Rather than writing yet another piece on the dresses French women love to wear in summer—and yes, even as a French woman myself, I sometimes feel a bit like an imposter speaking on behalf of all French women ;)—I thought: why not make this one a little more personal? So instead, here’s a piece on the summer dresses I truly love to wear, along with a curated selection of the ones that have caught my eye this season. I hope this more intimate approach will speak to you :).
I’ll admit it: as someone who lives in the city, I don’t actually wear dresses that often. Do you feel the same? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear if any of this resonates with you. For me, dresses are usually reserved for special occasions—weddings, birthdays, summer soirées—or for holidays and getaways. Living in Amsterdam, I rely on my bike to get just about everywhere, and as you can imagine, cycling in a dress isn’t always the most practical choice (though not entirely impossible!).
And then there’s the weather. Even in summer, the kind of intense heat you’d find in the South of France is rare here. I’m not even sure the word heatwave (“canicule” in French) exists in Dutch ;). There’s also the influence of my past life working in a corporate tech environment, where the atmosphere was fairly masculine. I always had the feeling—perhaps wrongly—that dresses didn’t quite come across as “professional.” That mindset has stayed with me, even now that I work for myself, from my little apartment in Amsterdam. All that to say: for me, dresses are something I reach for on sweltering summer days, when the thought of wearing trousers feels unbearable… on holidays… and for those special, celebratory moments.
This post is not sponsored. I only share what I truly love. Some links are affiliate, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Merci!
And when I do wear one, I tend to gravitate toward a particular style: either romantic, airy dresses with ruffles, volume, delicate embroidery, or sheer details—something bohemian and effortlessly chic à la Chloé (I wrote about this style last year in this article); or, on the other end of the spectrum, refined, minimalist silhouettes with Scandinavian influences. Think of the black and cream dress featured in the lead photo—that’s the Amyra dress. I’m also receiving this similar style from J.Crew very soon. Think Totême, By Malene Birger, Esse Studios, or Anna Quan.
I love dresses that carry an understated elegance—those that give you that certain allure while remaining effortless and unfussy. I am French, after all ;). I’ve always preferred these to bold, statement-making dresses—those that are overly feminine or loaded with prints and details, which can sometimes give off a slightly “young girl” vibe. Whether long or short, I usually pair my dresses with: flat sandals (like the Jalen suede leather sandals by A.Emery, which I feature often on the blog), ballet flats (I can’t wait for this beautiful pair from Margaux to arrive!), espadrilles (I’ve fallen for a lovely flat pair from J.Crew), or even suede loafers, depending on the mood. I’ve also had my eye on a delicate pair of asymmetrical sandals, and I’ve completely fallen for these fisherman-style sandals from Mansur Gavriel. Mango also has a well-designed, more accessible version that I think is really quite chic.
As for bags, I’ve been gravitating toward canvas and woven leather styles lately. I find them a little more elevated than raffia, which can sometimes feel too overtly vacation-y for my taste—though I’d gladly make an exception for the beautiful Berkeley bucket bag from J.Crew. Some current favorites: the Cyme Cognac Canvas Edition by Polène, the Upcycled Woven Leather Tote from Mansur Gavriel, and this gorgeous braided nappa tote bag from Massimo Dutti—elegant and versatile. I’ve gathered my full selection just below and I hope you love it as much as I do :). À très vite!
Mansur Gavriel Fisherman sandals
Max Mara Zarelia knitted kaftan
Banana Republic Embroidered kaftan
Totême Stretch-jersey maxi dress
Massimo Dutti Long strappy dress
J.Crew Made-in-spain mesh espadrille
Massimo Dutti Flowing linen mini dress
Great recommendations in this column, I just ordered the Tuckernuck dress, and am waitlisted for the Massimo Dutti bag. I had not seen either anywhere else, so thank you!
How about a few dresses that cover somewhat the arms? Je suis une femme d’un certaine age! Merci!!
I absolutely love your blog and follow it intensely. I am from Los Angeles but grew up in France and a full on francophone. I also work in the tech industry and agree with you that dresses don’t feel appropriate for the most part, and are better reserved for summer vacations on European beaches 🙂
Hi! I’m from the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium (the southern neighbours of the Netherlands). And yes we do have a word for heatwave, it’s quit literally translated to ‘hittegolf’. But probably the criteria for a heatwave in Belgium/the Netherlands are quite different from the south of France. It’s called a heatwave when we have 25 degrees or more for 5 days in a row or 30 degrees or more for 3 days in a row. We don’t have them a lot, maybe once a year.
Thank you so much for your comment, Annelien—so good to know! 🙂 I’m adding hittegolf to my Dutch vocabulary. I’ve been trying to learn Dutch on my own and am currently waiting for a new course slot to open at the Alliance Française in Amsterdam. In France, a canicule usually refers to temperatures over 30–35°C (depending on the region), along with heat that stays above 20°C at night and lasts for several days in a row. In any case, I don’t know if it’s the same for you, but the weather here in the Netherlands has been absolutely incredible lately! ☀️ xo
I am an expat American living in the south of France and your observations about the French wardrobe and style are exactly on the mark. Very lovely and readable blog thank you.
Bonjour Judith! Merci beaucoup for your feedback 🙂 xo
I just love your topics! I always look forward to your newsletters! Thank you
Merci Teresa for following and for your support <3
Wonderful post! Love the dresses!
Merci beaucoup Elizabeth 🙂
Love these dresses! Thank you. Would be good to know where to buy the ones in the photos…
Love this article! So chic!
Thank you Amanda <3
Great post! What about dresses to wear to weddings and formal occasions in the summer? xx
Thank you <3 I will add some suggestions for those formal and special occasions 🙂