How to dress like a French girl, according to a French girl

How French women diet, how French women dress, how French women date…all of these and hundreds of similar inquiries are typed into search engines day after day to explain the seemingly mythical French girl.

Anyone arriving at Charles de Gaulle after a red-eye flight has felt the dread of waiting for the métro in their plane attire next to a series of ‘I woke up like this’ Parisian women in Repetto ballet flats, and for those of us who watched Carrie Bradshaw fall in Dior in Paris, the residual embarrassment was universal.

But why do we feel this way? What is it about French women that makes the rest of us feel like we need to spritz Chanel No. 5 before we’re allowed to pass through customs?

Naturally, we decided to go straight to the source, aka an actual French girl, to answer the question that’s apparently plagued us for decades:

“How to dress like a French girl.”

So, please let’s all say enchanté to Julia Comil, an LA-based French fashion girl whose blog ModeRsvp mixes her homegrown aesthetic with classic California cool.

Which style inspires me more? French or American?

My style is definitely inspired by France but I love how Californian women mix and match casual clothing in an elevated way. I also love the minimal style of New York girls.

In general, I feel like I wear dresses less often than American women, I love grabbing a cocktail in a jumpsuit instead.

What I think about America’s obsession with the “French girl” aesthetic…

I definitely appreciate the obsession. I believe since childhood we, French people, take great care of how we dress and how we behave. It’s part of our culture.

In addition, we worship quality, consistency, nice details, and subtle beauty.

What’s the difference between a “French girl” outfit and an “American girl” outfit?

In the eyes of most Americans, the French girl is very romantic whereas, in actuality, the French girl is very practical. She wants to look great while being able to conduct all her daily activities.

The French girl prefers to stick to what she knows will be comfortable and flattering. If a fashion trend does not suit her body type or personality, she will not follow it.

I believe American women take more risks and love to reproduce outfits they see. They are more trend focussed than style focussed.

What has surprised me most about living in the US…

I was born and raised in France and after living in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, I moved to Los Angeles with my husband. What’s surprised me most about living in the US is that Americans tend to value people who try new things, even if they fail.

I’ve also discovered that quantity is often more appreciated than quality, which is the opposite in France.

The pieces on my Stylight wish list are…

So many! A dress by Nanushka, sneakers by Givenchy, anything by Jacquemus (really, anything!), a biker jacket by Iro, and a by FAR bag.