How To Pack Like An Enviably Chic French Woman
It can be done.
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by The Candidly Team
As much as we say we’re not trend obsessed (we’re just too old and too tired), we can’t deny we’re French obsessed. We’ve proven that HERE and HERE …. and HERE and HERE.
But it’s not because we’re all just Francophiles who keep Eiffel Towers on our screensavers and baguette charms on our keychains. It’s because the chicest of French women are so perfectly put together with what seems like such ease and without really resorting to trends. (Unless, of course, they feel like it, in which case, they incorporate trends in such understated ways, they still come off as classic).
And isn’t this how we all want to dress?
But how?
We actually believe the answer is pretty straight-forward, not easy necessarily, but simple.
French women are able to assemble these outfits because they’ve built an incredible foundation of:
1. Perfect-fitting
2. Expensive-looking
3. Supreme quality
STAPLES.
It’s as if they’ve been born into a long line of fashion acumen that deeply understands a capsule wardrobe. And in no case is this skill more useful than when packing a bag.
Now, slobs like ourselves only dream of the perfect suitcase. Not too stuffed. Not too sparse. Everything key to an impeccable look.
So if we’ve done enough equivocating, let’s get to the exact 14 things that are inside every well-dressed, French lady’s suitcase. Summer edition, of course.
1. The Soft, Striped Boatneck Tee
J. McLaughlin Goldie Tee in Stripe*
It’s called a marinière. It was made famous by French sailors but has been a staple in French women’s closets ever since Coco Chanel decided it should be. They often come in a navy, back, or even a red stripe, but we fell in love with this buttery brown for a warmer summer palette that chics up all of our bottoms and turns them into “looks.” Like so:
Price: $88
2. The Classic Cropped Jeans
J.Crew Factory Wide-leg Cropped Jean In All-Day Stretch*
Yes, we could show you $300 designer jeans. But why? These are the precise, classic, flattering-on-all-curves shape French ladies love that happen to work with everything, and therefore, you can pack these (and only these) on warm vacations.
Price: $69.50
3.
The Romantic Midi Dress You Can Wear To Everything
Naturally, there must be that one standalone, versatile dress that takes you from a picnic in a lavender field to a lavish dinner at a Michelin restaurant. There are many ways to go with this, but this one (a collab between Gap (which is newly directed by Zac Posen) and the beautiful brand DÔEN) has enough detail to make us weak while still coming in black or white so we can style it many ways for whatever the occasion demands.
Price: $158
3. The Single Most Comfortable Heeled Sandal You Can Walk For Days In
The occasion will always demand these sandals. French women love an espadrille but they also understand the need for the kind of comfort that allows you to walk through 3 arrondissements to reach your destination. This brand makes shoes with built-in tech designed by a podiatrist to extinguish the chance for foot pain. And the styles are so wildly pretty, you’d never know they were constructed for this level of comfort.
Price: $208
4. The Whispery, Warm-Weather Button-Down
Z Supply Perfect Airy Gauze Button Up*
Nothing makes us look chicer than throwing on a button-down, and French gals are not foregoing this kind of hack just cause it’s hot out. This gauzy one is light enough to layer, tuck, tie, and half-tuck into jeans, linen pants, and skirts, and it’s all so Parisian and lovely, it makes us weep.
Price: $79
5. The Prettiest Floral Slip Skirt
The floral slip skirt is one of few prints that are a MUST for the perfectly packed sac française. (Please no one correct us on that 10th grade French translation). The beauty of this one is not only does it fit to perfection (not too tight but with zero volume added to the hips), but it comes in lots of color combinations to suit your fancy. Wear it with white tees and button downs, sandals or white sneaks. We spend a bit more for the perfect fit and print and to use this template a thousand times over.
Price: $198
6. The Cloudlike Walking Sneaks
Yes, there are many, many very pretty and very elegant little white leather sneaks that we love. Our favorite in that category are THESE* by the way. But for serious women who understand foot pain is a non, non, they’ll choose something equally neutral and elegant with much, much, more support. Enter these NB Classics. And if you doubt that they work with more dressed up, out-on-the-town looks, just look at our managing editor wearing hers on the banks of the Seine itself:
Price: $100
7. The Knit Tank
We shouldn’t even call this a tank. This is a top, a statement top, a look unto itself. It’s a piece that will make you look lovely and sophisticated and alluring for all of eternity and so we spend $100 instead of the $50 we’d spend on something that ends up falling apart in the giveaway pile in a year. It’s a lesson we take straight from French fashion, and it’s no wonder this top comes from the beloved French brand Sézane. It makes every pair of shorts and cropped pants we wear from Target look luxe. So we don’t think even the niftiest of French ladies would object to our suggestion of packing it in both white and black.
Price: $125
8. The Trouser Shorts
Gap 365 High Rise Linen-Blend Shorts*
We’ll let you in on a little secret. These are the only shorts we don’t hate wearing right now. They taper and pleat and fall in just the right ways to nip the waist and make our legs look longer and leaner while covering our butt completely. This A-line shape is a hack we’ve seen all over Paris when we see women wearing shorts and wonder, how on earth did she just make shorts chic?!
Price: $39
9. The Basket Bag
Sézane Justine Maxi Basket Bag*
A big old basket bag with leather details may as well be a Louis Vuitton it’s so French and fashionable and yet, low key at the same time. Toting this poolside with our book, our enormous sunglasses, and wearing the below black swimsuit. I swear, we feel like Brigitte Bardot. And, of course, we also wear it with all our summer dresses.
Price: $390
10. The Knockout Black One-Piece
You don’t need 8 swimsuits that make you feel like suctioned garbage - you need one or two unbelievable-fitting suits that flood you with confidence. This suit is the only one that has ever done that for us. We wrote all about it HERE.
Price: $128
11. The Sarong
You can pick your favorite print but nothing will ever be more elegant, more quiet luxury, or more French than black and white.
Price: $130
12.
The Perfect-Fitting White Tee
Madewell (Re)generative Cotton Ribbed Scoopneck Tee*
Naturally you will need the white tee that tucks seamlessly into everything and frames your chest in such a way that you feel like a model (especially with THIS bra) A dream!
Price: $42
12. The Tailored Linen Pants
Aritzia The Limitless Pant™ - CruiseLinen™*
A wide(ish) leg, linen pant will match any top you pack and can be dressed up or down. This one looks like it was tailored just for you, and comes in a huge color and size range so you can choose your own neutral.
Price: $148
13.
The Elegant And Breathable Summer Flat
No shoe is more breathable and beautiful than Rothy’s, so when it gets too hot for French ladies to turn to their beloved ballet flats, they sub in sling backs like this which are such a sleek, Audrey Hepburn shape you can wear them with dresses instead of heels and look just as gorj.
Price: $139
14. Then Flattering Little White Dress
A little white linen dress is the summer version of the little black dress, and this one is utterly effortless and looks great on every single body type. Incredible size range, too. Merci J.Crew!
Price: $109.50
Bonus: The Accessories
The Hat:* With the built-in scarf. We die.
The Silk Scarf:* This is the one we attach to our basket bag and pony tail to instantly look 5X chicer. This brand has 837 patterns we’re lusting after.
The Unique Yet. Minimalist Jewelry:* We wrote a whole article about the understated allure of minimalist jewelry, but perhaps nothing captures this better than this unbelievable ankle bangle. Is it not all you need?
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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