7 French Summer Outfits That Always Look Chic

A heatwave is expected across much of Europe this week, with temperatures reaching up to 40°C (104°F). And as I write these lines from Amsterdam, the air already feels heavy with summer; tomorrow, the forecast is 32°C. I am not complaining in the least, although sleeping through a European heatwave is its own quiet adventure :). Most homes and apartments here are not equipped with air conditioning, and in places like the historic centre of Amsterdam, where so many buildings are centuries old, installing it can be rather complicated.

Still, there is something I love about these very warm days. They give us permission to bring out all the beautiful things that spend most of the year folded away: embroidered white tops, linen trousers, cotton dresses, flat leather sandals, raffia bags, and all those light, easy pieces that suddenly feel exactly right.

So, naturally, this week’s weather inspired this article. Whether you are currently living through a heatwave, preparing for a holiday somewhere warm, or simply trying to dress more elegantly when the temperature rises, I wanted to share a few French summer outfit formulas you can recreate easily, wherever you are.

The idea is not to make you feel that you need an entirely new wardrobe. Quite the opposite. Most of these looks can be put together with pieces you may already own: a white blouse, a pair of linen trousers, a simple dress, a basket bag, a pair of sandals. And if something is missing, I have also included a few pieces that recently caught my eye.

A Few Summer Details I Love This Season

Before we move into the outfits, I wanted to begin with a few pieces, colours, and details I particularly love this season, the kind of small choices that can make a summer wardrobe feel more current, more feminine, and more personal.

First, soft colors. I have been drawn to pale, flattering shades, especially on fair complexions like mine: vanilla yellow, cream, soft white, pastel pink, pale blue, light grey with an almost silvery quality, and touches of gold. For more on wearing color chicly this summer, my full method is inside this week’s Edit Privé.

Then, embroidered white tops. I wrote about this bohemian-chic mood on Léonce Chenal two years ago, around Chemena Kamali’s first Chloé show, and I still love it just as much. There is something very 1970s, very feminine, and very effortless about a white cotton blouse with embroidery, lace, ruffles, volume, or a hint of transparency. It is the kind of piece that does most of the work for you. Wear it with high-rise wide-leg jeans and leather sandals, or with espadrille wedges for a more holiday mood.

I am also very fond of beautiful summer textures: linen, of course, but also cotton, satin, silkier fabrics, leather, raffia, and even suede when used lightly. A leather skirt, a soft suede jacket, or a beautiful leather accessory can bring that subtle Hermès-like polish to an otherwise very simple summer outfit.

Light jackets are another piece I love for summer mornings and cooler evenings: a cropped suede jacket, a small pastel jacket with that soft Chloé spirit, a leather blazer, or a casual short jacket worn over a light dress. In summer, when outfits are often very bare and simple, the right jacket can add just enough structure. Tailored shorts and linen Bermuda shorts are also worth considering. They can be incredibly chic when the proportions are right, especially with a crisp shirt, a feminine blouse, or a simple tank top and elegant flat sandals.

And instead of always reaching for a summer dress, I love the idea of a skirt: perhaps a leather midi skirt, a mini skirt, or even a satin skirt adorned with pearls, worn simply with a classic T-shirt. It brings a slightly unexpected note to summer dressing, something effortless but considered. Finally, of course, summer dresses. Linen, cotton, long, short, white, black, pastel, printed, the most important thing is that you feel beautiful and at ease in them.

With that in mind, here are 7 French summer outfits to wear all season long.

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Some links in this article are shared with compensation from Reformation. It’s not sponsored, all writing and choices are my own. If you choose to buy something through my links, I may earn a small commission, always at no extra cost to you. Merci.

1. The Embroidered White Top + Wide-Leg Jeans

2. The Satin Top + Cream Trousers

3. The Strappy Lace Top + Linen Shirt + Cream Denim

4. The Linen Bermuda Shorts + Lightweight Knit

5. The Linen Summer Dress + Ballet Flats

6. The Cotton T-Shirt + Statement Midi Skirt

7. The Pastel Shirt + Suede Mini Skirt