french girl style: the do's and don'ts

In my recent visit to France, I spent most of my time wandering the streets, scavenging through little boutiques in my search for unique pieces that would really diversify my wardrobe. In doing this, I kept a close eye on French locals doing the same. Seeing the way these people dressed, I gathered an idea of what the most integral aspects of their outfits were, and also things that I never saw them dressed in.

So, I thought I would share my en vogue French style findings of the summer, in this post!

do: the lbd

A Little Black Dress is one of the most essential items a girl can have in her closet. It's versatile and can be dressed up and down, and during my French holiday, I think I saw more LBD's than any other piece of clothing. I saw Little Black Dresses being styled with classic style sneakers, vintage kitten heels, ankle boots and even sometimes sandals in a beach setting.

In this outfit, I'm wearing:

Dress: Sandro

Bag: Zadig & Voltaire

Shoes: Zadig & Voltaire

Earrings: Galleries Lafayette

Necklace: Brandy Melville

don't: over accessorise

Don't get me wrong, I love accessories, from earrings to bags, hats to bracelets, I love it all. However, when you get multitudes of these pieces all in the one outfit, you don't know where to look. Something I picked up on whilst in France was the simplicity of the accessories worn by the French people - honestly, I could tell the tourists apart from the locals solely by pointing out the way they accessorised their outfit. So, if you want to dress like a true French girl, pick out classic, chic accessories but never wear too many at once.

do: vintage designer

The best dressed in France are conscious of their impact on the planet. So to dress like the true Parisian it-girl of the modern world - invest in vintage designer. Vintage designer is so classic and often the pieces you find are timeless and will last a life time. In France, I came across so many vintage designer stores filled with stylish French shoppers hunting for eccentric items. One of my favourite vintage designer items that I bought on my trip was this Isabelle Marant Étoile mini skirt:

don't: athleisure

The concept of not wearing activewear unless you were actually going to be exercising, is something I picked up from going to school in France. On my first day at French school, I was immediately confused not to see a single pair of leggings, trackies or exercise shorts. In all the social media content I had seen of schools with no uniform in places like the U.S and Canada, it seemed to be that majority of the girls came to school in head to toe lululemon, so I then stupidly thought it would be the same in France. Moral of the story, to dress like the French - athleisure is STRICTLY for exercise only.

do: ballet flats

Ballet flats are one thing I truely wish we wore more of in Australia. I think that there is just an unspoken stereotype that associates ballet flats with either being for little girls or grandmas. However when styled correctly, ballet flats look any thing but. I saw so many women rocking their ballet flats with a pair of straight leg jeans walking down the Champs-Elysées and immediately, I was inspired. In my opinion, one of my best outfits of the trip was worn with my red Repetto Camille's.

Outfit details :

Body Suit: Sandro

Skirt: Brandy Melville

Shoes: Repetto

Bag: Coach

Earrings: Galleries Lafayette

Necklace: Brandy Melville

DOn't: in-your-face designer

The most important rule of class, is modesty - and in France this rule is integral. Never would you see a true French it-girl obnoxiously shoving logos in your face. Yes, these stylish women wear luxury labels, however you can tell they are wearing designer not by the logo, but by the quality, fit and structure of the piece.

do: monochrome

Currently, Pinterest is filled with pictures of neutral, single tone outfits - and I'm obsessed. In France, the concept of monochrome tenues has been circulating within the French style cycle many years before it hit the spotlight on a global scale. During the summer, my personal favourite type of monochrome outfit is all white. With the famous "White Parties" of the Côte d’Azur, all white outfits are perfect for a French summer.

Outfit Details:

Top: Bershka

Skirt: Vintage

Shoes: Aje

Bangle: Roxart Bijoux

Necklace: Brandy Melville (this necklace did not leave my neck for the entirety of the trip)

With all that being said, please don't feel obliged to follow these recommendations as they are only that, recommendations. However if you are striving to achieve the French girl chic aesthetic, definitely keep these in mind!