• Fashion
    • Style
    • Seasonal
    • Wardrobe
    • Brands
    • Shopping
  • Outfits
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • People

Topics

affordable beauty essentials home decor Jeanne Damas jeans lingerie models outerwear Parisian spring white winter
French Style
  • Fashion
    • Style
    • Seasonal
    • Wardrobe
    • Brands
    • Shopping
  • Outfits
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • People

Get French Style to Your Inbox Once Per Week

Home Fashion Wardrobe 15 French Wardrobe Essentials for Your Closet
  • Wardrobe

15 French Wardrobe Essentials for Your Closet

  • October 1, 2019
  • No comments
Total
4K
Shares
4K
3
0

Building the perfect everyday wardrobe comes down to the basics. Without a solid set of French wardrobe essentials, it’s hard to follow the French style philosophy of the Five Piece French Wardrobe. These wardrobe essentials will take you through every situation that life may present: from coffee with friends, to a job interview, to a first date or a birthday party. They are the foundation of your wardrobe, from which you’ll easily create outfits for years to come!

Do you have every item on this list of French wardrobe essentials?

Wardrobe Essentials

Let’s start with the basic items of clothing you should have in your closet. Remember every piece should fit you well, not just be present.

1. The Silk Shirt

The silk shirt (in white, black and navy) can take you from day to night. It’s a classic wardrobe staple. If you can get one that can tie in the front, even better! We love Banana Republic and Everlane for this wardrobe staple.

French wardrobe essentials - Silk Shirt

2. The Cotton Button-up Shirt

Easy and versatile, the cotton button-up shirt is great for casual meetings with friends and weekends out of town. Get this shirt in white and blue. We recommend Everlane or JCrew.

French Wardrobe Essentials: White Button-up Shirt @sabinasocol
@sabinasocol

3. The Straight Leg Jean

The straight leg jean is the classic Parisian wardrobe staple. It’s the go-to jean for when you just don’t know what to wear. Not too loose but not to tight, it fits your leg like a glove with just the right amount of open leg space! Go for & Other Stories for a European fit, Reformation for a flexible fit, or Gap for an affordable pair.

French Wardrobe Essentials: Straight Leg Jeans @leiasfez
@leiasfez

4. The Marinière Striped Top

Blue and white stripes are synonymous with classic French style. Saint James is the ultimate brand of choice for this style, but you can pick up a dupe at places like JCrew or Maison Labiche.

French wardrobe essentials - Saint James blue and white striped top

5. The Cashmere Sweater

While it doesn’t snow in Paris, it can get quite chilly in the winter, so French girls prepare for the cold with cashmere sweaters by Eric Bompard. If you can’t make it to the store in France, then try this one from Nordstrom or Everlane.

French wardrobe essentials - Beige Cashmere Sweater

6. The Vintage Cardigan

French girls love their vintage clothing! The one piece you’re sure to find in almost every French girl’s closet is a cute vintage cardigan. Etsy is a great place to look for these, but you can also find them on the many French vintage Instagram shops.

7. The High-Waisted Pant

High-waisted pants hug your curves and that’s why French girls love them. Whether a straight leg or flared bottom, high-waisted pants are a must-have for your wardrobe. Here, Jeanne Damas wears the French brand Nathalie Dumeix.

High-waisted Pant @jeannedamas
@jeannedamas

8. The Wrap Dress

The wrap dress is a favorite of French women everywhere. It’s universally flattering as it can be adjusted to fit your body shape. Go for a midi length dress from Reformation or Rouje.

Wrap dress @jeannedamas
@jeannedamas

9. The Little Black Dress

Ah, the little black dress. It carries you through so many different nice occasions. When you don’t know what to wear to that event, go for the LBD! Accessorize it with a fun piece of jewelry or colorful handbag. I love this JCrew slip dress.

French wardrobe essentials - Black Midi slip dress

Accessory Essentials

10. The Ballet Flat

Easy to walk in, simple, and chic, the ballet flat is a timeless shoe. Repetto is the French brand of choice when it comes to these classic shoes, but you can also go for a cheap yet solid pair from Everlane or H&M to start off.

French wardrobe essentials - Ballet Flat

11. The Silk Scarf

A scarf made from silk is the classic French accessory you must have. It’s great for those early spring and late fall days when the air is still a bit nippy on your neck. It’s also a great way to add some color to your white button-up shirt. Hermès is well-known for crafting luxurious silk scarves for French women, but if the price tag is too high, then go for this Longchamp one, or this JCrew one.

French wardrobe essentials - Silk Scarf

12. The Leather Handbag

The one handbag that is considered a French wardrobe essential is the leather handbag. You can find lots of different brands who specialize in fine leather goods in France. The leather handbag holds all your daily necessities and is soft to the touch. I recommend a brown or black leather handbag like this one from APC.

Leather Handbag @annelauremais
@annelauremais

Outerwear Essentials

13. The Blazer

Everyone from ordinary women to celebrities seems to own a blazer in France these days. Whether it’s fitted or masculine, the blazer has become a wardrobe staple. You can wear it to work, or wear it out to dinner with the sleeves rolled up. It can be fitted or oversized, solid colored or plaid. The blazer is definitely a wardrobe essential. Isabel Marant is well known in France for her boyish blazers for women.

French wardrobe essentials - Blazer

14. The Trench Coat

The French style trench coat is an iconic coat that nearly all French men and women own. Because it rains so much in Paris, it’s become a wardrobe essential! Even when it’s not raining, the beige trench coat is a chic option that can easily pair with many different outfits. Burberry is the iconic maker of these coats but you can find less expensive versions by COS and Mango.

Trench coat @leiasfez
@leiasfez

15. The Wool Coat

For chilly Parisian winters, a wool wrap coat or wool button-up coat is a wardrobe essential! Grab one in camel or black for a chic statement. The cutest wool coats can be found at & Other Stories and Mango.

French wardrobe essentials - Wool Coat

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this site are affiliated, meaning we may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking at no additional cost to you.

Total
4K
Shares
Pin 4K
Share 3
Tweet 0
Share 0
Share 0

Related Topics

  • essentials

Get More French Style

Subscribe now to to be notified of new French style and beauty articles weekly:

You May Also Like...

French Fashion Magazines Jeanne Damas
View Post
  • 1.1K
  • Fashion

5 Best French Fashion Magazines to Read ASAP

How to Dress Like a Parisian Woman camille_pidoux
View Post
  • 2.7K
  • Fashion

How to Dress Like a Parisian Woman

Lingerie brands chloelecareux
View Post
  • 1K
  • Brands

21 Best French Lingerie Brands

French Girl Apres Ski Style Sabina Socol
View Post
  • 229
  • Style

French Girl Après-Ski Style

Affordable French Fashion @maralafontan
View Post
  • 1.7K
  • Fashion

Affordable French Fashion

French models - Prune Pauchet
View Post
  • 1.1K
  • People

23 French Models You Must Know About

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Bienvenue

Welcome to FrenchStyle.co

I am a woman who absolutely loves French style and Parisian fashion. Keep reading to discover French outfits, wardrobe ideas, and beauty products to live like the French!

FrenchStyle.co is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links on this website are affiliate links, which means we receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking, at no additional cost to you.

Subscribe

Subscribe for French style to your inbox!

French Style
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
© 2019–2022. Exclusive Member of Mediavine

Input your search keywords and press Enter.