It's Decided: These Are the Definitive It Items French Women Will Be Wearing in 2026

Curating a hard-working, anti-trend wardrobe is a fine art, and one which elite dressers from across the channel have seemingly mastered for decades now. That's right: I've been taking a peek at the wardrobes, street style and shopping habits of French women, and I've come away with some solid evidence of the pieces which they are favouring now, and no doubt will be in 2026.

What ties French women together is their discerning eye; they eschew gaudy, fast-fading trends for investment buys and affordable staples which hold a timeless appeal, and can be styled in myriad, interchangeable ways to create chic looks and ensembles that work hard, all week through. From classic coats and anti-trend jeans to ageless handbags, perennial knitwear and shoes that work from day to night, these are the kind of staples French women come back to, time and time again.

And I think we can learn a lot from them. Of course, it is fun to tap into the odd trend or statement piece here and there, but take note from the best dressers from the City of Lights and stick to the classics. When you equip yourself with quintessential, vintage-leaning and enduring wardrobe foundations, getting dressed of a morning will be quicker than polishing off your petit déjeuner.

If you're looking to infuse a little bit of je ne sais quoi into your 2026 looks, I've got you covered. I've curated a succinct list of seven key pieces I predict French women everywhere will be donning in the spring, plus some shopping ideas to help you get the looks. Allez!

1. The Trench Coat

Style Notes: Come spring, French women always turn back to classic trench coats to complete their everyday looks. Easy to throw over almost any look, a neutral tone, such as beige, taupe or sand, is best, as it forms a great foundation for other colours to come into play. Pairing well with blouses, jeans, skirts and your favourite cashmere knitwear, a trench coat is, and will always be, a wardrobe staple. Look to vintage images of Catherine Deneuve, Jane Birkin, and Brigitte Bardot for the receipts.

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2. The White Shirt

Style Notes: A smart level-up from a simple white T-shirt, a white button-down shirt or a poplin blouse gives that air of sophistication which is synonymous with French women. It's the palette-cleansing piece that can be dressed up for Monday-to-Friday and weekend looks, too. The perfect white shirt teams with cigarette pants, blue jeans and tailored pencil skirts so beautifully. Take notes from Anne-Laure Mais, and leave a few buttons at the top and perhaps the last undone to show just a hint of skin and to give the shirt a laissez-faire feel.

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3. The Cigarette Jeans

Style Notes: Jeans trends come and go, but French women swear by this one style, which I know will never date. Cigarette jeans are the style de choix, and will be well into 2026. Sitting comfortably at the hip, slim in the leg and finishing just to the ankle, with no puddling over the foot, cigarette jeans give a clean-line, no-fuss silhouette that French women just love. Available in black, white and blue denim, cigarette jeans are a great investment piece for your off-duty days, and complement heeled ankle boots and T-bar shoes exquisitely.

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4. The T-Bar Shoes

Style Notes: Ballet flats have had their moment. This dance-inspired shoe shape is next in line for the throne, and I have spotted it on some of Paris' elite dressers. The T-bar shoe is defined by a pointed toe, kitten heel, and a single front strap which joins to the top of the ankle fastening. It's the footwear style slowly cultivating it-item status, and I have seen it peeking out beneath cigarette jeans, satin skirts and evening dresses alike. Adding a heirloom air to French women's ensembles, it's a shoe I know will become a wardrobe workhorse for many. Team with low-denier tights for extra vintage flair.

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5. The Power Suit

Style Notes: The power of a suit knows no bounds, and French women are already two steps ahead. A great investment piece for when you want to dress up, mean business and give a little bit of 'corporate aesthetic', the perfect suit (consisting of a blazer and matching trousers) will simply never date. Add a top-handle handbag, sultry eyewear and pointed heels to give it a fresh 2026 perspective. It's the kind of look which will carry you from your desk job to after-work events with a knowing and a grown-up feel.

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6. The V-Neck Sweater

Style Notes: Crew-neck sweaters remain a wardrobe essential for many, but for that extra touch of visual interest, I'm noticing an uptick in V-neck jumpers, and people with good taste from the City of Lights are already starting to wear this style now. Framing the face and décolletage in a chic and subtle manner, the V-neck is sure to become mainstream in the spring. Sweaters with higher-placed V necks, fine merino versions, plus options with chunky ribbing are on every French woman's wish list for the coming spring season.

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7. The Suede Tote

Style Notes: Women on the other side of the Channel know the importance of a great handbag, having inspired some of the world's most renowned styles over the years (hello, the Birkin). For busy city women, a bag needs to put in the mileage, carrying your diary, phone, keys, sunnies, wallet and possibly even a baguette or two (no joke, it really is a thing!). For this purpose, tote bags are favourable, and for spring, suede is the material of choice, giving a supple, tactile feel and a throw-it-over-your-shoulder ease. Tobacco-brown is the shade I'm spotting on the rise, and French women agree.

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