There is something I have always loved about these last days of July and the slower weeks of August. We are still very much in summer, but September has begun to appear somewhere in the distance. And for once, there is time to step back, look at what we own with fresher eyes, and think about what we would actually like our wardrobes to become before autumn arrives.
A new season often brings with it a quiet desire for change. Not necessarily to become someone entirely new, but perhaps to feel a little clearer about what we like, a little more confident in what we choose, and less attached to things that may no longer feel quite right for us.
As a French woman who has spent the past eight years writing about French style, I have watched the idea of the “French wardrobe” evolve considerably. And lately, I have been asking myself a simple question: if I had to rebuild mine from scratch today, in 2026, what would I actually choose?
Not simply the familiar list of classics long associated with the French wardrobe, but the pieces I genuinely believe deserve to form its foundation today.
Which essentials still feel relevant? Which have become more optional than essential? What versions would I choose now? And if I were starting almost from scratch, where would I begin?
Over the next few weeks, I will be dedicating Les Édits Privés to exactly this: helping you rebuild, rethink, or simply refine your wardrobe before autumn arrives. Whether you are planning a complete reset or simply feel that a few things are no longer quite working, my hope is that by September, you will feel clearer about what you need, more confident about what you choose, and perhaps realize that you need far less than you thought.
Today, we begin with the foundation: the nine pieces I would build a French wardrobe around in 2026, the versions I would choose now, and a few familiar classics I now see as more optional than essential. I have also brought those nine pieces together into a nine-piece foundation capsule, with five outfit formulas to show how they work in practice, and where I would begin if I were rebuilding my wardrobe today.