French Women Are Skipping Dainty Florals for This Bold Summer Print Trend
Our take
The shift away from delicate florals and towards bolder, seventies-inspired prints this summer, as noted by Eugénie Trochu, signals a fascinating evolution in the French aesthetic—and, by extension, the broader landscape of contemporary style. It’s a move away from a traditionally romanticized, almost twee femininity, and towards something more vibrant, confident, and rooted in a specific historical moment. We've seen a similar restlessness with established trends elsewhere; consider the recent embrace of playful footwear—fashion people are skipping basic sandals for this fun shoe trend Fashion People Are Skipping Basic Sandals for This Fun Shoe Trend This Summer—demonstrating a desire for self-expression beyond the expected. Furthermore, the mention of an "Italian holiday spirit" is key. This isn’t just about a pattern; it’s about evoking a feeling – a sense of leisure, warmth, and unapologetic joy that resonates deeply after periods of restriction and muted palettes. It’s a visual embodiment of a collective yearning for escape and vibrant experiences.
The rejection of the expected—the predictable floral—speaks to a broader fatigue with trends that feel overly safe or prescriptive. It’s a subtle rebellion against the pressure to conform to a narrow definition of femininity, a move that aligns with a growing desire for individuality and self-assuredness. Trends like mule sneakers—here's my honest review I Tried Mule Sneakers—Here's My Honest Review and How I'd Actually Style Them—while polarizing, also embody this spirit of experimentation; they are not subtle choices. Trochu’s observation about fashion as a space of memory, projection, and reinvention, as she explores in her upcoming book, is particularly relevant here. Seventies prints aren't just visually appealing; they carry a cultural weight, evoking a time of artistic freedom, bold self-expression, and a distinct sense of style. To adopt them is to consciously engage with that history and reimagine it for a modern context. The accessibility of these styles, with options available at various price points, as showcased in the article on basic essentials Celebs and Fashion People Can't Get Enough of This Simple Basic—I Found 17 Chic Picks for Under $100 at Nordstrom, further democratizes this trend, making it attainable for a wider audience.
This movement also reflects a broader cultural shift towards embracing bolder color palettes and more dynamic patterns. The quiet luxury aesthetic, while still influential, is being tempered by a desire for visual interest and a willingness to take risks. It isn’t about a complete abandonment of understated elegance, but rather a reinterpretation of it – incorporating vibrant elements in unexpected ways. Think a silk slip dress in a bold geometric print, or a perfectly tailored blazer paired with statement trousers featuring a vibrant, seventies-inspired motif. The emphasis on the “Italian holiday spirit” suggests a move away from hyper-curated, minimalist aesthetics and towards a more lived-in, joyful style. It’s about embracing imperfection, celebrating individuality, and finding joy in the details. It’s less about meticulously constructing a perfect image and more about radiating a confident, authentic sense of self.
Ultimately, the rise of these bold prints represents a refreshing departure from predictable trends and a celebration of individuality. It’s a visual declaration of liberation – a move towards embracing joy, self-expression, and a renewed appreciation for the vibrancy of the past. The question now is, will this trend continue its momentum into the fall, or will we see another swift shift in the fashion landscape? The longevity of this bold aesthetic will likely depend on its ability to seamlessly integrate into the changing seasons and resonate with a desire for both comfort and self-assured style.
Eugénie Trochu is a Who What Wear editor in residence known for her transformative work at Vogue France and her Substack newsletter, where she documents and shares new trends, her no-nonsense approach to fashion and style, plus other musings. She's also working on her upcoming first book that explores fashion as a space of memory, projection, and reinvention.
I love florals. In fact, I think I've worn them every summer for as long as I can remember. Yet this season, I've realized that my taste is heading in a rather different direction from what most brands seem to be offering.
Everywhere, there are light, delicate, almost translucent flowers. Prints resemble watercolors, pastel bouquets are scattered across cream backgrounds, and dresses look as though they were picked from an English garden at first light. It's charming, obviously, but I've caught myself craving exactly the opposite.
At the moment, I'm only drawn to exuberant florals—huge orange peonies, fuchsia dahlias, red roses that look almost artificial—and prints that are intensely colorful and deeply retro, evoking a 1970s grandmother's wallpaper more than a romantic cottage in Kent. The more "pop" they are, the more they appeal to me.
There is something profoundly uplifting about these flowers. They are not trying to flatter. They are not trying to be timeless. They are sometimes a little kitsch, often excessive, but they have character. They remind me of the fabrics in the holiday homes of my childhood: printed tablecloths, curtains faded by the sun, family photographs whose colors have gently softened with time. They possess a warmth and generosity that I do not always find in more contemporary prints.
I'm currently looking for a dress to wear to a wedding in Italy, and unsurprisingly, I keep coming back to this kind of pattern. I want a dress that is very simple in its cut yet covered in gigantic, colorful flowers, something that looks a little like an Italian sofa from 1974, in the very best sense of the term.
With flat sandals, a few gold jewels, and my hair pinned up, it feels like exactly what I want this summer—not something discreet, something that immediately gives the impression that the holidays have begun.
How to Wear Bold Florals
To wear bold florals without looking as though you've stepped straight out of a deleted scene from Austin Powers, a certain amount of discipline is required.
When the print is this bold, everything else should step back. The simplest sandals possible, very little jewelry, a discreet bag, hair tied up or left natural. No sophisticated makeup, no dramatic heels, no accumulation of accessories. The idea is not to add glamour to the print; it already handles that perfectly well on its own.
These florals work best when treated with a degree of nonchalance. Otherwise, there is always the risk of drifting into "wealthy Sicilian heiress on a never-ending holiday" territory or becoming a little too much like Tanya McQuoid on the yacht in season 2 of The White Lotus. This may be an admirable reference on-screen but is considerably more difficult to pull off on a Tuesday morning in the city.
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