I wear a lot of men’s clothes. I like the fit. I like the clean look. And French style? It’s calm. It’s sharp. It doesn’t scream, it whispers. I spent the last year building a small French-looking wardrobe. I wore it on the metro in Paris and at my desk back home. I’ve spilled coffee on it too. So, here’s my honest take—what felt great, what bugged me, and why it matters. If you want the blow-by-blow of that year-long test drive, you can skim my deep-dive diary on French style.
So…what is “French style,” really?
Here’s the thing. It’s simple. The colors stay quiet. Navy. Black. Cream. Olive. The fit sits close but not tight. The shoulder line matters. The pants usually show a little ankle or have a light break. Logos? Not much. Texture does the work—wool, cotton, denim, linen. If you're looking to get acquainted with the key labels that define this aesthetic, this rundown of 14 essential French menswear brands is a solid place to start.
And you know what? It grows on you. You feel put together without trying too hard. One surprisingly useful resource for sourcing these quieter, well-made pieces is Sharpman, which stocks a tight edit of French-leaning menswear basics.
What I wore, and how it went
I’ll keep it real and name names. These are pieces I owned, wore, and washed. If you need an even broader shopping shortlist, FashionBeans' guide to the best French menswear brands breaks down the staples and the newcomers.
Outfit 1: The striped tee and the heavy shoes
- Top: Saint James “Minquiers Moderne” marinière (navy/white)
- Denim: A.P.C. Petit New Standard, raw indigo
- Shoes: Paraboot Michael (lisse noir)
I wore this on a chilly morning in Le Marais. The Saint James tee is real Breton stuff—thick jersey, tight neck. It holds shape. It also runs long on the torso. I tucked it for a clean line. The A.P.C. jeans started stiff. After 6 months, they softened and formed to my legs. They shrank a touch after the first wash. Not bad, but note it. The Paraboot Michael shoes look chunky. At first they felt like bricks. After a week, the Norwegian welt broke in and the leather hugged my foot. Grip is solid in rain. Downside: they’re heavy. You’ll hear your steps.
Outfit 2: Smart-casual that didn’t fight me
- Jacket: Sandro wool blazer, slim cut, unstructured
- Shirt: Armor-Lux striped tee (lighter than Saint James)
- Trousers: Officine Générale pleated wool (light grey)
- Sneakers: Veja Campo (white)
The Sandro blazer has narrow shoulders. I sized up one. No padding. It drapes nice over a tee. The Officine Générale trousers are my favorite of the bunch. High-ish rise, soft wool, gentle pleats. They fall clean with a small break. The Vejas look crisp. The Campo broke in slower than I hoped. The sole felt stiff for a week. After that, they turned fine for all-day wear, but they squeaked on my office floor at first. Not a big deal. Still funny.
Outfit 3: Rain-friendly and grown-up
- Coat: A.P.C. mac coat, navy
- Knit: De Bonne Facture merino crewneck, dark green
- Pants: De Fursac wool flannel, charcoal
- Shoes: J.M. Weston 180 loafers, black
On a wet day, this set just worked. The A.P.C. mac blocks light rain with no fuss. Clean collar. The De Bonne Facture knit is soft, not itchy. It pills a bit at the elbows after a season, which I shaved with a sweater comb. The De Fursac flannels run slim. I had the waist let out 1 cm. The J.M. Weston loafers are pricey, yes. But the leather molds to your feet if you give it a month. They feel like real city shoes—quiet, smooth, a little snooty in a good way.
Outfit 4: Warm weather, but still neat
- Shirt: Octobre Editions linen shirt, white
- Pants: AMI Paris cotton chinos, light beige
- Shoes: Vejas again or espadrilles (basic black)
The Octobre linen breathes well. It wrinkles, of course, because it’s linen. I steam it. The AMI chinos run slim through the thigh. I had to size up for comfort, then tailor the waist. Hemmed them to hit right at the ankle bone. That tiny detail makes the whole look feel French. It’s funny how that works.
Shoes: the quiet flex
- Paraboot Michael: Great in bad weather. Heavy. Last runs wide. I added a thin insole for a snug fit.
- J.M. Weston 180 loafer: High arch feel. Needs break-in. Polishes up like a mirror. Timeless with slim trousers.
- Veja Campo: Clean and easy. Stiff at first. Good for travel. The heel counter softened after 3 wears.
I also tried Paraboot Reims loafers. Chunkier than Weston, less dressy. I liked them with raw denim and a navy knit. My partner said they looked like bread loaves on my feet the first day. He wasn’t wrong. Then he wanted a pair. For balance, I later put together outfits inspired by menswear legends—think McQueen to Pharrell—and shared what translated to everyday life in this breakdown of menswear icons on a real body.
Sizing and fit notes I wish I knew
- French labels run closer to the body. If you lift or have big thighs, size up.
- Sandro and The Kooples are narrow in the shoulders and chest. Great on slim frames. Tough on me if I want to layer.
- A.P.C. denim shrinks a little after the first wash. I cold-washed and air-dried to keep the shape.
- Trousers look right with a light break or cropped. I asked for a 1.5-inch cuff on flannel pants. It added weight and drape.
What I didn’t love
- The Kooples skinny jeans: looked sharp in the mirror, but I couldn’t sit long. The rise felt low. I sold them.
- A light Sandro merino cardigan: beautiful knit, but the buttons felt flimsy. One cracked. The store replaced it. Still annoyed me.
- A very tight Saint James crew: the neck rib was snug and rubbed my collarbone the first two wears. It eased up, but I notice it.
- A silk scarf from Hermès (borrowed and tested): stunning print, yes. But it slid around while I walked. I prefer wool or cashmere for grip and warmth.
Care and upkeep, super quick
- Wool knits: hand wash cold or dry clean sparingly. I lay flat on a towel. No hanger dents, please.
- Raw denim: I wore mine for months before the first wash. Then cold water, gentle soap. Fade looks better with time.
- Linen: steam, don’t iron hard. Let it breathe. Wrinkles are part of the charm.
- Leather: cedar shoe trees at night. Cream, then wax if you want shine. I do a light shine every two weeks.
How it felt wearing this stuff
I felt calm. That’s the best word. Not “fashion-y.” Just sharp. The colors matched each other without me thinking. The clothes moved with me. A small scarf made a plain tee look planned. A nice loafer made old jeans feel grown. Some days I missed my roomy hoodies, sure. But on the mornings I dressed French, my posture tried a little harder. Funny, right? If you ever want to translate that sharper, more intentional vibe into the tiny blurb that sells you online—say on a sugar-dating app—check out these sugar baby bio examples. They break down proven hooks, tone options, and plug-and-play lines so your profile reads as confidently as your outfit looks. And once that profile is locked in and you’re ready to test-drive these crisp outfits on an actual night out around Wisconsin’s lake country, a quick scroll through West Bend hookups can line up low-pressure, nearby dates so all you have to decide is whether the loafers or the sneakers complete the look.
Good value vs. pricey splurge
- Worth it: A.P.C. mac coat, De Fursac flannel trousers, Saint James marinière, Paraboot Michael. These last and age well.
- Maybe: Sandro blazer (fit can be tricky), Veja Campo (stiff start), J.M. Weston loafers (amazing but steep).
- Save here: basic tees and socks from Monoprix. Simple and fine under a blazer. I