Style study: How to get Françoise hardy’s look in 2023 (ethical brands only)
Casually sitting on a car tyre in white trousers. And here I thought wearing ecru on the bus was brave.
Singer/guitarist. Actress. Motorcycle aficionado. Astrology hobbyist. French.
The combination of these things alone paints a picture of one seriously cool lady. Add in a sensational sense of style (and granted, some devastating beauty) and you’ve got yourself a living legend. Today we’re diving into the fashion looks of quintessential sixties/seventies icon, Françoise Hardy. What elements make up the outfits that look as fresh today as when they first stole the limelight over 50 years ago? And how can you get the look in 2023, with current items from ethical fashion brands?
The white outfits
All white is most often associated with bridal attire or a certain now defunct EDM event, yet it could be so much more. The look is definitely more striking than its all-black equivalent, especially when carried through up to the shoes. In order to keep the look effortless, the outfit formulas are best kept simple: all white adds interest to plain dresses as well as the forever classic - albeit somewhat boring - jeans and T-shirt combo. Oh, and about the shoes? We’ll get to those a bit further on.
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The menswear inspired looks
Despite her loyalty to Courrèges and Rabane, Françoise wasn’t impartial to YSL’s Le Smoking either. Her choice of pinstripe, plaid, shirts (either crisp or flowy), waistcoats and sharp trousers stood in contrast with girlier mod and flower power styles of the decades. In doing so, her look actually leaned closer to her male contemporaries. An interesting move, given her delicate voice and relatively girly musical repertoire.
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The bare legs + white boots combo
During my teenage years, the hate directed at white ankle boots was real. Even when they made a brief comeback, Belgian fashion media would lovingly call them by their national nickname: fuck-me boots. Isn’t it interesting how that term is also used in the US, but the type of shoes it refers to differs? Turns out 2000’s misogyny didn’t discriminate between footwear styles.
Anywhomst. I don’t care if the rest of the country has seen the light by now, I love them. While Françoise wore these boots with loads of looks, paired with a dress or skirt (and a fierce signature stance) is when they truly shine. They add interest to the most basic of combos, leaving me wondering why these aren’t everywhere as of 2023.
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Her statement coats/jackets
It’s no coincidence that some of Francoise’s most memorable looks include a coat or jacket. From a young age, she was viciously criticised for her slender frame by her grandmother, resulting in her feeling more comfortable keeping her coat on, even at a more mature age. However disturbing this backstory is (don’t be cruel to kids, people), it has given us a variety of outerwear looks nothing short of iconic.
In addition to timeless staples such as the trench and peacoats, there is one thing that dates this segment of her wardrobe: the use of real furs. A paragon of luxury for the era, yet a definite faux pas in current times. Fortunately, those that love the look have plenty of equally sumptuous vegan alternatives to choose from. Please be aware that I couldn’t find any faux fur brands with stellar scores along all three pillars of sustainable/ethical fashion: they prioritise animal welfare, but usually leave some room for improvement with regards to labour and/or environmental impact. Turns out, even faux fur might not leave you feeling totally warm and fuzzy… Something to take into consideration.
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The Paco Rabanne looks
Definitely more challenging to replicate, but fun to include since Françoise is well known to be shy and these looks are nothing of the sort. Some of Paco Rabanne’s distinctive chainmail garments were in sharp contrast with the wearability of her usual getups (see above), while other leather renditions (below) are more wearable. To me, some of these are vaguely reminiscent of the Issey Miyake Bao Bao bags that were in style some years ago, but seeing the concept taken this far is definitely impressive. Françoise stayed true to her era with nods to the space age and characteristic sixties silhouettes and I would be excited to see these styles make a comeback.
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You were probably wondering what I was going to do with this one, huh? I’m afraid I’m at a dead end here. Unless you’re great at DIY, your best bet will probably be the real thing (second hand of course).
However, should you, realistically? Some fashion moments might be better left admired than replicated literally. I think the most important lesson here is that, when the occasion calls for it, it can be fun to go for whichever eccentric statement makes you feel golden, however much it differs from your daily style.
The accessories
While not big on jewelry, Françoise is the queen of sunglasses in all shapes as long as they’re big. Throw in a fedora, newsboy cap or silk carré scarf and you have all the visual interest you need. I find this take on accessories quite refreshing: while jewelry styles might come and go within the span of a couple of seasons, her staples are truly quite timeless.
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Her beauty look
Not much (if anything) has been written about Francoise’s beauty routine, so I’ll have to go by eye here. As far as I can tell, she liked to keep things simple, some elegant winged liner being the only discernible makeup I can consistently spot, save for maybe a dab of compact powder. Interesting detail: she doesn’t seem to have acres of eyelid space, so as someone with hooded eyes this gives me some hope that someday I might make this work for me. Her radiant, lightly sunkissed skin does the rest, resulting in an extremely fresh-faced look with just a hint of vintage glamour.
This one-accent approach is very much in line with the elusive “French girl beauty” routines so excessively reported on by our media. Her hair fits the brief just as nicely: shiny and sleek with a nonchalant fringe that would bother any mortal, but falls just right on her. Well-kempt but never blatantly styled.
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Further reading
This post took a couple of weeks to write, during which I also read The despair of monkeys and other trifles, Françoise’s autobiography. She doesn’t talk about her style a lot, but I enjoyed reading about her life in her own voice.
Some other Françoise style guides I stumbled upon: Alice Catherine’s (whose blog is one of the very few I still read and has remained active), and Mandy Morello’s (whose blog is now inactive, but a real treasure trove for anything sixties).
Eluxe Magazine’s roundup of faux fur brands + Goodonyou’s critical take on the material.
Conscious Life & Style’s guide to sustainable and ethical boots. Need even more? Of course Goodonyou also has one.
Thank you for reading!
