How to Wear Jeans Like a French Woman

Paris street style in jeans
Fabulous Paris street style in jeans. Christian Vierig/Getty Images
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Look More Elegant in Jeans With These Fashion Tricks

French street style woman's fashion outfit in jeans and an off the shoulder top
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

According to a popular self-help book, French women don't get fat. Well, they don't wear shlumpy jeans, either. Think about Parisian fashion style and you probably picture slim silhouettes, perfectly paired separates, and effortlessly chic outfits. If you crave the comfort of denim, but care about looking slender and sophisticated in your outfits, we've got your go-to fashion guide — inspired by real Parisian women and their street style — to how to wear jeans like an elegant French woman.

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Fashion Girl Uniform - Jeans and a Blazer

Street style women in jeans and a blazer and white high heel shoess
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

French women and fashion editors — not to mention stylish home-grown celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston — have made jeans and a blazer their uniform of choice for a reason. This is an easy to wear fashion combination that makes you look instantly pulled together, whether you're heading to work or going out with friends. A well-fitted, tailored blazer helps to give structure to your shape in jeans, making you look instantly more dressed up.

  • Try wearing jeans and a blazer to the office with high quality accessories, such as a quilted bag, and leather or suede high heel pumps.
  • You can also wear this outfit to parent-teacher meetings, or shopping with friends, paired with a crisp button-down, a chambray shirt, or a pretty printed blouse as pictured her.
  • Or create a chic, edgy vibe for weekends and casual days, by wearing a structured blazer layered over your favorite graphic t-shirt and jeans. 
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Simplicity is Chic (But Always Add a Special Detail)

Street style photo of woman in jeans and high heels
Simplicity is stylish with one stand-out accessory. Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

French women are magical at looking sexy for work, rest and play. But rather than always showing obvious skin, sometimes chic Parisians will create a magical effect by tweaking a classic or basic outfit, such as the white button-down shirt and fitted jeans pictured here.

By adding one special accessory to a simple ensemble, you can draw attention to your unique personal style, and add a sexy surprise. Here, it's banana yellow pumps that do the trick — but you could choose any beloved accessory that grabs people's attention — such as a colorful statement bag, fashionable sunglasses, or a metallic cuff bracelet. 

Here are 20 perfect outfits with a white button-down shirt.

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Wear Basic Jeans With (Real or Faux) Fur

Street style photo of woman in jeans and faux fur
Add one haute piece to jeans to dress up your look instantly. Getty Images/Kirstin Sinclair

Fashionable French women are expert at mixing bargain basics and thrift shop finds with high-end fashion pieces, to create an alluringly thrown-together look. Dress up a simple outfit of relaxed jeans (those pictured here are by Levi's) and sneakers by layering it with a luxurious and attention-grabbing top layer, such as an over-sized (real or faux) fur jacket.

23 outfits to love with a faux fur coat.

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A Black Leather Jacket is a Must

Street style woman in leather jacket and black jeans in Paris France
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Want an effortless top layer that not only keeps you warm when the temperature dips, but adds a fashionable edge to all your outfits in jeans? French women know that nothing is cooler — or easier —  than pulling on a biker-style (or "moto") leather jacket over dark wash skinny jeans and flats. You could wear this outfit in Paris or New York City and fool them into thinking you were born there.

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Wear a Striped Top With Straight Leg Jeans

Street style jeans and stripes
Jeans and stripes are oh so Parisian. Christian Vierig/Getty Images

What's the secret to looking effortlessly chic for casual weekends? It's all about knowing how to mix and match a few, well-chosen separates. You'll look like an everyday Parisian in a purposefully unpolished outfit of a must-have striped, cotton t-shirt and well-fitting, cropped straight leg jeans

Wear this easy outfit with classic ballet flats, or trendy loafer slides as pictured here, for running errands or taking the kids to the park. Or dress it up with high heels, a dark fitted blazer and an updo hairstyle for going to brunch with girlfriends.

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Insist on a Perfect Fit

Paris street style in skinny jeans
Paris street style in perfect-fitting skinny jeans. Getty Images/Edward Berthelot

Besides knowing the art of how to style their wardrobe separates together, another major secret to French women's enviable style is their obsession with perfect fit. French women typically only buy clothing that flatters their shape perfectly, regardless of trends. Follow this example at all times when shopping for jeans.

Also know what can be altered on a pair of jeans — sometimes the attention of a good tailor is all you need to make an almost-perfect pair work for you.

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Wear Cute Flat Shoes With Casual Pants

Flat shoes and white jeans
Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

When it comes to casual weekends, flat shoes — from the floral slingbacks pictured here, to Audrey Hepburn-style ballet flats — are a French woman's footwear of choice for wearing with jeans. Flats are not only practical for city walking, they lend a chic simplicity to your daytime style that's very Parisian.

French women tend to choose flats with special or dressy details, to show off their personal style. Wear fur-trimmed loafer slides, blingy sneakers and other flat shoes with decorative details for chill days in denim, whether you're wearing jeans, denim skirts or dresses.

Get more ideas for flat shoes that look amazing with jeans.