How To Get The French It Girl Look For Summer – With The Best Of & Other Stories Under £100

Ok sure, in a post Emily In Paris world, we know that the French It girl stereotype is just that; a clever marketing technique and an often damaging purveyor of Eurocentric beauty standards. But, time and time again, it’s a style aesthetic that we return to, whether in the form of iconic French New Wave stars like Jean Seberg, modern It girls like Carine Roitfeld, or the women redefining the archaic stereotype for good and shaking up French street style.

Especially in summer – there’s something so effortless, so chic, about a French woman. A laissez-faire, undone-but-still-together attitude, present whether she’s wearing a simple sundress, sandals and cat eye glasses, or pairing her cowboy boots with a Brigitte Bardot basket bag. It's an aesthetic not only popularised by influencers like Jeanne Damas and Sabina Socol, but also expensive to buy into. Parisienne brands like Sézane, Maje and Jeanne’s own brand, Rouje will easily set you back a couple hundred pounds.

So, with a lockdown-worth of French cinema under my belt, a wanderlust for Paris and a less than fruitful bank account, what’s a French style lover to do? Enter & Other Stories, H&M’s slightly older, far chicer sister. The one who went on a gap year and came back with a love for fresh baguettes. You can find all the key components of the French girl look - wrap-around sundresses, oversized linen shirts and straight-leg jeans - for a fraction of Rouje’s or Sézane’s prices. In fact, many of & Other Stories bestsellers are under £100. Read on for our favourite pieces and how we’re styling them for a more laissez-faire approach to summer style.