Have you ever found yourself in a fashion rut? The kind where you stare into your overflowing closet, only to feel zero excitement about any of your clothes? That’s been me for the past few weeks. Despite a wardrobe heavy on 1970s-inspired pieces, I’ve been feeling uninspired and ready to switch up my vibe this spring. Because if anything can reignite my love for getting dressed, it’s a good fashion challenge.
When I considered what my current wardrobe was lacking, one word came to mind: minimalism. Do I have a constant rotation of loud, printed shirts? Absolutely. But this season, I’ve been craving the idea of paring things back and embracing a quieter, more luxurious aesthetic. Think The Row, but since I’m not an Olsen twin, I needed a more realistic source of style inspiration. Then it hit me: Who does minimalism better than the French?
French men have that effortless cool I’m craving. Their wardrobes are subtle, drawing you in to appreciate the fine details. Luckily, there are plenty of stylish French men embodying this aesthetic right now, providing the perfect blueprint for my spring fashion challenge. Below, I have recreated four noteworthy looks inspired by French style icons such as Sébastien Tellier, Stéphane Bak, Vincent Cassel, and Eddy de Pretto. What did I learn from channeling their distinct styles? You’ll have to read on to find out.
Take Sébastien Tellier, for example. Whenever I wear a dressier blazer (like this pinstriped, double-breasted style by Indigenous artist Justine Woods), I usually pair it with black dress pants and dress shoes. Predictable! However, Tellier demonstrates that you can dress down an uptown blazer with light-wash jeans and a baseball cap while still maintaining a polished look. I can already envision wearing this to Sunday brunch or even to the office. It’s effortlessly stylish without feeling try-hard.
