 We all know French women have an innate sense of style, but if you've ever wondered how you can create that look really easily yourself, then this video should help. I'm going to talk you through the fashion essentials you need, the accessories that French women typically reach for, and the beauty tips and tricks that really finish off the perfect French girl style. I adore France. I love French food, French wine of course, French fashion. I even got married in France, and I really do think a little French spirit is as good for your soul as it is for your wardrobe. So what is it exactly that makes French women look so chic and elegant? Tip number one, go trendless. French women are particularly less fussy about following trends each season and more fussy about adding quality investment pieces to their wardrobes. It's really rare to see a French woman dripping in labels. That would almost be seen as brush. They'd much prefer a beautifully crafted coat from a designer you've never even heard of than a logo emblazoned one. Quality over quantity wins every single time no matter what the trends are, and I think it's that self-confidence to wear something that's maybe five seasons old, know they look absolutely amazing in it that really shines through. So although it's nice to sprinkle a trend or two into your wardrobe, the bulk of your rail should really be items that are truly your personal style, whether they're on trend or not. Though French women aren't slaves to following the trends, there are some classic pieces that they'll typically all have in their wardrobes. A ladylike bag paired with any simple outfit will absolutely elevate the look. Now if you're investing, I would say go for neutral tones. That way you know you're going to have it in your wardrobe forever. Going along the lines to this bag I have here, which came from a brand called Palin Paris. Now I went for the style called Numerous Set, but if you want to play it really safe, I'd go for it in either black, navy or possibly grey. I'm also a little bit in love with this Yosefi bag I found on Farfetch, and I love the simplicity of this hugely affordable bag I found at Manga. A blazer adds instant sophistication to any outfit, it's the simple icing on the cake to really nailing that Parisian style. And one thing I've noticed time and time again is that French women love to pair their tailored blazers with a simple pair of jeans. For daytime add a classic t-shirt, ballet flats or loafers, and for night time put a pretty top underneath and a pair of strappy sandals. It's that combination of denim against tailored rings that really work so well, and thankfully for us it's really easy to emulate. Like all of my outwear, I do tend to invest in my blazers and go for the highest quality I can afford. I really think it's far better to have one beautiful blazer than a wardrobe full of throwaways. The trick to giving your little black dress some French girl style is to keep your accessories to a minimum. The magic all lies in the simplicity. So with a dress like this for example, I would just accessorize with maybe a pair of hoops, get my hair up out of the way so you've got this clean line across your chest and your neck area, and that would pretty much be it. And for a few extra points you could add a basket bag too. Whether you want to go 90s minimal or baby doll style or with the French look, now though I'm not usually fond of dressing in anything too overtly sexy, when it comes to dressing French, I'll tend to dress down those elements. So if the dress for instance is showing more cleavage than I would normally or a great big split up the leg, I would keep everything else really, really simple. Maybe pair it with flats, just have one piece of jewelry on, a very elegant lady like bag, and then as a whole it makes the overall effect more understated. Nothing says low key chic like a beautiful Breton top. The instantly French piece that I'd highly recommend to everyone have at least one in their wardrobe. Whether you want to look French or not, a beautiful Breton top will always look classy, elegant, and chic in any outfit. And such is their popularity, there are so many different variations for you to choose from. I really like this version from Le Redut, this Merino version from APC, and I think this Boatneck version from Cos is just a little bit different. Did you know the thought process that went into designing a simple pair of ballet flats? Coco Chanel wanted to design a pair of shoes to flatter her bigger feet. And so the iconic pair of Chanel were made with a tan base to really elongate your legs, a darker toe to hide any unsightly scuff marks, and flats so that they were hugely wearable at the same time. These days the ballet flat trend has migrated, thankfully to include lofus. And as a lot of tips in this video, the key to really getting that perfect French style would be to keep it neutral. But don't worry if Chanel is out of your price range, I've linked all my favourite affordable options in the description box below. Find yourself the perfect t-shirt and buy it in every single colour. There's no need to spend hundreds of pounds on a t-shirt, and especially when we're trying to dress a bit more like a French woman, the designer is not important, it's all about the quality and the fit. Some of my favourite t-shirts are also some of the most cost-effective pieces in my wardrobe. I love the quality of my white crew neck I got for £15 from Arquette. I love the shape and the colour of this Conrad tee I got from one of my favourites, Cezanne. My organic and ethically made version by Organic Basics. And if all else fails, go with the blatantly obvious French style like this one that I just got from Massimo Dutti. When it comes to denim, finding the perfect shape that really suits your style and your shape is actually far more important than going with something that's a particularly French look. We all love different shapes because we are all different shapes and sizes, and I would highly recommend you stick with what you know suits you best. Saying that, there are a couple of things I've noticed that are a typical French girl style. First up, throw any jeggings you might have right out the window. They have got to be the most unflattering pair of jeans ever created. A little stretch is good, but jeggings just take it way too far at the other end of the scale. Like we said before, French women tend to ignore denim trends. They'll go with what suits them and what they know will last in their wardrobe. When wearing distressed jeans, they'll always contrast it with a little polish, maybe adding a tailored blazer or a beautiful handbag. Pair your straight jeans with a little cropped cardigan like this one, or maybe a pair of ankle boots, always remembering that simple is often best. You could balance out your slim jeans with a beautiful oversized coat or add a classic French staple, the trench coat. And of course, there's always blazers. French women do love a beautiful blazer with a great pair of jeans. A particularly big trend for this spring summer, but actually always in fashion in France, would be a great pair of strappy heels. But the key to making this look effortless is to keep the heel mid or even kitten. Point is, they need to be comfortable. You need to be able to run around in them doing your errands with ease. Wobbling about on six-inch heels will always look too try-hard. And French style is all about looking like you haven't really tried at all. Like you've just thrown together this little outfit without even thinking about it. I bought this pair from H&M recently and they have lots of other gorgeous options too. Slightly more pricey but authentic. I love the heels at Cezanne. I love this pair by the row. The perfect accessory to add a little more polish to any outfit. I actually use sunglasses, more as a shield than as a fashion accessory, so to speak. So if I'm having a bad skin day or I look a bit tired, I'll pop on a pair of sunglasses and feel like I've hidden part of the evidence. But of course, aside from hiding tired eyes, the right pair of sunglasses can look oh so very chic. When wanting to dress like a French woman, I love that saying go bold or go home. I love these giant statement sunglasses I got from a brand called Cutler & Gross and I also really love my cat's eyes shaped ones that I got from Les Bags. The bigger the better when it comes to this look. How much you spend really isn't important. The colour doesn't really matter. It's all about the crispness when it comes to finding the perfect shirt. I prefer cotton poplin when it comes to my shirts and it gives you that smooth yet cool and crisp feel. Or look for Oxford cloth which gives you a slightly heavier but more durable shirt. In summer, it's really nice to introduce a touch of linen with your shirts and though it will never look as crisp as say a cotton poplin shirt would, I think it can create a really nice alternative and look great with a pair of jeans, flats or loafers. When wanting to dress like a French woman, there are three pieces I could highly recommend you have in your wardrobe. One would be a beautiful oversized coat. Number two, a gorgeous trench coat. And number three, a gorgeous leather jacket. And that old mantra again is ever present. Go for quality over quantity. Invest in the classics and the last you a lifetime. I bought this beautiful cream coat from Reese recently and I know I can style it both for day and for night. I bought this trench coat years ago and though it cost a pretty penny in the beginning, I know that quality wise it will absolutely stand the test of time. Popping a gorgeous leather jacket over any outfit will always add a little Parisian feel. I've linked some of my favourites in the description box below but if you can't afford to invest in a leather jacket right now, why don't you look at some of the vintage stores? It adds some authenticity to your look while saving you a few pennies in the process. Or look out of season. Now is actually a really good time to shop for investment outerwear pieces because a lot of it is on sale. So your wardrobe is set, you've got all your classics but what about hair, skincare and makeup? French women typically have incredible skin but with incredible priced products to match. As beautiful as it is, the likes of Crandall and Mayer are sadly not within everyone's budget. But hope is not lost, there are so many different affordable options available these days to help you keep your skin looking fresh and plump. I would say the key to looking French or just chic in general is to have healthy glowing hydrated skin. Take care of it, nourish it and it will return the favour. Show off your imperfections. The odd wrinkle or two is celebrated not frowned upon. There's nothing plastic or fake about French women, it's au naturel and it's very finest. It's the same with makeup which should be kept minimal and enhance your natural skin colour, not hide it away. A lick of mascara, a little bit of gentle blush and a dab of red lipstick is generally what I would stick to when creating this typically French look. And for the purpose of this video I have day old hair just simply tussling it through with my fingers rather than glossing over it all with a brush. French women have absolutely perfected that perfectly undone style but a lot of that is down to looking like you haven't tried too hard. Though elements of your outfit should look polished, your hair and your makeup should look natural and simplified. Anything too perfect will just look staged. Even if you spent an hour getting ready you don't want it to look like you have. One easy way of course to dress like a French woman would be to buy French fashion. Though I do love the big Parisian fashion houses those kind of items are definitely a treat for my wardrobe rather than something I could go and buy on a month to month basis. So there's a few high street and independent designers that I would go to more regularly. Cezanne of course and not just for French fashion but because they're one of my favourite fashion brands period I absolutely love their collection. Balzac Paris, the coups, Bache Paris, Mousier, Zadig & Voltaire, there's an ever growing list so I shall pop all my favourites in the description box below. But equally if you've got your own favourite that I haven't listed below please do let me know because I love discovering new brands. And finally whatever you're feeling, whatever you're wearing in fact, hold your head up high with confidence and be proud of yourself. There is nothing more attractive than a woman with a sprinkle of confidence, French or otherwise. It's infectious. I think that confidence is the most French element you could add to any single outfit. I really hope you found this video helpful and I've given you some ideas how to create that perfect Parisian style and dress like a French woman. I would love to hear which tip you found the most helpful from this video and I'd love to hear what are your favourite French brands. It's always great discovering new up-and-coming labels along the way. Thank you so much for watching and I do hope you'll join me back here in a couple of days with a bit more fashion. Take care.