Nothing is more influential in shifting one’s perspective than [insert dramatic pause]: location and time. That’s no more apparent than our personal style, which is largely shaped by the current season and our prospective zip codes. Of every season, fall’s ability to influence us to change is unmatched. While it’s easy to assume that so much of our collective desire to change our style is driven largely by the necessity to dress functionally for colder temperatures, the truth is that fall can give us the same dopamine rush as traveling. Like a jet taking off the tarmac, autumn provides us the turbo-power to finally get around to updating our capsule wardrobe, or even get creative with our styling. Perhaps that emotion is what also drives the appeal of following emerging runway trends from London, Milan, and Paris—you get to feel like you’re exploring a new terrain, without even needing to go to the airport. Of course, there are those of us who still prefer to catch a flight, myself included.
Like most travelers, I’ve found that visiting a new destination offers the greatest dose of style inspiration, which only doubles if one decides to move altogether. My own relocation to France has further convinced me of that influence, as I’ve come to see first-hand how the fashion crowd here has curated a point of view that’s, well, distinctly French. From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the coastlines in the South, you’ll find that some of the chicest people aren’t only wearing the “cliché” basics we’ve come to associate with French style (no shade to trench coats and ballet flats). The coolest people make room in their closets for a little experimentation; at least that’s what I’ve come to believe as I’ve witnessed French it-girls wearing unexpected trends. Ahead, I’m sharing a comprehensive list of the six fall trends that have gained the French fashion set’s stamp of approval. Whether in the form of cigarette jeans or high-vamp footwear, you’ll find that these trends can shift your point of view.
1. Collarless Jackets
From what I’ve gathered from my time living here thus far, French people don’t seem all too keen on reinventing the wheel when it comes to their wardrobe. Rather, you’ll find that the French style crowd gravitates towards timeless tailoring with more “risqué” twists; one recent example of this phenomenon is the collarless jacket trend. From Chanel to Balmain, we saw countless F/W 26 collections showcase leather blazers, tweed jackets, and light wool coats, all sans collars. The cutting-edge approach to classic tailoring has quickly captured the attention of French it-girls, as we’ve seen them style collarless jackets with everything from straight-leg denim and slingback flats to tailored trousers and square-toe pumps. It’s a reminder that achieving that signature “je ne sais quoi” can be as simple as skipping out on a collar.
2. Cigarette Jeans
If you were to picture a café patio situated on a busy corner in Paris, chances are you’d imagine someone sipping on coffee with a cigarette in hand—c’est tellement français! Smoking isn’t for everyone, but there’s one fall trend that allows anyone to tap into the feeling of being French: cigarette jeans. Unlike other denim trends that can be directly traced back to the runway, we first spotted this straight-to-slim denim silhouette last fall in the streets of Paris. Since then, we’ve seen slim-fitting jeans surface in the F/W 26 runway shows of Kallmeyer, Totême, Stella McCartney, and a few others—giving everyone an excuse to smoke again, or in this case, wear skinnies. Consider pairing your cigarette jeans with a tailored coat, light knit, and kitten heels this fall for a look that’s chic enough to wear to a French café (or anywhere else, for that matter).
3. High-Vamps
Unless you’ve spent a day sauntering through the Luxembourg Gardens or Le Marais, you can’t quite understand why the French style set does not play about their footwear! Navigating the city of Paris requires pragmatic (and polished) shoes, so you better believe that some of the biggest trends have been spotted at one point in one of the arrondissements. Lately, it’s hard to step outside without spotting the high-vamp trend. Characterized by a higher-cut upper that covers more of the foot, the silhouette first surfaced in the S/S 26 and F/W 26 collections of Chanel, Alaïa, and others. The silhouette adds a sophisticated touch to everything from ballet flats to square-toe pumps, which is probably why it’s quickly become a must-have amongst the style crowd in France. Whether paired with a flannel shirt and slim-fitting jeans or a crewneck sweater and cargo pants, high-vamp shoes are a trend that can be seamlessly worn for a day spent exploring Paris, or anywhere else.
4. Animal Print Accessories
Saint Laurent once said, “Il faut de l’audace dans la vie comme dans la mode”—translation: you need as much audacity in life as in fashion. No words ring truer than when looking at the continued relevance of animal prints in the fall runway collections of Chanel, Balmain, and Givenchy. But make no mistake, while the French set aren’t afraid to take a risk, they’ve made animal prints feel more calculated for fall by embracing the trend in a more understated way: accessories. Forget the days of wearing head-to-toe leopard print! French it-girls made this trend feel “tamer” by pairing their zebra-print tote bags, snakeskin ankle boots, and dalmatian print clutches with their timeless basics. Audacious? Oui. Elegant? Obviously.
5. Pops of Purple
French fashion has always been held in high, almost regal, regard, so it’s no surprise that we’d see one shade reign supreme among their court this fall: royal purple. Before the vibrant shade was spotted in the coolest spots across Paris, the color trend could be found on the catwalks of Versace, Celine, Miu Miu, Ferragamo, and many others. The shade’s successful transition from simply being a runway trend to becoming a part of the real lives of French people was brought about by a change of dynasty, or rather, styling approach—i.e., using pops of purple to inject personality into their wardrobes. The key to wearing this trend like the French do is to let the color do the talking for you: a crewneck tied around the waist, a statement handbag, or a pair of shoes can instantly transform an otherwise understated ensemble. You might not be fluent in French, but royal purple is one of the few fall trends that everyone can understand.
6. Boho, Rebooted
Last but certainly not least, there’s one other fall trend that I’ve found virtually impossible to escape at the moment: boho, rebooted. Call it the Chloé effect, but over the last couple of seasons we’ve seen countless collections feature all things boho-adjacent: lace-trimmed blouses, suede bags, balloon pants, slouchy boots, army jackets, and the list goes on. However, these aren’t the overtly festival-coded pieces we’ve come to associate with this aesthetic, as the French set has made it feel far more à la mode through their styling this season. If you think you have to be Parisian to pull this trend off, think again. Simply take cues from their playbook by pairing your more whimsical-leaning pieces with wardrobe staples—e.g., a fringed poncho with straight-leg jeans or a tailored blazer with oversized sunglasses. It’s a styling approach that’s sure to have you feeling like you’re French, or at the very least, will surely change how you see this season’s biggest trends.
