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Talking about clothes in French might seem intimidating. After all, France is the most stylish, sophisticated, fashionable country in the world, right?
Not exactly….
There is some truth behind France’s legendary reputation for style and elegance. But not every French person dresses like they’re on a runway or in a movie. Keep that in mind, and it may make learning and talking about clothes in French a little easier!
From vocabulary, to how to dress like a local if you come to France, here’s everything you need to know about clothes in French!
What are the grammar rules of talking about clothes in French?
Clothes are an aspect of everyday life, and with that comes a lot of flexibility and function. Whether they’re nouns, verbs, or adjectives, most clothes-related words in French can be used as you’d expect.
One difference from English is that several common garment names are singular in French: un pantalon (a pair of trousers), un short (a pair of shorts), un caleçon (a pair of boxer shorts), and un pyjama (a pair of pyjamas). Learn each noun with its article rather than relying on a rule about the garment’s shape: other clothing words, such as des bas (stockings) and des chaussures (shoes), are commonly plural.
Other than that, as far as major rules go, only the standard rules of French grammar apply.
French clothing vocabulary
Here are the words you should know if you want to have a basic conversation (or shopping experience) involving French clothes. You’ll find some of them accessorized with helpful facts and additional information.
les vêtements – clothes/clothing
les fringues (f)– clothes (slang)
Être fringué – to be dressed (slang). Mais regarde Ghislaine! Elle est fringuée n’importe comment ! (Look at Ghislaine ! She’s just thrown any old thing on.)
une tenue [de] – an outfit. This can be used on its own or with de and another word to specify what kind of outfit. For example: -Tu vas porter quelle tenue ce soir ? - Ma tenue de cowboy ! (What outfit are you going to wear tonight? – My cowboy outfit!)
s’habiller – to get dressed
être bien habillé(e) – to be well-dressed
mettre – to put on. Example: Je mets ma veste et j’arrive ! (I’ve just got to put on my jacket and then I’m ready!).
se mettre – to put on oneself (when no other information is present). This seems a bit redundant when you see that mettre already means “to put on” but tends to be used when there’s no direct object. For example, you’ll often see/hear the phrase Je n’ai rien à me mettre. (I have nothing to wear.). The verb is reflexive here for clarification reasons. If you said Je n’ai rien à mettre, there’s this sort of lingering question of “Put what, where?”
porter – to wear
foutre – to put or throw on. This use is very informal and can sound vulgar. For example: Fous ton pantalon et on y va – on va être en retard ! (Put your trousers on and let’s go – we’re going to be late!). Do not confuse Je n’ai rien à me mettre (I have nothing to wear) with the vulgar expression Je n’ai rien à foutre (I don’t give a damn).
se saper – to dress (slang). The related term la Sape names a Congolese fashion movement associated with elegant dress and distinctive codes of style. Its history and meanings are more specific and complex than a general label for African communities, so do not assume that every use of the slang verb refers to the movement. You can read an academic history of Congolese sapeurs and Parisian fashion here.
essayer – to try on
une cabine d’essayage – changing booth/dressing room (for trying on clothes)
les sous-vêtements - underwear
un caleçon – boxer shorts
un slip – men’s underwear (briefs)
une culotte – women’s or children’s underwear (pants/knickers). In historical contexts, culotte can also refer to knee breeches; today, context tells you which meaning is intended.
un soutien-gorge – bra. Yes, this quintessential piece of women’s clothing is masculine!
un soutif – slang for soutien-gorge (bra)
les chaussures (f) - shoes
les chaussettes (f) - socks
les chaussons (m)– slippers
les baskets (f), les tennis (m or f), les chaussures de sport (f) – sneakers/trainers/sports shoes. These are all usable terms. Chaussures de sport explicitly means sports shoes; baskets and tennis can refer to the shoe style more generally.
les talons hauts (m)– high heels
les ballerines (f) – ballet flats. The Académie defines a ballerine as a very light, flexible, heel-less shoe shaped like a ballet slipper.
les bottes (f) - boots
les bottines (f) – ankle boots or other short, above-the-ankle boots. The word is not restricted to women’s footwear.
les bottes de pluie (f) – rain boots/wellies
les godasses (f) – an informal term for shoes. Keep the informal register in mind when choosing between godasses and the neutral chaussures.
les souliers (m) – shoes. This can sound old-fashioned in France, but you may encounter it in literature, songs, and proverbs.
les hauts – tops
un t-shirt – t-shirt
une chemise – button-down shirt
un débardeur – tank top/singlet
un blouson – a short jacket, usually tightened or gathered at the waist
une veste – a jacket. This sort-of false cognate can be tricky for native speakers of American English. Check the next word for how to say “vest” in French.
un gilet – a cardigan/sweater or vest/waistcoat. “Yellow Vests” in French is “Les Gilets Jaunes”.
un pull – a sweater/jumper
un sweat – a sweatshirt. This is the familiar shortened form of sweat-shirt. French dictionaries give pronunciations approximating souète-cheurte or souite-cheurte, so the French pronunciation may differ from the English word.
un hoodie/un sweat à capuche – a hoodie (hooded sweatshirt). Un sweat à capuche is a clear French description if you prefer not to use the English borrowing hoodie.
un manteau – a coat/overcoat
un imperméable – a raincoat/mackintosh
les bas-bottoms
The next two English plurals are normally singular in French: un pantalon and un short.
le pantalon – pants/trousers
le short - shorts
la jupe - skirt
les tenues (f)-outfits
la robe – a dress or gown. Context and modifiers make the meaning more precise: une robe de soirée, for example, is an evening gown. An online store like Zalando can help you find adjectives for particular cuts and styles. Quelle jolie robe ! means “What a pretty dress!”
le costume – a suit. Depending on context, it can also mean a costume or a form of dress, so use the surrounding words to distinguish the meaning.
un tailleur – a women’s suit. Yes, this also means tailor -it depends on the context. Ex: Sara n’aime ni les robes, ni les jupes. Au bureau, elle préfère porter un tailleur. (Sara doesn’t like robes or skirts. At the office, she prefers to wear women’s suits.)
une salopette – dungarees/bib overalls; un bleu de travail – work overalls/workwear. The terms overlap in some contexts, but bleu de travail specifically points to work clothing.
une combinaison – jumpsuit. Note that this can be any kind of jumpsuit, from one that’s used by housepainters, to one used by astronauts (that is, une combinaison spatiale).
le pyjama – pajamas/pyjamas. Here’s another word that’s plural in English and singular in French. The idea here is to think of pajamas as a set or a single garment, not individual pieces.
les accessoires (m) - accessories
le chapeau – hat. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may also remember that Chapeau! is a way to congratulate someone in French.
le bonnet – a knit hat/beanie, or a bonnet. Although this word is used when talking about old-fashioned women’s headwear and baby bonnets, nowadays you’re more likely to come across it as the equivalent of knit hat/beanie.
la cagoule – a balaclava (a head and neck covering with an opening for part of the face)
la casquette – a cap (baseball cap)
les lunettes (de soleil) – glasses. Alone, this word is used for glasses you use to see. With de soleil, you have sunglasses.
un sac – a bag; un sac à main – a handbag/purse. Use a more specific compound when needed, such as un sac à dos for a backpack.
un sac à dos – a backpack/rucksack
des bas (m) – stockings. The term is commonly used in the plural for a pair; there is no general “two leg holes” rule that predicts a French noun’s number.
un collant/des collants – tights/pantyhose. A collant covers both legs and the lower torso in one garment; des bas are separate stockings. The dictionary form is masculine: un collant.
un maillot de bain – a bathing suit
un slip de bain – a briefs-style men’s swimsuit. Pool rules vary: for example, Paris municipal rules ban shorts and bermudas, while accepted fitted swimwear should always be checked with the facility.
le bonnet de bain – swimming cap. Some pools require one, while the Centre aquatique Olympique, for example, recommends one without requiring it. Check the facility’s current rules before you go.
le peignoir – bathrobe/dressing gown. Doesn’t this word sound so much more elegant in French?
une cravate – a tie. Another illogically-gendered noun!
une ceinture – a belt
des gants (m) – gloves. This can be used for gloves you wear to keep your hands warm, boxing gloves, etc.
des mitaines (f) – fingerless gloves. In Canadian and some regional French, mitaines can also mean mittens; in standard contemporary French in France, mittens are des moufles. The bogeyman is le croque-mitaine, but that compound is not safely translated word for word as “mitten biter”.
un foulard – a light scarf, neckerchief, or headscarf. The exact shape and material vary. If you want styling ideas, you can look for a scarf-tying tutorial rather than treating one style as universally French.
une écharpe – a long scarf worn around the neck or shoulders
un cache-nez – a scarf or muffler worn around the neck and lower face for warmth.
les bijoux - jewelry
une montre - a watch
un collier – a necklace
un bracelet – a bracelet
des boucles d’oreilles – earrings. The standard plural spelling is boucles d’oreilles.
une bague – a ring
une chaîne – a chain
un pendentif – a pendant
These are just the basics when it comes to talking about clothes, of course. You can do a specific online search for different types of clothes not on this list or look at online stores or catalogues in French to increase your vocabulary even further.
Useful words for describing clothes in French
Good news: Even if you have a basic level of French vocabulary, you already have lots of different ways to describe clothes and accessories!
For example, you probably already know how to use words like grand(e) and petit(e).
You can probably also talk about whether you like or dislike something, and whether you think it’s beautiful/pretty (beau/belle/joli(e)) .
You probably know some basic adverbs like très and trop. You can probably talk about colors, too. And if you know your numbers in French, you can ask if your size is available. Bravo – or, rather, Chapeau! – you’re well on your way to describing and discussing clothes in French! Here are some other helpful words:
serré(e) - tight
ample – loose/roomy
à la mode – in style
démodé(e) – out of fashion
ringard(e) – a slang and sort of rude way to say démodé(e). Both words can be used to describe anything that’s out of fashion or old-fashioned, not just clothes.
sur mesure – custom-made/made-to-measure/tailor-made. If you want to say something is custom-made without using this phrase as an adjective, you can put du in front of it. For example: André a économisé pour pouvoir s’offrir un costume sur mesure (André saved up money to buy himself a tailor-made suit.) OR: Tu aimes mon costume? C’est du sur mesure. (Do you like my suit? It’s tailor-made.)
prêt-à-porter – ready-to-wear; clothing sold in standard sizes rather than made to measure
original(e) – unique, eccentric. This word can have other meanings, of course, including “original”, but if someone tells you this about your outfit or style, they mean it’s unique. Whether or not this is a compliment, depends on who you’re talking to! Personally, I love it when someone says this about what I’m wearing, but I know they don’t always mean it in a positive way….
la taille – clothing size
la pointure – shoe size. Sometimes, especially with product descriptions that have been translated from English, you’ll see this replaced by taille.
la bonne taille/la mauvaise taille – the right or wrong size
tailler petit/tailler grand – to tend to run small/to tend to run large. In other words, even if you choose your normal size, this particular clothing brand might fit smaller/larger. You’ll often see one of these phrases on reviews or descriptions of clothes you can buy online.
grande taille (adjective) – plus-size. Example: Ce magasin propose des vêtements grande taille. (This shop offers plus-size clothing.)
le tissu – fabric. You can find a list of common fabrics in French here.
de marque – branded/made by a recognized brand. Example: Elle ne porte que des chaussures de marque. (She only wears branded shoes.) The phrase does not necessarily mean a luxury designer label.
une démarque – a further price reduction during a sale; démarqué(e) – marked down. Example: La deuxième démarque commence demain. (The second round of reductions starts tomorrow.)
dégriffé(e) – with the maker’s label or identifying mark removed. A shop selling des vêtements dégriffés sells clothing from which the brand identification has been removed.
soldé(e) – on sale, marked down. France has regulated winter and summer sales periods. Each lasts four weeks, with dates set by law and some geographic exceptions; check the government’s explanation of soldes dates. Shops can also run other promotions during the year.
French expressions with clothes
There are a number of French idioms, proverbs, and phrases related to clothes. Here are some useful examples:
se mettre sur son 31 – to dress up/to be dressed to the nines
habillé(e) comme un sac – poorly dressed. This literally means ‘dressed like a sack’, an image I’ve always appreciated, even though I’m sure that no matter how hard I’ve tried not to, I’ve probably had a few days where someone could have said this about me.
L’habit ne fait pas le moine – Clothes don’t make the man. You can read more about this expression in our article about common French sayings.
une fashion victim – someone who follows fashion excessively. As in English, the expression can be critical rather than complimentary. It can refer to a man or a woman, but victime is grammatically feminine.
faire du shopping – to go shopping. It often suggests leisure shopping and can include clothes, but it is not limited to clothing. Faire des achats means to make purchases, while faire les courses usually means doing routine shopping or errands.
être bien dans ses baskets- to be comfortable in your skin. Literally, to be good in your sneakers/trainers. You can also hear another version of this, être bien dans ses pompes.
se faire remonter les bretelles – to be told off or given a dressing-down.
une blague au-dessous de la ceinture – a dirty or suggestive joke. You can use au-dessous de la ceinture (literally, “below the belt”) for this kind of remark.
se serrer la ceinture – to tighten your belt (stop spending money and make sacrifices)
comme cul et chemise - thick as thieves/like two peas in a pod. (Literally, “like bum and shirt”) For a bit more of an explanation of this expression (Why not say comme cul et slip?), check out this interesting article.
rire sous cape – to laugh secretly/to laugh in one’s sleeve. « Mais, ça alors ! Mon vase a disparu ! » dit le duc, perplexe. Arsène Lupin rit sous cape.
How do French people dress?
You probably have an image in your mind of how French people dress – French women, especially. Maybe you’re picturing a perfectly tailored designer dress, elegant high heels, and a chic silk scarf around their neck. Or maybe it’s a more low-key look, like impeccably fitting jeans, a blue-and-white striped shirt (une marinière) and a trench coat.
Those images describe recognizable fashion references, not a uniform. Clothing in France varies by region, weather, workplace, occasion, subculture, and personal taste. In the same city you may see tailoring, workwear, sportswear, streetwear, vintage clothes, and practical tourist outfits.
If you are visiting, dress for your plans and comfort rather than trying to pass a cultural test. A restaurant, office, religious site, hiking trail, and beach can each call for different clothes. When a venue has a dress code, follow that specific guidance.
How can you look like a local in France?
There is no dependable outfit that makes a visitor look local everywhere in France. A more useful goal is to look appropriate for the activity: check any venue rules, dress neatly when the occasion calls for it, and choose shoes comfortable enough for your itinerary.
If you enjoy the understated style often associated with France, try well-fitting basics, a light jacket or cardigan, and a small number of accessories. Treat that as an optional look, not a forecast of what French men, women, younger people, or particular social classes wear.
For current vocabulary and outfit ideas, browse the French sites of clothing retailers such as La Redoute, Kiabi, and H&M. A retailer’s catalogue shows what it sells, not how everyone in France dresses.
Are clothes expensive in France?
That’s all fine and good, you might be thinking, but what if you’re on a budget? People often tell me that France is expensive, but for every designer and high-end store, there are moderately-priced, or even downright cheap options, too. Trust me on this.
Secondhand clothing is often called la fripe. You can look for everyday or designer clothing on sites such as Leboncoin and Vinted, or search locally for a friperie (secondhand clothing shop), vide-grenier (secondhand sale), or braderie (clearance or street sale).
As I mentioned previously, there are also two regulated soldes periods, in winter and summer. Their dates and regional exceptions are published by the French government. Stores and websites can run other promotions during the year as well.
Vintage and secondhand shops are another option. You can browse a current listing for Ding Fring, but check the listing for present locations, stock, and prices before making a trip.
Whether or not you go shopping in France, you can use catalogues and shop signs to practise this vocabulary. If a particular French-inspired look appeals to you, borrow the parts that suit your own style.
Now, let’s celebrate French clothes with one of my favorite traditional French children’s songs – Promenons-nous dans les bois. The song is about little people (in this version, animals), who are happy to be in the forest since the wolf isn’t there and won’t eat them. They keep asking if the wolf is there and if he can hear them, and what he’s doing. Each time, the wolf answers that he’s putting on a different item of clothing. Once he’s dressed, he’ll come find them! It’s a fun song to sing or act out with kids, and also a great way to practice your French clothes vocabulary – you can even add in clothing items you find particularly tricky.
How do you feel about French clothes? Have you ever been shopping in France? Is there something you consider an essential part of French style?