The allure of French style can be maddeningly mysterious (just ask a guy what "je ne sais quoi" means to see our point), so we were thoroughly delighted to come upon a concrete tip that anyone can try. Cupcakes and Cashmere’s Emily Schuman recently posted about a French rule of thumb from one of her Parisian readers that’s too good not to share. Essentially, if you’re wearing a longer dress or skirt, opt for heels, and if you’re sporting a miniskirt of mini-dress, wear flats. This little trick will ensure your outfit proportions are always on point, and that you’re showing just enough skin. We pulled some street style outfits to illustrate the rule, and have to say that it works every time.
Scroll down to see if you agree whether flats really look better with a shorter hemline, and heels with a longer one. Then shop our skirt and shoe pairings, and pin the slide below for future reference!
Shop our perfect pairings:
Skirt: Topshop A-line Overlay Lace Skirt ($85)
Shoes: Alexander Wang Max Slip On Oxfords ($238) in Maroon
Dress: Needle
Thread Embellished Georgette Mini Dress ($360)
Flats: 3.1 Phillip Lim Devon Flats ($159) in White
Skirt: Alexa Chung x AG Kety Skirt ($178)
Flats: Gianvito Rossi Leopard-Print Calf Hair Point-Toe Flats ($895)
Shop our perfect pairings:
Skirt: A.L.C. Side Slit Fitted Midi Skirt ($416)
Heels: Isabel Marant Pippa Printed Calf Hair and Suede Pumps ($430) in Brown
Dress: Zara Fancy Knit Sleeveless Dress ($60)
Heels: Loeffler Randall Reeve Heels ($280) in True Black
Skirt: Antonio Berardi Jacquard Midi Skirt ($279)
Heels: Dolce Vita Kaiza Heels ($160) in Caramel
Next up, check out How to Dress Like a French Girl at the Airport.
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