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Off-duty is a fancy word for street style, usually associated with models and what they wear when they’re “off-duty”.
In American off-duty style, you’ll see lots of bodysuits, combat boots, and moto jackets with a mix of athleisure. French off-duty style is more classic and instead, you’ll see a common theme of straight leg jeans, loafers, and staple pieces. You don’t have to be a French model to rock French off-duty looks though!
With these 5 outfit formulas, you can put together your own 5 French off-duty looks that are impossibly stylish.
5 French Off-Duty Looks that Are Impossibly Stylish
1. trench coat + black turtleneck + straight leg jeans + mules/slides
At first glance, the look may be nothing special, but it hits the right amount of timelessness and comfort. In true Parisian fashion, I opted for minimal makeup with a pop of lip color.
The trench is a French staple, but not a cliche when paired with other “everyday” pieces like this turtleneck.
Unlike American jeans where it seems there’s more leg than material at times, French women don’t wear their jeans with rips and slashes waist to toe.
A straight leg mom jean paired with loafer/slides is a combo I’ll never get over, in fact, this same combo landed me in the pages of InStyle…
2. sweater + skinny jeans + oversized blazer + ankle boots
I borrowed this sweater from The Boy, but I like the look of an oversized sweater and blazer paired with skinny jeans. Ankle boots are a big Parisian staple, which is nice because they go with pretty much everything!
French women are masters at the “perfectly undone” look, so I quite prefer a loose tuck of the sweater for something casually chic.
3. striped sweater + blazer + scarf + skinny jeans + flats
Another blazer look because if you haven’t noticed by now, blazers add a chic element to your outfit and when paired with skinny jeans, it just looks effortless.
Ballet flats are not only comfortable but a nice break from the French approved kitten heels or ankle boots.
4. sweater + midi skirt + boots
This outfit is great for the days where you need to be a little bit more dressed up. It’s a really easy outfit formula too, just 3 pieces later and you’re ready to hit the town!
5. basic tee + high waist jeans + blazer + loafers
The higher my jeans the higher my smile. Ha, I just made that up but really, I love high waisted jeans! Even if you didn’t have a blazer on they’d still look great with just a basic tee because high waisted jeans add that extra oomph to an outfit.
This tweed blazer is Chanel-esque and right up a French woman’s ally wardrobe. Loafers finish off this casual yet classic look.
These French off duty looks maybe aren’t what you’d typically think (I wasn’t wearing a beret in any of these), but these are the go-to formulas that French women actually wear.
French fashion to me is an art and one that I love studying through books, magazines, and my style role models such as Clémence Poésy and Jeanne Damas.
I told my hubby I need to go back to Paris to study the fashion even more, but all in the name of business 😉 Yeah, he saw right through me…
On that note, check out my other French fashion posts. You know, since you’re already here and everything 🙂
9 Fashion Mistakes a French Woman Would Never Make
7 French Outfit Formulas You Can Copy
8 Secrets of French Style
6 French Outfits That Only Require 6 Pieces
