© Ness P. Colmart
As summer in France winds down and we return to routine after a glorious sun-filled reset, it helps to have something new to look forward to.
Getting dressed in the morning can set the tone of the day, so with a fresh season on the horizon, it helps to have great shoes to get started on the right foot.
While France is one of the most fashion-forward countries, the French also prioritize practicality. There are a few main styles that can be found in every woman’s wardrobe, and all of them are great for strutting into la rentrée (the return post summer vacation).
Let’s get into 5 essential categories of footwear to have in your closet this season with recommendations from our favorite brands.
Ballet Flats
The ballet flat moved off the stage and onto the street in the 1950s, and it has stayed part of the daily wardrobe in France ever since. Peeping out of wide-leg trousers, making a statement in cropped denim, or matching back to a midi skirt, this versatile shoe holds up through a full day of walking on cobblestones in any outfit.
Stick to black or a neutral color, then pair with a cropped blazer and a market tote for daytime or a silk shirt for dinner. It works across most of the wardrobe, which is why it tends to be the first pair replaced each season.
Espadrilles
The espadrille’s rope sole has roots in the Basque region and the south of France, where it was worn as workwear long before it became a seaside staple. The flat jute sole looks great with wide linen trousers during a long lunch recounting summer memories on a terrace, while a lace-up version holds up to walking through vineyards bursting with ripe grapes.
A canvas or suede upper carries the shoe into early fall instead of reading as pure summer. Espadrilles are a perfect transitional shoe worn before the wardrobe turns to leather and wool for the fall season.
Sneakers
Once seen as a fashion faux pas, the sneaker became a fixture on French streets over the past two decades, worn by locals and tourists, men and women, old and young. A clean white or black low-top pairs with just about everything from a midi skirt and blazer to straight-leg jeans and a leather jacket.
Fall calls for a slightly sturdier pair, so look for leather or waterproof material that holds up to rain. White sneakers are the most classic choice, so once you find a shoe that fits your style, it’s easy to keep returning to that brand once it’s time to switch out for a new pair.
Loafers
The loafer entered women’s wardrobes as a borrowed menswear staple and has stayed there for decades, prized for pulling together any outfit. A penny-strap or tasseled pair works with dark denim, a light sweater, and a trench coat, and it holds up equally well with tailored trousers for the office.
Wear them bare-ankled through early fall, then add a thin wool sock once temperatures drop. Loafers move between a workday and a weekend market run without a change of outfit, which makes it a go-to fall shoe.
Ankle Boots
The ankle boot is the fall wardrobe’s workhorse in France. A block heel in suede or smooth leather pairs with knit dresses, straight trousers, or jeans rolled at the ankle. It lends a bit of height without veering too delicate, making it the most reached-for shoe for a range of autumn events.
A low heel works with midi skirts and cropped jeans alike. Black or cognac stays the most versatile choice, since both colors carry into winter as well as fall.
Put a little pep in your step this rentrée season with a nice new pair of shoes. Keep the sensible French fashion mentality in mind, leaning into practical choices without sacrificing style.
Written by Olivia Hoffman
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