Not Sparkles, No Velvet—This Is the Elegant Dress Trend French Women Wear During Party Season Instead

I’ve been analysing the party wardrobes of French women, and this is the elegant dress trend they all have in common.

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Influencer @annelauremais wears a satin dress with pointed-toe heels and a black clutch bag.
(Image credit: @annelauremais)
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I’ve long been inspired by the French approach to getting dressed. Unmoved by fleeting trends or magpie tendencies, there’s an effortless restraint to French style—an enduring elegance that runs through their wardrobes, extending into partywear. While others might be tempted by the season’s newest micro-trends, French women consistently return to a dress style that never dates, pulling out their trusted satin dresses year after year.

Influencer @annelauremais wears a satin dress with pointed-toe heels and a black clutch bag.

(Image credit: @annelauremais)

Inherently elegant, satin dresses offer a refined sense of occasion thanks to their lustrous finish. They deliver just the right amount of sheen—imparting polish and light without leaning into the usual festive clichés of sparkle or excess.

Enduringly chic, a satin dress is the kind of party-season investment you’ll reach for time and again. While colours, silhouettes and details may ebb and flow with the trends, the fabric itself remains timeless.

Influencer @camillecharriere wears a satin dress with a metallic clutch bag.

(Image credit: @camillecharriere)

Forever inspired by the French way, read on to shop my edit of the best satin dresses to wear now, and for many party seasons to come.

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Natalie Munro
Natalie Munro
News Writer

Natalie Munro is Who What Wear UK’s news writer and has worked in the fashion industry since she graduated with a degree in Journalism from the University of the Arts London. Natalie’s experience in the industry spans journalistic and styling roles that have seen her work for publications including British Vogue, Conde Nast Traveller, Vogue Ukraine, AnOther Magazine and Elle UK.

With an interest in uncovering the latest fashion trends, Natalie takes a leading role in identifying news for Who What Wear UK. Reporting on a daily basis, Natalie focuses on trends on and off the runway, as well as street style and celebrity fashion. Natalie also creates content for Who What Wear’s social channels including TikTok and Instagram on a weekly basis.