There are many reasons why we love French bridal style. One bride who immediately comes to mind is stylist Lolita Jacobs in her crisp white cotton poplin Azzedine Alaïa shirt worn with red Manolo Blahnik flats and a veil to her civil ceremony in Saint Tropez. The look screamed effortless glamour like no other. There’s a true confidence that comes with French women and their style that so many want to draw from. To that end, we chatted with Lauren Crispin, of the mother-daughter team from The Mews Bridal, a boutique with locations in the U.K. and New York that specializes in Parisian wedding fashion about how to achieve that je ne sais quoi that French brides seem to always have when it comes to styling their big day looks.
“Part of what makes French fashion so idyllic is because the women are unapologetically themselves. Famous Parisian brides like Brigitte Bardot, Françoise Hardy, Jane Birkin continue to be iconic today because they were original,” Lauren says. For her, the ultimate French bride is Jane Birkin. “It’s the way she marries elegance with ease.” Below, Lauren’s six tips on achieving French-quality bridal styling . . .
1. Two Pieces Can Be Better Than One
“On the long list of things French women have mastered, layering is close to the top,” Lauren says. “The two-piece is still a favorite of ours, enabling brides to put their own twist on a bridal look.”
2. Save the Sparkle for the After-Party
“A Parisian bride would never, ever wear diamantés on a wedding dress,” Lauren declaires. “Let the fabrics shine instead. French women are very sophisticated in their choice but not necessarily in their appearance. Most of the time when you look at a French bride, it looks like she picked her dress last-minute.”
3. Lace on Lace
“Clashing prints—or in the bridal fashion universe, clashing lace. The French love to clash lace to make a look original,” Lauren explains. “One of our favorite examples of this is the Bazin top and Alberti skirt by Laure de Sagazan.”
4. Dress for Yourself Only
“French women are very independent when it comes to fashion,” Lauren says. “They care very little about what others think of their style. If we’ve learned one thing from them, it is this—great style is about dressing for yourself, and yourself only! Don’t feel the pressure to conform to the standard, traditional bridal gown. If you want to wear a short dress, go for it.”
5. Walk the Walk
“Wear comfortable shoes,” Lauren adds. “To a French women there is nothing more un-chic than a women who can’t walk in their heels. Plus, your wedding is going to be a long day; you don’t want to endure painful shoes for hours and hours and not enjoy it!”
