Forget Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot for a Moment: These 6 Parisians Are Redefining the Term French Girl Style

Fashion people talk a lot about je ne sais quoi. It’s an easy way to describe that mysterious aura of something special, particularly when names like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot are on the table. This writer is guilty of it, as are those who are on a constant hunt to find the secret formula for what’s now commonly referred to by designers, editors, and bloggers as French girl style.

Truth be told, there is some weight to the term. French women do tend to have a singular effortlessness and a cool, inherent sense of chic. Paris is, after all, one of the fashion capitals of the world, and France has a long history in the business, but the city and the country as a whole also represent a vast and varied sartorial melting pot.

The term French girl style, in other words, shouldn’t be reserved for effortlessly messy-haired, clean-faced, skinny-jean-wearing women. Not everyone dresses like the Parisian girls we’ve all become accustomed to pinning on our inspiration boards and posting on our Instagram feeds.

During a time of great global divide, it would behoove us all to open our eyes to new modes of style and self-expression—and in this particular instance, to widen our understanding of the oft-pigeonholed French girl. There’s nothing wrong with following in the well-heeled footsteps of Birkin and Bardot by wearing Breton stripes. But consider for a moment how real Parisian women in 2017 actually define their own personal style. These six chic locals, for instance, are artists, actresses, shop owners, and singers. They have diverse origins and outlooks. They are individuals who dress with intention.

Here, they riff on the concept of the French girl and shed light on what it really means to have an indescribable sense of style.