She’s all of these things. And none of them. As a French fashion designer once told me, he’s “never met this so-called French girl”. 

Of course, anybody who has been to France knows that not all French women look, act or dress the same. The stereotype of the French Girl pays little mind to the melting pot of races, cultures, body shapes and sizes, ages, hair textures and more that exist in Paris (and beyond!). Also, taste is subjective.

Even so, the trope exists for a reason, and much of its appeal goes beyond the clothes. 

Back to Andréa Martel, and what really makes her so magnetic (and occasionally galling) is her attitude – she’s tough, blunt and could not care less what people think. Her clothes – stylish, easy, cool – never wear her. She always looks exactly like herself.

Martel’s innate confidence speaks to why Judith Milgrom, founder of the quintessentially Parisian brand Maje, believes French style has such a hold. While that oft-touted effortlessness is mostly an impossible myth (those tousled waves rarely happen by simply rolling out of bed), Milgrom says French style is about dressing for yourself and letting go of ideas about perfection.

“Parisian style is released from codes and trends … she doesn’t like total looks, it’s much more about balance. [It] isn’t about perfection and control, where each piece goes with another, where all colours are coordinated. It looks effortless and sober, it’s more about having a personal attitude and knowing what suits you well, sometimes even basic but always with a twist,” says Milgrom.

“The Parisian girl can be whoever she wants wherever she wants. She is free to play with her style according to her moods. She has no limit, she can stay herself.”

Evelyne Chetrite, founder and artistic director of fashion e-shop Sandro Paris, says for many French women it’s less about what they’re wearing, and more about how they feel.

“[French women] love timeless, minimalist and elegant pieces, in which they will feel comfortable and self-confident. It is also about attitude and how you wear your clothes. Sometimes, a bold choice of shoes, scarf or handbag will highlight the rest of your outfit and suddenly turn something very classic into a tasteful look,” she says.

Its resonance has taken its mysterious founder by surprise, although anybody who’s ever tried to copy the style of French “It girls” such as influencer and founder of the brand Rouge Jeanne Damas, with mixed results, or dreamed of moving to Paris (hi Emily!) can see how it is total fashion catnip.

“The reaction has been insane – I’m at 150,000 followers [now more than 200,000] in the space of four months. I get about 10 submissions a day, plus all of my own images,” its founder writes over email.

The account was started to highlight the “real” style of regular Parisians.

“During the fashion weeks, I constantly saw girls/influencers dressed perfectly from head to toe, with designer clothes and impeccable hair, whereas every day in the streets of Paris, in the metro, in the parks, I met strangers that inspired me. I wanted to pay tribute to people for whom fashion is not necessarily their profession, to show that the Parisian style really exists, naturally.”

So what are the criteria for making it onto the account? According to Parisiens in Paris, it’s very spontaneous.

“A good look is often an oversized coat with cropped jeans and boots. I like that the looks are not too worked on, not too fussy, I like the everyday looks. It is very rare that I take a picture of a woman in high heels, who does not represent the ‘working girl’ that we know in 2021.”

“French style has evolved from the elegance of key figures like Gabrielle [Coco] Chanel and Christian Dior towards a new approach to style, like Yves Saint Laurent’s, who notably brought ready-to-wear and traditional French dressing into a more modern and all-encompassing lifestyle ethos, and a more minimalist vision of fashion.

“The current context has also paved the way for a strong loungewear and leisurewear trend, which has increasingly started to appear in designer collections,” she says.

“[It] gives off the appearance of minimal effort for maximum impact,” she says.

Barrionuevo is also of the opinion that French style, while it may not be one narrow and super idealised version, is a lot about attitude. “So much of it has to do with the way one carries oneself, beyond the clothes themselves. Of course, it’s oftentimes actually very deliberate and considered, but it always looks and feels very spontaneous,” she says.

“I would say the opposite of French style would be over-the-top dressing. Dressing à la française is also a very specific approach to mixing designers, combining styles which at first glance may not appear to match: for example, military-inspired boots with a very feminine embroidered dress, as spotted on Dior’s cruise runway. The key to French style is that balance of chic and cool, the perfect mix and match.”

So if it’s ultimately about balance, attitude and being yourself, then little wonder the world can’t stop idealising that French Girl.