15 Style Secrets Of Women Who Always Look Put Together

Find your colors

Of course, you should wear whichever colors you love and make you feel happiest. But if you're building your Style uniform around a particular palette, it's a good idea to include the colors that flatter you best. For example, according to InStyle, people with cool skin tones look best in bright blue, emerald, deep purple, lavender, ruby and bright rose. Favorite neutrals for them are gray, navy and white. People with warm skin tones look best in orange, yellow, gold, warm green and olive. The best neutrals for them are taupe, creamy white and chocolate. And those with neutral skin tones look best in light peach, dusty pink, jade green and camo green. Favorite neutrals for them are creamy white, taupe and gray. If you're not sure where you fall, here's how to figure out your skin's undertone.

The one color that tends to look great on everyone? Red—which is why we can't recommend a dress in the fiery hue enough. Something simple and super easy to wear can make a big style statement too.

Isabel Pavia/Getty Images Up your shoe game

A great shoe is like the period at the end of the sentence. If it's done correctly, it'll blend in with the rest of your outfit seamlessly. And if it's not, well, it'll stick out like a sore thumb. But having a great shoe game doesn't mean you need a lot of shoes, and it certainly doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of money on them. The key is to cover your bases with the basics: a white sneaker (just remember to toss them in the wash every few weeks), a black bootie, professional loafers, sandals, knee-high boots and a killer neutral heel. From there, you can have fun and add whichever shoes bring you joy. The best thing about shoes is that they can add a pop of color and fun to an otherwise ordinary outfit. If you aren't sure where to start, find out your personal style, based on your zodiac sign.

Jelena Stanojkovic/Getty Images Hack your wardrobe

On those mornings that you're running late and can't spend extra time on your appearance, it's important to have a hack. To do this, think of the problems that slow you down the most. If you struggle with your hair, find an accessory that fixes things in a pinch. (TikTok style hacks are great for this!) If you have trouble putting together outfits, buy a dress or jumpsuit you can throw on in a flash. If you have days where you just can't tolerate your heels, find another shoe that looks just as chic but feels as cozy as your slippers, like a pair of comfy black flats. The goal is to identify your most common problems and come up with simple solutions.

The Biggest Fashion Icons Of The 20th Century

Throughout the 20th century, fashion influenced — and was influenced by — the culture and social movements of its time, across global and hyperlocal spaces. Today, for instance, we still associate flapper dresses with the Prohibition era, for example, or Kangol hats with the birth of hip-hop.

Fashion has always broken boundaries and captured the zeitgeist. But it has also evolved from a marker of social status into a tool of self-expression. This list of some of the 20th century's most recognizable style icons shows the extent of that transformation, and how key figures in popular culture helped change our clothes, literally — and the ways we wear them.

What makes a fashion icon?

A fashion icon is someone who creates a recognizable style unique to them and the environment they live in. By deviating from — or embodying — the status quo, and taking risks to establish their own visual identity, fashion icons start and popularize trends that come to define mainstream culture.

1900s: Camille Clifford

A circa-1906 portrait of the actress Camille Clifford. - Historia/Shutterstock

In the early 1900s, the "Gibson Girl" symbolized the modern, independent American woman. Originally conceptualized and illustrated by artist Charles Dana Gibson, the Gibson Girl was tall and elegant, with an hourglass figure. Belgian-born actress Camille Clifford was celebrated for embodying this aesthetic, as intricate updos and long, form-fitting dresses (which flattered exaggerated, S-shaped silhouettes) took over women's fashion.

1910s: Paul and Denise Poiret

Designer Paul Poiret, pictured draping a bias-cut silk gown onto a fit model. - Mirrorpix/Getty Images

The war efforts of the 1910s required more women in the Western world to join the workforce. Subsequently, the decade's hemlines were shortened to allow for greater movement, while dresses became much looser, abolishing the need for corsets. Known as "The King of Fashion" at the time, designer Paul Poiret is widely-credited with the corset's demise. Introducing the "lampshade" tunic and chemise dresses to women's fashion, Poiret was inspired by his wife, Denise Poiret, who also endorsed and modeled his harem pants — a controversial piece of clothing, as pants were almost exclusively worn by men at the time.

1920s: Josephine Baker and Coco Chanel

A circa 1920s portrait of Josephine Baker. - Klaus Niermann/ullstein bild/Getty Images

Symbolic of the "Roaring '20s," flapper fashion famously included dresses with dropped waists, shorter hemlines, sequins and lots of fringe. Womenswear embraced more androgynous styles, with simple lines and looser fits. Some women even opted to wear undergarments called step-ins, which minimized the appearance of natural curves to better fit the "boyish" flapper aesthetic.

One of the Jazz Age's best-known figures, singer and dancer Josephine Baker embodied the flapper look. French designer Coco Chanel also helped to popularize the style, alongside other wardrobe staples that remain en vogue, like the classic little black dress. Often inspired by menswear, Chanel had earlier introduced the two-piece tweed suit that went on to become one of her eponymous label's most iconic designs. Her work established that clothes could be both fashionable and functional for working women.

1930s: Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn

Actress Marlene Dietrich poses in a 1932 photograph. - Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In the 1930s, hemlines dropped and waistlines rose to accentuate a more feminine silhouette. But the aftermath of the Great Depression also saw Western fashion return to more conservative styles. Smart suits — or dresses designed to look like suits — became popular, along with padded shoulders and patterned day dresses.

Marlene Dietrich was among those in this moment starting to defy gender norms in fashion. Normalizing androgyny through her work in cinema, the German actress wore men's clothing, on and off the screen, challenging the era's monolithic notions of femininity.

Actress Katharine Hepburn was also known for her understated, radical style. Off-screen, she regularly wore blue jeans or high-waisted slacks and button-down shirts, modeling what would later become known as a quintessential "American look."

1940s: Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway performs in the 1943 movie "Stormy Weather." - Moviestore/Shutterstock

While many different variations of suits and formalwear have dominated men's fashion in the 20th century, the 1940s "zoot suit" might be the most iconic. Featuring long, oversized coats with padded shoulders, and paired with high-waisted, wide-legged trousers, zoot suits originated in urban neighborhoods across the United States, and were popularized by African American performers in the jazz scene. As swing dance became mainstream, the zoot suit became something of a uniform for trendsetters like Louis Armstrong, Sammy Davis Jr. And Cab Calloway, who was famous for his performances at Harlem's Cotton Club.

1950s: James Dean and Marilyn Monroe

A film still of James Dean in the 1955 movie "Rebel Without a Cause" - Snap/Shutterstock

In the '50s, a new vision of teenage life emerged as young adults distanced themselves from old-fashioned habits and parental expectations to create their own generational culture. Many working-class teenagers were drawn to the rebellious styles epitomized by actors like James Dean, who famously wore a plain white T-shirt, a red nylon jacket and jeans in the 1995 film "Rebel Without a Cause."

Dean's look came to represent a generation wrestling with angst and ennui following the end during the aftermath of World War II and the beginning emergence of a new Cold War. The counter-cultural style popularized by Dean and other actors like Marlon Brando rejected the more formal fashion worn by the GI Generation.

Marilyn Monroe offered the decade's young women a very different — though no less iconoclastic — new ideal. Sporting wiggle dresses, one-shoulder gowns and halter tops that accentuated her figure, the blonde bombshell was a symbol of sexual freedom and body positivity.

1960s: Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy

A film still of Audrey Hepburn in the movie "Love in the Afternoon." - HA/THA/Shutterstock

The 1960s were characterized by a range of diverse fashion trends, including "Space Age" style, hippie fashion and the Mod movement. Each of these subcultures had its own, unique characteristics. English model Lesley Hornby, better known as Twiggy, was considered a daring dresser in futuristic styles along with shift dresses, miniskirts and braless outfits; rockstar Jimi Hendrix embraced the hippie aesthetic, wearing bell-bottom jeans, embellished vests, vintage military jackets and fringe.

While her style was famously simple and elegant, movie star Audrey Hepburn subtly incorporated elements of each of these trends in her wardrobe. A muse to Hubert de Givenchy, Hepburn accented her specially tailored clothes with oversized sunglasses, ballet flats and statement earrings. First Lady Jackie Kennedy was also known to accessorize, usually with her signature pillbox hat and a pair of elbow-length white gloves. Kennedy's style was chic but accessible, allowing her to connect with the public through fashion in a way that previous First Ladies had struggled to. Her personality shone through her wardrobe, which spearheaded trends in womenswear including dress suits, trench coats and capri pants.

1970s: Diana Ross and David Bowie

A circa 1970s image of Diana Ross performing. - Richard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images

The '70s in America were known as the "Me Decade," a term coined by author Tom Wolfe in an essay predicting the country's "Third Great Awakening." People sought new ways to express their individuality, sexuality and confidence in their bodies; tube tops, flared jeans and hot pants became wardrobe staples. And when it came to dressing up for a night out, Motown royalty Diana Ross was the blueprint. Ross was the perfect picture of '70s glamour, often performing in sparkly, form-fitting jumpsuits paired with iconic big hairdos.

David Bowie is also remembered for his eye-catching performance attire. Adopting multiple alter egos throughout his career, including the iconic Ziggy Stardust who debuted in 1972 (and was retired by Bowie just one year later), Bowie embraced eccentric styles and challenged traditional ideas of masculinity by wearing platform shoes, one-legged jumpsuits and dresses.

1980s: Princess Diana and Prince

Princess Diana pictured at the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, England, on May 2, 1988. - Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images

What we today know as "athleisure" took off in the '80s. Dancewear and sportswear became more acceptable in day-to-day life following the 1983 release of "Flashdance" and the jazzercise fitness craze that normalized bodysuits and leg warmers. One of the early champions of athleisure was Princess Diana, who could make a simple biker shorts and sweatshirt combo look classy. While other members of the British royal family followed a strict dress code, Princess Di was known for taking risks by following — and popularizing — mainstream fashion trends during and after her marriage to then-Prince Charles.

Meanwhile, the artist known as Prince made his mark in the fashion world, following in the footsteps of Bowie while walking his own path. Prince was a maximalist, using fashion as a tool for self-expression and also incorporated womenswear into his wardrobe to defy gender stereotypes. Some of his most memorable style choices included monochromatic outfits, ruffled shirts and feather boas.

1990s: Michael Jordan and Aaliyah

Michael Jordan in an oversized power suit, circa-1996. - Fairchild Archive/Penske Media/Getty Images

While Michael Jordan is best known for his basketball career, his approach to fashion, on and off the court, heavily influenced menswear in the 90s. After the release of Air Jordan sneakers in the mid-80s, everyone from athletes to rappers to school children wanted to "be like Mike," to quote a famous '90s commercial. By mixing sportswear and formalwear, Jordan showed how to dress down the era's oversized power suits, substituting formal shirts for T-shirts or crewnecks and replacing loafers with sneakers.

Streetwear was also impacted by the style of R&B singer Aaliyah. Her chic tomboy style was characterized by baggy jeans paired with crop tops or bandeaus, blending hip-hop fashion with her own femininity.

And the list goes on…

From Anna May Wong's dragon dress to Grace Jones' tuxedo blazer; Little Richard's eyeliner to Madonna's cone bra to Kurt Cobain's grunge knits. Even amid increasingly frenetic (and blurred) cycles of fashion, we continue to draw from the wardrobes of fashion icons from across the past century and credit modern looks to those who dared to take risks and challenge restrictive social norms. A trendsetting attitude, after all, is one that will never go out of style.

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4 Stylish Parisians On How They Define French-Girl Style

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Back in February, Paris Fashion Week was overrun with reinterpretations of French-girl style, that endless, and exalted source of fashion inspiration. Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri imagined what a typical French woman might wear today and Louis Vuitton's interpretation of the modern French look included illuminated glasses. Then, again, in July, the couture shows zeroed in on the French-girl fashion (Chanel's version was classic: little black dresses, tweed coats, and Mary Janes for a walk along the Seine). The reoccurring theme proved the French's approach to fashion and beauty still entices in 2023, long after many of its famous pioneers—Coco Chanel, Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, and even Marie Antoinette among them—introduced the concept to the rest of the world.

But the runways also proved that French-girl style is ever-evolving and very much open to interpretation beyond your average Breton stripes, gamine suiting, and intricately tied silk scarves (although they are still very much a part of it). Below, we spoke to four stylish women who live and work in Paris about how they interpret French dressing in their daily lives—and you can, too.

Sylvie Mus, Stylist

Sylvie Mus, a wardrobe stylist by trade, was born in Rwanda and grew up in Finland, but has lived in Paris full-time for the past two years. And in those 24 months, she has perfected the modern approach to French girl fashion to a T, filling her closet with what she calls "the foundations" of French-girl style: "great denim, timeless basics like a well-tailored blazer, silk slip dresses, and kitten heels." But, she notes, there is an eclectic side to these well-heeled women. "We love to have fun with bold accessories," Mus says.

"There was a time when the French girl style was perceived, from the outside, as an image of a romanticized woman in a floral dress carrying a straw bag," she says. "Today, it has evolved into a more timeless and easily approachable aesthetic. It's luxurious in a subtle way, and individuality plays a big role. Every French girl has her own way of interpreting this style. That's what keeps it interesting, but that's also what will keep it evolving."

When she isn't pulling looks for European fashion editorials, Mus likes to shop brands like Rouje and Sézane, which she says create "classic French pieces. I also like to source from old Céline, Phoebe Philo's era. And being a Scandi girl at heart, I'm still shopping from brands like Toteme and By Malene Birger."

Sylvie's Picks

Refine "The Carolyn" Dress

€475

Manolo Blahnik Suede Mules

€695

Sezane Wildfield Denim Jacket

€115

Aeyde Uma Black Nappa

$295

Toteme Herringbone Fabric Blazer

€700

Anne-Victoire Lefevre, Creative Consultant

For Anne-Victoire Lefevre, who has worked in fashion since she was 20 years old, the French-girl cliché looks a little something like this: "The beret, the marinière striped shirt, cardigan, or floral dress, with a baguette under her arm, seated at a Parisian café terrace," she explains over e-mail. "Today, I think everything has changed." She stresses that the heart of the French-girl aesthetic is, in fact, a lifestyle. French women, for instance, pursue less trend-driven styles than most Americans do. "There isn't really a French style, but more a French attitude," she explains. "French girls know how to be classic and sexy at the same time. We dare more and play with length, transparency, materials, and colors. But the base always remains unique, and the concept is to look effortless. If you wear timeless pieces, it's easy to stay in the game."

Lefevre was adopted from Taiwan when she was just a few months old by French parents, and has lived in Paris since she was a baby. Now, she calls the hip 11th arrondissement ("my fave one!" she adds) home—where she picks up inspiration from chic women she sees in the neighborhood. "I can always recognize a French woman in a foreign country," Lefevre adds. "She is naturally elegant and never too much. The style is sober: neutral colors and no logos, just perfect shape and quality."

The creative consultant is a big fan of New Age vintage shops like Bobby Paris, but covets French classics like Carel, the footwear brand, and Michel Vivien Paris, where she worked for five years. "I love Maison Cléo for their commitment to a '90s touch, Surprise for their mohair sweaters, Musier for the perfect summer dress, and APC for their denim range," she says. "In the future, French-girl style will always stay. It's like an institution. But there are more nuances than just one recognizable look. There will always be a 'French way,' but not one style. That would be so sad!"

Anne-Victoire's Picks

Carel Kina Lilac Mary Janes

$295

Alaïa Fishnet Ballet Flats

€650

Tammy & Benjamin Thea Mini Bag

€320

Aiayu Tova Knit Blouse

€160

Aiayu Viva Knit Pants

€190

Maison Cléo Flowery Calais Lace T-shirt

€85

Minuit 00-00 Automoto Leather Jacket

€1,500

Annie Brooks, Model and Content Creator

Annie Brooks, better known by her social media moniker @Sausagelord, takes a maximalist's approach to French-girl dressing. The stylist and content creator is from Australia originally, but has spent the past year splitting her time between London and Paris. That international mindset has given her a diverse and eclectic window into what makes French-girl style today; Brooks can often be seen on Instagram and TikTok styling herself in looks that call for a candy-colored ring on every finger, a pair of Vibram toe shoes, or a Chopova Lowena skirt with her favorite MSCHF boots. Still, she says "a more classic approach to French-girl style is to opt for elevated essentials—think: well-cut denim, tailored blazers, and quality ballet flats."

These days, the aesthetic endures. "In my opinion, French-girl style puts emphasis on simple yet classic style and effortless and natural beauty," Brooks says. "The ethos is still the same in 2023, just slightly more progressive. I don't see it straying too far from what it currently is—the French stay traditional."

A typical Parisian shopping trip for Brooks? "Vintage stores and flea markets are always my go-to," she says, calling out Marché Dauphine, Headless vintage, and Opulence consignment store as a few favorites. But to glean fashion inspiration, Brooks looks to a couple French style mainstays. "Sonia Rykiel and Marine Serre are two of my favorites," she notes. And, of course, there's some British influence coming through as well: "Alexa Chung circa the mid 2000s did French-girl style so well."

Annie's Picks

Maison Margiela Black Tabi Ballerina Flats

£449

Chanel Oval Sunglasses

£320

Maison Close Lace Socks

£21

Franny Monzemba, Owner of Yomokoï Vintage

"French-girl style has seen an enormous evolution over the past few years," 46-year-old Franny Monzemba, who owns the pop-up vintage shop Yomokoï, tells W. Monzemba, who worked as an accounting assistant before she decided to pursue her love of vintage by opening Yomokoï, has lived in France for the past 40 years, growing up on the outskirts of Paris but moving to the city proper at 18 years old.

"Having 'French-girl style' really doesn't mean anything anymore today," the mother of a 22-year-old says. "But generally, it means adopting a timeless and elegant approach." That calls for what Monzemba refers to as "the pillars of a French wardrobe": an oversized white t-shirt, raw denim, a perfect trench. "Opt for neutral colors and quality materials—without forgetting the accessories that play an important role!" she adds. "Silk scarves, quality handbags, timeless sunglasses, and simple jewelry are popular choices."

"French style is often associated with a simple aesthetic that transcends fleeting trends," she says. "French women are known for their ability to combine classic pieces with more electric elements." That credo applies to the now as well—individuality has played an increasingly important role in this modern approach to French-girl fashion, which is directly influenced by the country's current diverse diaspora. "Today's French-girl style is brought about by cultural diversity and the adoption of elements from different countries—blending styles, patterns, and cuts, and reflecting a more holistic and inclusive aesthetic. French girl style is accessible to everyone, regardless of nationality, and everyone can make this aesthetic their own."

When she isn't stocking the shelves of her own shop, Monzemba wanders Paris's famed shopping districts like the Marais and Saint-Germain-des-Prés to discover unique boutiques "and unearth classic French clothing," she says. But for style inspiration, she looks to an unexpected star of the Real Housewives franchise. "I really like Jenna Lyons for her chic and sophisticated look—which is inspired by French aesthetics," she adds.

Franny's Picks

Rouje German Jeans

€145

Soeur Sevres Jacket

€345

Celine Twin Triomphe Belt

€490

Maison Ana Toya Necklace

€230

Arket Linen Cotton Trench Coat

$279

Gucci Jackie Shoulder Bag

€2,500

G.H. Bass Weejuns Penny Loafers

€200

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