French women, regardless of age, manage to look both casual and incredibly chic. In this article, I will take a look at different stylish ladies, all of them above 40. They will teach us how to dress like a French woman over 40.
Street-style pictures of French women over 40
We start by taking a look at how different French women dress. I collected these images from pintrest, so do take a look there and choose your favorite French outfits.
Style “rules” for French women over 40
- Lots of neutral clothes, artfully combined with a few statement pieces.
- Fitted but not skin-tight clothes.
- Denim, blazers, and leather jackets are staples for these women.
- White jeans both in the summer and in the winter.
- Statement outerwear together with a neutral outfit.
- The right accessories are key to looking stylish and fashionable.
- Occasionally, clothes in red and camel are a nice contrast to navy, white, and black clothes.
An 8-piece capsule wardrobe for our French lady
Many of these outfits can be created from just 8 pieces of clothing. These are pieces you might already have in your closet. To show how versatile and French these pieces are, I decided to create a capsule wardrobe using them. Let’s take a look.
Let’s analyze these clothes a bit closer, to understand exactly why they work.
1. A navy blazer. Notice the gold buttons; they are key.
2. A white top. I chose a henley to give our lady a casual but still sexy vibe. But any white top will work as an anchor point in these outfits.
3. A denim shirt. French ladies love their shirts. Here I chose chambray for the nice blue color. This lightweight shirt gives you that French “slouchy” feeling.
4. A silk blouse. A must for your French wardrobe. Perfect for any dinner invitation, but also suitable for daytime, when you want to look put together.
5. White jeans. Say no more, very French.
6. Blue jeans. A pair of straight-leg blue jeans is the base for many of these outfits.
7. Black wide-legged pants. When these ladies are not wearing jeans, they like to experiment with silhouette by wearing a pair of wide-legged pants. This look is easiest to pull off with black pants.
8. An open camel cardigan. These French ladies manage to look chic by adding camel to their outfits. It’s an easy styling trick and by choosing a cardigan it becomes even easier.
Accessories like a French woman over 40
What makes all the above outfits elegant and special is a few well-chosen accessories. I had a bit of fun and gave our lady a Chanel tote bag, but any cool-looking tote bag will work.
When you dress this simple you can have a bit of fun with your bag and your scarf.
French summer outfits
Since summer is just around the corner, I recommend my articles How to create perfect French summer outfits and The ultimate French summer capsule wardrobe.
Outfit suggestions
Now it is time to take a look at all the great outfits you can create with just this splendid 8 pieces capsule wardrobe. Pay attention to how they either dress up the outfit with black boots or dress it down with white sneakers.
Adding 6 more pieces of clothing
Here I wanted to show how adding 6 pieces of clothing and a bit more oomph, makes a huge difference for the kind of outfits you will be able to create. Picking the right clothes, both when it comes to basics and to standout pieces, is the key when you want to dress like a French woman over 40.
- A black henley. A pretty straightforward choice. But having a black base is a good way to showcase all the other clothes in this wardrobe. The black top also pairs excellently with jeans.
- A grey mock turtleneck knit. Nothing is more comfortable or more elegant than a cashmere turtleneck. And the best of all, this is only a half-turtleneck, making it easier to wear. Grey is another color these ladies utilize to look both casual and chic.
- A red leather jacket. I chose a red bomber jacket here. But it could be any kind of jacket that makes a statement. Since we have so many neutral clothes in this wardrobe, making a fashion statement with a jacket becomes easy.
- A silk skirt. Sometimes, you want to ditch the pants and wear a skirt. With this piece in your wardrobe, you can dress up enough for almost any occasion. Combining your silk shirt with one of the henleys will give you the perfect high-low outfit.
- A pair of leather pants. These ladies are good at adding a bit of texture to their outfits. The easiest way to do this is with leather. Note that you can achieve the same effect with a pair of coated pants. You don’t need to use real leather. The cropped length and slightly flared legs give these pants a more fashionable look.
- A striped shirt. French ladies of a certain age are all about combining feminine and masculine clothes. Get this effect by adding a striped shirt.
- A striped top. Last but not least. The faster way to French style is a well-chosen striped top.
Outfit suggestions
Take a look at these amazing outfits. They capture the essence of French women over 40 and their style. (If you want more French style, read my article How to dress like a French woman over 50.
Fall fashion inspiration
When the seasons shift, read my article Fall capsule wardrobe for women over 40, fall 2023.
A Final Note
Mastering how to dress like a French woman over 40 is not difficult. Study these pictures and re-create your favorite outfits. Take note of what you already have in your closet and what you might have to buy.
Wear your new outfit and go to a cafe, sit and read and write for a couple of hours. People-watch and enjoy life, you will feel very French.
Moa Ailert is the founder and editor-in-chief of Her Brilliant Friend.
She has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and plenty of insight into human psychology from traveling and living in different places around the world.
Moa is currently based in Portugal where she has a guesthouse; Villa dos Irmaos.
She has various websites, among others Ericeira Insider, but Her brilliant friend is her true passion project.
