Fall 2025 looks to be a banner season for French style, from the October premiere of Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague, reviving the cool, undone elegance of 1960s Paris, to the December season five release of our over-the-top ex-pat, Emily in Paris. Of course, dear reader, you’re already channeling French style, from the classic (as in the French capsule wardrobe) to the trendy (French women in sneakers, sacré bleu!). So have I—especially since I have cracked the code on how to wear jeans like a stylish Parisienne.
According to a French pal and countless streetstyle photos I’ve pored over, French women forego the rips, tears and crazy silhouettes of us here stateside (I still love you, barrel jeans) for a more polished and sophisticated look. Dark washes, straight leg cuts and a hem that falls nicely at or above the ankle. (And of course, the waist is either high-waist or medium-rise, none of that throwback ‘90s lowrise for Sabine or Giselle.) After searching a dozen makers for the right pair, I was surprised to find the most Euro-looking denim fit at what I consider the most American of brands, J.Crew. The design is the inscrutably named J.Crew Slim-Wide Jeans and they are a great fit, even on my short-legged petite figure.
