French dressing is never out of style, but that doesn’t make it less annoying | Jess Cartner-Morley

Gallic chic celebrates female self-respect and eschews throwaway fashion, but the vital ingredient – confidence – is harder to come by

Nobody agrees on what French female chic actually is, but everyone agrees that it’s a bit annoying. To some it’s all about the perfect understated navy blazer and a sexy fringe that falls over your eyes just so. To others it’s a fitted skirt suit and a chignon and a cloud of Chanel No 5. It’s a pencil skirt or worn-in white jeans, kitten heels or biker boots, depending on who you ask. Pretty much the only part that everyone can see eye-to-eye on is that the French-women-do-it-better vibe gets on one’s nerves.

This is because the elusive French style of dressing isn’t about clothes at all. It’s about confidence, and that makes the rest of us feel insecure and defensive.

“French style has got to do with a certain form of arrogance, which I love,” singer and actor Lou Doillontold Vogue. “French girls have a tremendous respect for themselves. Even if a magazine cover is saying, ‘This is what you should be wearing’, they have their own thing going.”