The Ideal French Minimalist Wardrobe for Women – Part Four (Style and Fashion)

….Continuing on with the series…

13. ANKLE BOOTS

Take your pick! Without or with a heel (no higher than 3″ please), stacked, or in a pointed stiletto, an ankle boot is kind of the IT SHOE for many Parisiennes.

The two most iconic ankle boots I see worn are very simple but wonderfully designed:

Isabel Marant Dicker Boots (cheaper version of that which I own shown below, are the Club Monaco Brooklyn Suede Boot)

Then the other kind I see, is a little more rocker, they’re the Rag & Bone Moto Boot which I own (cheaper version is this one from R&B called the Oliver boot).

Or, any kind of wrap boot that looks like my consigned Hermès wrap boots (long sold out, but similar ones here from Tod’s, or this one from Frye) shown below:

Anything that looks simple, unadorned, but chic is what they gravitate towards.

HOW TO SIZE IT PROPERLY:

I always take a size up, as usual, and pop in some Birkenstock insoles for comfort.

I was surprised when I bought my thrifted Hermès boots in a size 8, thinking that I made a mistake as they felt big, but once I put in my insoles, I found that even sometimes after a long day, they feel a TINY bit tight!!!

EXACT / SIMILAR:

14. LEATHER LEGGINGS

This is probably the only time that I will ever wholeheartedly champion wearing leggings.

Oh heaven forbid.. what has come over me?

But nonetheless, I am now finally, firmly on the legging train. Just that it has to be in all leather.. mid-rise, high-rise is my preference, and not skintight to show camel toe and every lump and bump (*shudders at yoga pants*)

My leather leggings are from The Row as the moto stretch leather leggings (around $2000 at retail):

They are comfortable, they look edgy and if leather leggings aren’t really your thing, try COATED jeans.

Black or any other coloured, coated skinny jeans look amazingly like leather, as all waxed cotton. My favourite pair is the high-rise Citizens of Humanity Rocket coated skinny black jeans. Super comfortable. Like pajamas.

HOW TO SIZE IT PROPERLY:

Take your actual size, don’t wear it skintight. It needs to be a little loose so that it doesn’t look painted on.

I took an S in the leggings but could have fit into an XS.

The rise is more important in leather leggings… either mid-rise (MINIMUM) or high-rise is best for me.

If they are fake leather, or jeans, you can always tailor it in.

Only with bonded luxury leather leggings like with The Row, you can tailor it without needing a leather specialist.

EXACT / SIMILAR:

SHOPPING FOR BLACK COATED JEANS

15. SAFARI/FIELD JACKET

A more casual version of a trench that is shorter..

My exact jacket above is sold out, but this one is exactly the same. I bought a MEDIUM size and it fits perfectly in the shoulders (US 6 shoulders).

I cinch in the waist because I am a US 4 everywhere else, and it is slouchy and wide but not too loose, and not too tight. Fits great.

HOW TO SIZE THIS PROPERLY:

Take the size that fits the shoulders, or slightly larger.

You want it to look loose and comfortable. Honestly, you need it to look casual and rumpled, which means slightly larger.

Skintight or fitted doesn’t work here and you can’t put anything huge in the pockets, AND zip up the jacket either. LOL.

EXACT / SIMILAR:

16. CROSSBODY BAG

The tinier the better as a general rule.

They’re the opposite of us because they like little tiny crossbody bags that hold just a lip balm, phone and their purse. That’s it. Kind of like this size:

I pack like I am about to go out on a trip into the deep Amazonian jungle for 2 weeks, so a tiny little dainty crossbody the size of my palm would never do for everyday life unless it’s just short jaunts.

My general preferred crossbody size is this medium sized bag:

*shrug*

I should mention that you can also spice up any bag like I did with this one, with a little DIY work like I have when you get bored of how neutral and in-good-taste it is:

Still, a crossbody is a must-have, and I have the entire range from small to medium to large, and use them constantly.

Their preferred fabric is leather for a crossbody, and colour.. is of course a neutral colour.

Shape-wise, anything goes.

Bucket bags have come back in style (I found my navy blue on thrifted for $5!), but flat crossbodys, or duffel ones are great too.

SHOPPING FOR CROSSBODY BAGS:

17. SKINNY PANTS

High-rise or mid-rise depending on where it hits your belly button. (See the jeans I recommended above).

The ULTIMATE colour in skinny pants is BLACK. BLACK AS THE NIGHT. Blacker than black. Ebony if you can find it.

Then other colours they like are charcoal grey… and black. Haha. Okay maybe navy blue.

I use them for when I am with Baby Bun, although when I have to carry him, his dirty shoes always mark up the dark fabric but *shrug* things happen. That’s life.

HOW TO SIZE THIS PROPERLY:

Take the size that fits your thighs and legs, then tailor in your waist. I always take a size up like my 27, and then tighten the waist so I am comfortable.

EXACT/SIMILAR:

18. BLANKET SCARVES

Lastly, the ultimate in a scarf is a blanket one for cooler weather, although I know French women who ALWAYS wear a scarf.

It is their chosen accessory, even if they have a necklace underneath, they always have a scarf (though not a blanket one) to add something different, some colour and a softness to their face, kind of like this scarf below (vintage Oscar de la Renta):