Couture

I Just Moved to France—All the French It Girls Are Wearing These 6 Trends

Reporting live: These are the fall 2026 trends that have caught the attention of French women.

Тренды6 ноября 2026 г.

МодаТренды
Collage of French women wearing fall 2026 It-girl trends.
(Image credit: @cristinahudacov; @llaurenca; @frannfyne; @sabinasocol; @annelauremais)@cristinahudacov; @llaurenca; @frannfyne; @sabinasocol; @annelauremais

Nothing is more influential in shifting one's perspective than location and time. That's most apparent in our personal style, which is largely shaped by the current season and our zip codes. Out 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 by the need to dress functionally for colder temperatures, fall can give us the same dopamine rush as traveling. Like a jet taking off from the tarmac, autumn provides us with the turbo power to update our capsule wardrobes and even get creative with our styling. Perhaps that emotion also drives the appeal of following emerging runway trends from London, Milan, New York, 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 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 firsthand how the fashion crowd here has curated a point of view that's, well, French. From the cobblestone streets of Paris to the coastlines in the south, 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. From cigarette jeans to high-vamp footwear, these trends can shift your point of view.

From what I've gathered 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 toward timeless tailoring with risqué twists. One recent example of this phenomenon is the collarless-jacket trend. From Chanel to Balmain, the fall/winter 2026 collections showcased leather blazers, tweed jackets, and light wool coats, all sans collars. The cutting-edge approach to classic tailoring has captured the attention of French women, who 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 a collar.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

Picture a café patio situated on a busy corner in Paris, where someone is 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, I first spotted this straight-to-slim denim silhouette last fall in the streets of Paris. Since then, slim-fitting jeans have surfaced in the fall/winter 2026 runway shows of Kallmeyer, Toteme, 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, a light knit, and kitten heels for a look that's chic enough to wear to a French café or anywhere else, for that matter.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

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 some of the biggest trends have been spotted at one point in one of the arrondissements. 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 spring/summer 2026 and fall/winter 2026 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 among 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 can be seamlessly worn for a day spent exploring.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

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 print in the runway collections of Chanel, Balmain, and Givenchy. But make no mistake. While the French aren't afraid to take a risk, they've made animal print feel more calculated by embracing the trend in a more understated way via accessories. Forget the days of wearing head-to-toe leopard print! French women made this trend feel tamer by pairing their zebra-print tote bags, snakeskin ankle boots, and dalmatian-print clutches with timeless basics. Audacious? Oui. Elegant? Obviously.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

French fashion has always been held in high, almost regal, regard, so it's no surprise that one shade reigns supreme among their court this fall: royal purple. Before the vibrant shade was being worn in the coolest spots across Paris, it could be found on the runways 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 fresh styling approach—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 a fall trend that everyone can understand.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

Last but certainly not least, bohemian dressing has been virtually impossible to escape. 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… The list goes on. However, these aren't the overtly festival-coded pieces we've come to associate with this aesthetic. The French set has made it feel far more à la mode through their styling. If you think you have to be Parisian to pull this trend off, think again. Simply take cues from their playbook by pairing your whimsical-leaning pieces with wardrobe staples—e.g., a fringed poncho with straight-leg jeans or a tailored blazer with oversize sunglasses. It's a styling approach that's sure to have you feeling like you're French, or it will surely change how you see this season's biggest trends.

Shop the Look

Подборка автора

A woman wearing a collarless jacket with a white T-shirt, a gray sweater tied around the waist, jeans, heels, and a bag.
(Image credit: @fakerstrom )@fakerstrom
A woman wearing a collarless jacket with matching trousers and a black leather bag.
(Image credit: @frannfyne)@frannfyne
A woman wearing a collarless peplum blazer styled with a white tee, jeans, thong sandals, and a leopard bag.
(Image credit: @erinoffduty)@erinoffduty
A woman wearing dark-wash cigarette jeans, pointed heels, and a black bag.
(Image credit: @saraloura)@saraloura
A woman wearing a suede trend with dark-wash cigarette jeans, black mules, and a brown slouchy bag.
(Image credit: @sylviemus_)@sylviemus_
A woman wearing light-wash cigarette jeans with a black turtleneck, leather blazer, and handbag.
(Image credit: @cristinahudacov )@cristinahudacov
A woman wearing high-vamp black mules with a black sweater, green pants, a fringe scarf, and a black bag.
(Image credit: @kim_ngyn)@kim_ngyn
A woman wearing high-vamp black pumps styled with a black sweater, a blue button-down shirt, and a plaid skirt
(Image credit: @tamaramory)@tamaramory
A woman wearing high-vamp white pumps styled with a red flannel, a white tank, a white bag, and dark-wash jeans.
(Image credit: @juliesfi)@juliesfi
A woman wearing a zebra bag styled with a leather jacket, jeans, and white heels.
(Image credit: @annelauremais)@annelauremais
A woman wearing snakeskin boots with a green coat, a black sweater, and black pants.
(Image credit: @lyleehm)@lyleehm
A woman wearing a dalmatian-print bag styled with a leather coat and black pants.
(Image credit: @vikilefevre )@vikilefevre
A woman wearing an argyle print sweater with a purple knit tied around the waist, styled with a pleated skirt and riding boots.
(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)@emmanuellek_
A woman wearing a cream coat with a matching fringe cape, purple gloves, and black sunglasses.
(Image credit: @clemdelacreeme)@clemdelacreeme
A woman wearing a red sweater with a purple knit tied around the waist, styled with a yellow snakeskin skirt.
(Image credit: @amitcalderon)@amitcalderon
A woman wearing oversize sunglasses, a velvet blazer, a fringe sweater, a leopard bag, and black pants.
(Image credit: @llaurenca)@llaurenca
French it-girl trends for fall 2026 are shown in a close photo of a woman wearing the boho trend in the form of a gray knit poncho, suede bag, and slim-fitting jeans
(Image credit: @sabinasocol)@sabinasocol
French it-girl trends for fall 2026 are shown in a photo of a woman wearing the boho trend in the form of a black cape over a white shirt styled with corduroy pants, a chain belt, loafers, and a pouch
(Image credit: @alisontoby )@alisontoby