9 Sophisticated French-Inspired Buys at COS Right Now

Even before I moved to France, I was fascinated by the way French women dress. Growing up in London, I’m accustomed to the eclectic stylings of the city, but during my time in the south of France, I found that the most subtle dressers were the most impactful. Whether watching fellow shoppers at the local patisserie or scanning for outfit inspiration over a candle-lit dinner, the consistent theme throughout was an understated elegance that always felt completely effortless. Naturally, ever since, I’ve wanted to replicate the elegant nonchalance of French dressers. And currently, COS has so many pieces that I know my Gallic friends would adore.

The draw of immaculately dressed French women comes from the simplicity. Basics are relied upon to do the heavy lifting, meaning that you don’t need to spend thousands on branded monograms, but rather, turn your attention to finer design details like refined cuts, sharp tailoring, and sophisticated shades. Lucky for us, COS is an expert in all of those areas.

The brilliance of a French-inspired wardrobe is that it becomes a uniform. The pieces can be reworked into various cohesive outfits without feeling repetitive. Trusted pieces are called upon, from classic jeans to reliable knitwear, but when turning away from bold shades its the finer design details that make these outfits a standout. Think a subtle barrel-leg form over a wide-leg or a refined funnel-neck knit that will hold its place beyond the trend cycle. Just a few smartly designed additions can create the illusion of innate French style, even when they’re high street buys.