses and flamboyant outfits. Soon, clothing became a symbol of wealth and status. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The 20th century ushered in a new crop of designers for the people. France is known for producing the most celebrated talents in the modern fashion industry than anywhere else in the world. Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Hubert de Givenchy are regarded as three of the most influential fashion designers in the world, and all of them hail from France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of the basic wardrobe pieces<\/a> we take for granted were first popularized in France. Bi-annual fashion weeks in Paris set the trends for designers around the world in the seasons to come each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n French girls idolize icons of years past just like Americans do. While we look to Jackie Kennedy for style advice, the French look to Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin, two style icons<\/a> who had an enormous influence on French style during the 1960s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s no surprise that a country with such an illustrious history in fashion still celebrates the idea of curating an elegant and classic wardrobe. From a very young age, French girls are taught how to dress. While not everyone<\/em> is fashion-obsessed in France, it\u2019s extremely common for French women to have a strong sense of good style compared to other countries, without even realizing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are a few reasons why so many people admire and seek out French girl style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n French girl style is hard to define, but most French women would say it\u2019s all about effortless elegance. French style is about looking put together, without looking like you tried too<\/em> hard or spent hours in front of the mirror. French style is about confidence in what you wear and who you are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What I love about French girl style is that it emphasizes comfort, but not too<\/i> much the way we do in the United States. The French girl wants to be comfortable and at ease, but not to the point that she will go out in sweatpants and sneakers. For the French girl, jeans and ballet flats<\/a> are comfortable enough to be chic without sacrificing style. It’s all about finding a balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n French girl style is about understated charm, too, and French girls typically highlight one<\/i> statement piece per outfit, instead of mixing two or three flashy pieces each of which competes for attention. You can go bold with one item, no more!<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might see a French girl wearing a simple tailored button-up shirt, with casual black pants or blue jeans, solid-colored ballet flats, and a statement silk scarf<\/a> by Herm\u00e8s or a unique leather bag by a local French designer. Sometimes it\u2019s the shoes, sometimes it\u2019s the jacket or shirt, but each time a French girl wears a look-at-me piece, it\u2019s typically only once<\/strong> per outfit.<\/p>\n\n\n French girl style is absolutely attainable \u2013 even for Americans. When I made the leap and moved to Paris full-time, I knew I had to redo my wardrobe for the occasion. I started making friends with local Parisians (some of whom came to Paris from different regions of France) and learning about their approach to dressing. I share everything I learn here in Paris on this blog! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, you don’t have to live in Paris like me to get French girl style. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A great way to get started with French girl style is by adopting the 5-Piece French Wardrobe<\/a> philosophy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Build a closet of reliable basics to create a solid foundation for each outfit. Avoid clothing or accessories with a brand’s logo on them. Don\u2019t follow trends unless you really believe they will last and don\u2019t be scared to invest in quality pieces. These are just a few of the cardinal French style rules<\/a> that Parisian women tend to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In essence, French girl style is simply about enhancing the beautiful and confident woman you already are, without drawing a lot of attention to yourself! <\/p>\n\n\n\n So what are the wardrobe “basics” for a French girl?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perfect for so many occasions, the French little black dress<\/a>, or la petite robe noire<\/em> in French, is a wardrobe staple in the French girl’s closet. This is just one of the French girl dresses<\/a> to have in your closet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stripes are a quintessential part of French style. Did you know that the Breton-style tops actually came from the shirts the sailors of Bretagne used to wear in the northwest of France? Marini\u00e8re<\/em> means sailor in French, and thus, the marini\u00e8re top<\/a> is a blue and white striped top \u2013 a basic that French girls love!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saint James<\/a> is the brand of choice for the Breton shirt.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat is French Girl Style?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"French](\"https:\/\/thefrench.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/French-girl-style_IMG_3966.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nHow to Get French Girl Style<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
French Girl Style Clothing Basics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Little Black Dress<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
La Marini\u00e8re<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n