I'm Channelling French Woman on the Beach With These 10 Trend-Proof Items

I’ve dedicated a decade of my life to writing about French style, but one subject I’ve admittedly overlooked is swimwear. For me, swimwear has never held much allure—I put this down to living in Britain, where many of us only require swimwear whenever we take a trip abroad. The fact is, I would always rather spend my money on dresses and bags and sandals over a new swimsuit or bikini I’d only wear for one 14-day streak each year. However, after not being on holiday or in an exotic climate in over three years, for once, I’m excited to begin assembling my beachwear wardrobe for this summer. This brings me back to the focus of this feature: What do French women wear to the beach?

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(Image credit: @vikilefevre)

Which swimwear trends really matter to French girls? Let’s find out…

I’ve analysed the Instagram feeds of every French person I follow to find out which swimwear and beachwear trends they prioritise, be it on holiday or simply visiting the coastal regions of their home country. Needless to say, their take is a chic one and goes way beyond bikinis and cossies. Instead, they assemble entire looks around going to the beach, carefully choosing the perfect cover-ups, accessories and jewellery, resulting in an impressive array of French-girl swimwear trends to try. Which will I be copying and pasting into my suitcase? Scroll on to find out.

1. Bucket Hats

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(Image credit: @juliesfi)

Style Notes: You might assume that the first and only hat the French would grab for a beach trip is the straw hat, but lately, bucket hats seem to be the outfit topper of choice—particularly when worn in tandem with the next item on my shopping list…

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2. Linen Shirts

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(Image credit: @andi_mun)

Style Notes: One of the linchpins of French style is dressing with ease, and what could be simpler than throwing an oversized linen shirt over your swimwear?

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3. Basket Bags

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(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

Style Notes: What could be more French than a basket bag? I know it sounds cliché, but this is one French-style stereotype that French women generally love to wear and carry, beach trips included.

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4. Statement Sunglasses

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(Image credit: @frannfyne)

Style Notes: One of the easiest ways to give your look edge and serious style cred is with a pair of statement sunglasses—a hack French women regularly employ to further elevate their swimwear. Look for interesting shapes as opposed to bright colours to keep your aesthetic chic.

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5. Gingham Checks

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(Image credit: @jeannedamas)

Style Notes: At the risk of generalising, when it comes to prints, I find that French women gravitate towards a handful in particular. Stripes, florals and polka dots are up there, but the most prevalent, and perhaps the most appropriate, is gingham check, which radiates Gallic-girl charm. If you want to emulate French style on the beach, this is your fast track.

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6. Shorts Sets

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(Image credit: @vikilefevre)

Style Notes: If you want to look on-trend at the beach or pool this season, then it goes without saying you need a matching short-and-shirt set in your life. Linen textures will always be considered timeless, but I'm starting to see more and more teddy towelling fabrications coming through, too.

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7. Classic Black Cossies

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(Image credit: @pomelokiwie)

Style Notes: Although they all have very different personal styles, almost all of the French people I follow on Instagram own (and love to wear) black swimwear. They're undisputedly chic. Look for silhouettes like one-shoulder straps or interesting fabrications to bring the basic to life.

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8. Layered Medallions

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(Image credit: @claire_most)

Style Notes: While I’d never advise wearing your finest of fine jewellery to the beach or pool, French women like to accessorise their swimwear with elegant necklaces; coin medallions seem to be the thing right now.

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9. Triangle Bikinis

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(Image credit: @tamaramory)

Style Notes: A common stereotype about French people is that they're classicists, only ever wearing wardrobe basics. While this certainly isn’t always the case, it seems when it comes to bikinis, the style most French women I follow prefer is indeed a classic—the triangle bikini.

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10. Headscarves

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(Image credit: @lenafarl)

Style Notes: The last thing you need to concern yourself with on a beach trip is worrying about how your hair looks. Cue a silk square scarf, which French women use to protect their locks and their scalps from the sun’s harmful rays. Handily, it also looks cute.

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This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

Maxine Eggenberger
Deputy Editor

Maxine Eggenberger isBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK’s deputy editor and has over thirteen years of experience in fashion journalism. She been creating engaging and elevated style content specifically forBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK since 2018, covering runway reports, emerging trends, long-form features, self-styled shopping stories and columns, including her edit of the best new-in buys. She ensures the highest editorial standards are met across the site, leads the editorial team in their SEO strategy and keyword planning, works closely with the beauty team on content initiatives, represents the brand at industry events, and regularly contributes to social media, including her ownBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK TikTok franchise, French Style Fridays. Previously, Maxine appeared on ITV's This Morning in her own fashion segment and has interviewed countless celebrities—everyone from Victoria Beckham to Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Prior toBest Knockoff Luxury Clothing UK, Maxine’s career began when, after completing her first-ever internship at Look magazine, she was offered a position on the brand's fashion desk. She accepted, leaving university a year early in the process. Her passion and natural talent for writing and styling meant she swiftly rose through the ranks to become the title's fashion news and commercial content editor, with a stint as InStyle.co.uk’s fashion and beauty writer along the way. She later served as Look’s acting Editor in Chief, overseeing both print and digital, before embarking on a successful freelance career, working with Grazia, The Pool, and Marie Claire amongst others.

Maxine is based remotely from her countryside home near Edinburgh where she spends her downtime renovating her house, walking her dogs, hosting friends and trying to master the art of making Old Fashioned cocktails.