French Women Are Wearing Socks With These Classic Shoe Styles This Summer

a stylish French woman sits at an outdoor café table with her legs crossed wearing a black leather jacket, tied neck scarf, mini Hermès bag, and jeans

(Image credit: @erinoffduty)

It's no secret that I often turn to the French style muses on my Instagram feed when I need some outfit inspiration. I can't help but fall for the allure of their elevated and effortless aesthetic. During a recent perusal, I noticed a trend among the Parisian women I follow. Many, if not all of them, were wearing socks with two classic shoe styles: ballet flats and loafers. Pairing socks with unexpected shoe options is nothing new, but when French women give a trend their own twist, I am all eyes and ears.

Ahead, you'll catch a roundup of eight inspiring outfits straight from the streets of Paris where your attention will be immediately drawn to the sock-and-shoe combo. We're not just talking about the usual basic white crew socks, either—you'll also spot some colorful options and some frilly details. The ballet flats are pretty classic all around, whereas the loafers tend to lean trendier with chunkier silhouettes. Keep scrolling to check out each incredibly chic French-inspired outfit idea and to shop each look.

French style influencer posing with a cup of coffee in front of red doors in Paris wearing a sleeveless navy sweater-vest, pleated white skirt, ruffle socks, and black chunky loafers

(Image credit: @emmanuellek_)

Shop the look:

French influencer Sabina Socol sits on the streets of Paris wearing a gray turtleneck, jeans, red socks, and black loafers

(Image credit: @sabinasocol)

Shop the look:

French influencer Anne-Laure Mais wears light-wash cuffed jeans, burgundy red socks, and white Miu Miu ballet flats

(Image credit: @annelauremais)

Shop the look:

French style influencer Géraldine Boublil sitting at an outdoor café in Paris wearing a black leather jacket, neck scarf, jeans, white socks, and loafers

(Image credit: @erinoffduty)

Shop the look:

French style influencer Lena Farl smiles and poses on the streets of Paris wearing a faded baseball cap, statement earrings, trousers, sock, and ballet flats

(Image credit: @lenafarl)

Shop the look:

French fashion influencer Andi Mun poses on the streets of Paris in a white button-down shirt, gray sweater, burgundy bag, black skirt, white ankle socks, and black loafers

(Image credit: @andi_mun)

Shop the look:

Parisian fashion influencer sits on a bench in Paris wearing a black turtleneck sweater, neutral blazer jacket, jeans, tan socks, and snakeskin ballet flats

(Image credit: @pia_mbd)

Shop the look:

French fashion influencer poses on the cobblestone streets of Paris in a shearling lined jacket, neutral sweater, yellow mini Dior bag, cuffed jeans, gray socks, and black ballet flats

(Image credit: @annelauremais)

Shop the look:

This post was published at an earlier date and has since been updated.

Jennifer Camp Forbes
Senior Shopping Editor

Jennifer Camp Forbes is a senior shopping editor at Who What Wear, where she has worked in a variety of capacities including creative director and various editor roles. She’s a well-known shopping expert that’s sought out for advice and insight on the latest trends, outfit ideas, and fashion picks thanks to her thoughtful shopping roundups. Jennifer's lifelong interest in fashion led her to intern at Harper’s Bazaar as an undergraduate. Later, while working towards her masters degree in psychological counseling at Columbia University, she founded two digital fashion publications: Le Fashion and Olsens Anonymous. The popularity of both sites grew and after graduation she decided put her plans to become a therapist aside to pursue a career in fashion.