(Image credit: Everett Collection)
I’ve always had a thing for old French movies, with the architecture, design, fashion, colors, and language all playing a part in their appeal. If you ask me, the most alluring ones always take place in the summer, when the genre’s iconic bright hues appear diluted by the sunshine over St. Tropez and the on-screen style consists mainly of capri pants, stark-white maillots, and hair accessories ranging from acetate headbands to Mod bandanas. Picking just one decade would be hard, but with the 1960s being an option to choose from—a period that saw Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, Marie Laforêt, and Romy Schneider grace the big screen with their royal presence—there really is no question. It’s the winner by a clear mile.
Naturally, with summer underway, I’ve been busy refreshing my knowledge of some classics from the era like La Piscine (The Swimming Pool), Le Mépris (Contempt), and Plein Soleil (Purple Noon) in an effort to gather as much seasonal inspiration as possible, particularly in the fashion department. Since my forever aesthetic goals revolve around the women in these three films, stills from them make for the perfect mood-board starters as I continue to shape and perfect my summer 2024 wardrobe. If yours is similar, you’ve come to the right place. Scroll down to discover 7 trends that I’ll be borrowing from the stars of some of France’s most epic vintage films, ranging from gingham print to A-line skirts and so much more.
Gingham Print
(Image credit: Everett Collection)
Though she isn’t La Piscine‘s leading lady, Jane Birkin has more than her fair share of iconic moments in Jacques Deray’s 1969 film, plenty of which included enviable ensembles just like the ones Birkin donned (and continues to don) off-screen in her everyday life. The above still features one such look, with the French fashion darling wearing a tiny, blue-and-white gingham minidress that’s just as relevant in 2024 as it was back in the ’60s. From High Sport to J.Crew, everyone’s craving elevated takes on the picnic print this summer—myself included.
SHOP THE TREND:
HIGH SPORT
Asher Gingham Stretch-Cotton Jacquard Top
Reformation
Alana Two Piece
A-Line Skirts
(Image credit: Embassy Pictures/Getty Images)
Everything Bardot wears in Le Mépris is as beautiful as the various backdrops in Jean-Luc Godard’s film, from the stunning apartment the actress’s character Camille and her husband Paul live in to Casa Malaparte, a seaside villa in Capri, Italy where Simon Porte Jacquemus recently held his fall/winter 2024 show. One such sartorial winner is the belted, A-line skirt she dons with a striped, long-sleeve tee and flats. Elegant and effortless, the shapely skirt is a perfect choice for warm days when you want to look nice but can’t bear to stress about putting together an outfit.
SHOP THE TREND:
Róhe
A-Line Cotton Poplin Skirt
Babaton
Chandelier Poplin Skirt
Vince
Gathered Cotton Utility Skirt
White Maillots
(Image credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
No matter the decade, there’s nothing more classic than white maillot in the summertime. Not only can you wear them solo at the beach or pool, they also act as a perfect base, whether you want to toss on a cover-up or pareo skirt for a seaside lunch or jeans, linen trousers, or a billowy skirt for a day exploring your local city. If you’re going the more classic route, take a cue from Schneider’s La Piscine character Marianne’s playbook and opt for a simple, minimalist option with a scoop neck and spaghetti straps. Just make sure the style you’re buying is lined—we all know the pitfalls of wearing an unlined white swimsuit in the water.
SHOP THE TREND:
SARA CRISTINA
Pearl-Embellished Cutout Swimsuit
Hunza G
Square Neck One Piece
Silk Nightgowns
(Image credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock)
If you don’t already know, Plein Soleil, or Purple Noon, is the first adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, and follows a young American named Tom Ripley to Italy, where he’s been sent to return one Philippe Greenleaf back to San Francisco by Greenleaf’s father. (If you’ve seen the 1999 version starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, and Gwyneth Paltrow, this probably sounds familiar.) In the original, Paltrow’s character is played by a gorgeously dressed Marie Laforêt (Marge), who can be seen above sleeping lazily in a white silk nightgown that could easily be worn outside of the bedroom with a few accessories and a good pair of strappy kitten-heel sandals.
SHOP THE TREND:
Eileen West
Ballet Satin Nightgown
Black Bikinis
(Image credit: FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images)
If you already own a white one-piece swimsuit but don’t possess a tiny black bikini, let Schneider’s in La Piscine persuade you to add one into your swimwear collection immediately. Specifically, her character in the film wears a black, almost triangle-shaped top with low-rise, thick-strap bottoms—no bandeau tops or high-waisted bottoms in sight. This photo alone is the sole reason why I own a number of very similar cuts—it’s just so chic and laissez-faire. I can’t get enough.
SHOP THE TREND:
MANGO
Metallic-Detail Bikini Top
Reformation
Maldives Bikini Top
FAITHFULL
Mary and Andez Gathered Recycled Stretch-Econyl® Bikini
Stripes
(Image credit: Marceau-Cocinor/Les Films Concordia/ Georges de Beauregard/Carlo Ponti/ Collection Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
French women loving stripes isn’t exactly a groundbreaking discovery. And while I usually trust the style tips of all women from the country, this isn’t one that felt particularly alluring to me until I saw Bardot’s character wearing a navy-and-white striped tee in Le Mépris, combined with a thick blue headband, a matching cardigan, and a knee-length pencil skirt. The look made me immediately want to buy all of the ingredients and recreate it again and again.
SHOP THE TREND:
J.Crew
Classic Mariner Cloth Boatneck T-Shirt
Reformation
Carter Linen Mid Rise Pant
LA LIGNE
Marina Striped Cotton Sweater
Bandana Scarves
(Image credit: Keystone/Getty Images)
One of my all-time favorite French-girl trends is the way they style silk scarves, specifically when they’re worn like bandanas. In the summertime, my hairline is always getting too much color, so I’m constantly on the lookout for cool ways to cover up. Sadly, baseball caps and sun hats don’t look as effortlessly chic on me as they do on Instagram, so I’ve had to seek out alternatives, thus the love of head scarves. Schneider has a plethora of head accessories throughout La Piscine, with my favorite being—shocker!—this bandana-style white scarf that she paired with the aforementioned black bikini.
SHOP THE TREND:
THE ROW
Milette Silk-Organza Head Scarf
MANGO
Geometric Printed Foulard
Saint Laurent
Stripe Silk Scarf
