How French Girls Do Athleisure
Most women have had a fling with French-girl style. From a perfectly undone beauty look to a wardrobe that seamlessly marries minimalism with the biggest trends, Parisian women have an effortlessly cool factor that's easy to covet.
Injecting a little je ne sais quoi attitude into your wardrobe has gotten easier thanks to labels that have that DNA at its core. Take The Kooples, a straight-from-Paris brand of clothing and accessories that imbues a slouchy, sexy feel into nearly everything. Below, we highlight some of our favorite items from fall and the very oh-la-la ways to style them.
Belt Your Jacket 
Just because the leaves are changing color doesn’t mean you have to abandon your favorite lightweight dress. Take summery, silky fabrics into the colder temps by layering them with a jacket and tights. Belt an oversized jacket to achieve a more defined waist (and keep it from swallowing you whole). It's slouchy, but not messy—a key commandment of French-girl fashion.
Worn with: Point Off View Denim Jacket, $280, pointoffview.com; The Kooples Belt, $195, thekooples.com; Clyde Beret, $96, clyde.com; Falke Dot Tights, $40, net-a-porter.com; Gianvito Rossi Martis Leather Ankle Boot, $1,295, barneys.com
Look for Tailoring Touches 
A key part of quintessential French style is built around clean lines and smart tailoring. A dress with strong shoulders allows you to achieve the sharp look even if blazers or menswear-inspired pieces aren't your thing.
Dark-ground florals are a fall standard, and the red-against-black combo lets the blooms really stand out (adding extra pop within this look: a sunshine-yellow mini bag). Pair with statement extras like oversized fishnets and a western-inspired belt.
Worn with: The Kooples Leather Belt, $175, thekooples.com; The Kooples Yellow Nano Irina Bag, $395, thekooples.com; Wolford Madeline Fishnet Tights, wolfordshop.com
Swap Black for New Neutrals 
Something we definitely have in common with our sisters across the pond? A penchant for faux fur. When covering up this fall and winter, skip basic black in favor of rich, chocolate brown. It's just as versatile as noir, but warms up your entire look.
The French girl was the first to learn that leopard is a neutral. Reconsider trusted silhouettes like knee-high boots and opt for leopard instead of black or brown. It's adventurous and classic at the same time, and turns a basic piece into a standout style.
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The Kooples White Silk Shirt, $335, thekooples.com; Marissa Webb Aster Cotton Canvas Skirt, $498, marissa-webb.com; The Kooples Stella Bag, $585, thekooples.com; Michael Kors Collection Leopard Boot, $1,450, michaelkors.com
Upgrade Your Athleisure 
French girls don't really do athleisure à la Americans (aka wearing leggings and sneakers even when a workout was not in the picture). Rather, their take would involve stylized staples like tuxedo stripe track pants, a leopard knit, and the perfect vintage tee.
Their accessories are in a different universe too. Sneakers are out in favor of tri-buckle patent leather boots with a shock of animal print. Overstuffed totes are also very un-French. Carry a mini cross-body with just the essentials instead.
Anine Bing Bandit Tee, $99, aninebing.com; Anine Bing Justine Cardigan, $229, aninebing.com; The Kooples Irina Bag, $575, thekooples.com; Belstaff Talton Boot, $625, belstaff.com
Layer with a Carefree Attitude 
Our hypothesis for the je ne sais quoi thing? It's about not overthinking, but instead, creating outfits that could've been assembled from the first things you pulled from your closet.
Wide-leg pants that mix three trends—velvet, pajama dressing, and athleisure—are fashion-forward, yet so unfussy that they could have been found in the corner of a dresser drawer. Layered tops (including oh-so-French stripes) finish a perfectly undone get-up that looks as though it happened on its own.
Worn with: The Kooples T-Shirt, $100, thekooples.com; Alice + Olivia Metallic Pullover, $285, shopspring.com; Stuart Weitzman Bootie, $698, stuartweitzman.com
Styling by Sandy Armeni, Hair & Makeup by Ellen Guhin