6 Trends French Girls Are Skipping This Fall

The new season brings a host of new trends for the taking—from stomping boots to belted blazers, quilted everything, bourgeois styles, and grunge glam—so there’s a little something to suit every sartorial taste. But what do our French muses, who tend to err on the side of classic dressing, think of the latest fall styles? Which ones will they be wearing, and which ones will they be skipping this fall? We unquestionably have a love affair with all things French here on Who What Wear, so I was curious to see what our French friends thought of the fresh styles that await in the season ahead. I tapped into Marissa Cox, writer, photographer, and the Parisian-based fashion maven of @ruerodier, to get more insight on the subject. Scroll below as she shares what trends French girls will be wearing and skipping this fall.
Skipping: Colored Tights
Wearing: Leather Trousers
"Parisians rarely go bold when it comes to bright colors and will undoubtedly be steering clear of this eye-popping tights trend. They’ll be looking instead to Hermès and Louis Vuitton for the key leg cover-up of the season: leather trousers.”
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Skipping: Grunge
Wearing: Bourgeois
"Considering the word is French, I’m betting that the latter is more likely to be worn by Parisians this fall. Plus, they’d rather choose elegant belted midi skirts, checked blazers, foulards, and cardigans over grunge-style lace and tartan.”
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Skipping: Quilted Coats
Wearing: Cardigans Under Coats
"I’m personally not averse to a duvet-style puffer coat if it keeps me warm, but Parisians will more than likely be fending off le froid by layering up with chic deconstructed knitwear, cardis, capes, and oversize tailored coats.”
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Skipping: Period Styles
Wearing: Classics With a Twist
"The French aren’t known fans of fancy dress or gimmicky clothing. Despite a personal penchant for dressing up (parties only), when it comes to the everyday, I’ll be wearing Parisian wardrobe essentials such as the trench, but with a modern twist.”
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Skipping: Shearling Shoes
Wearing: Lace-Up Shoes
"As much as I like the look of these and will certainly be wearing shoes with shearling on the inside, laced boots are a lot more practical to pound the Parisian pavements with under la pluie.”
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Skipping: Feathers
Wearing: Florals
"Who says romantic florals have to be relegated to the warmer months? Flowers sprung up all over the F/W 19 catwalks—and a cute Rouje-style tea dress will look just as good covered up with a cardigan in winter as it will on its own in summer. Plus, embroidered and printed flowers are more sustainable than plumes, which is an important part of a Parisian’s purchasing decision.”
Up next, 10 "boring" basics French girls always have handy.

Judith Jones is the associate shopping director at Who What Wear and has worked in fashion for over a decade. She specializes in shopping content and trend stories with high-affiliate impact. She shares the coolest, most desirable fashion market finds and brands for every budget. Previous to working in fashion, Judith worked as a TV host on the PBS travel show Globe Trekker (airing on Netflix and Amazon Prime) sharing her passion for travel and culture.
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