This is the French girl - Xhic Boutique

It is often thought that your footwear can make or break an outfit. Whether you want to elevate a look or casual it down, shoes can make a huge difference to an outfit’s overall feel.

Here at Marie Claire, we recently spoke to French influencer and Rouje designer Jeanne Damas, to get her thoughts on the French wardrobe staples everyone should own, and throughout that conversation learned a very interesting tidbit about how the style icon elevates her outfits.

“I love to wear mules,” Damas explained. “I feel like they upgrade even the simplest looks.”

Evidently, Damas is not alone, it seems like mules (and in particular, heeled mules) are a footwear staple French women have been using to elevate outfits for years. All you have to do is look to streetstyle images of Paris Fashion Week to realise the shoe is absolutely everywhere.

Whether you’re wearing jeans and a white t-shirt, a midi summer dress or a pair of linen trousers, adding a heeled mule to the look will instantly add a polished element to your outfit.

(Not to mention, the lack of an ankle strap will seriously work to elongate the appearance of your legs.)

Fashion week attendees wear heeled mules in Paris

If you’re looking to invest in a pair of mules this summer, there are so many options around on both the designer and high-street ends of the spectrum.

When it comes to designers, Amina Muaddi has created the cutest pairs in a number of rainbow colours which come adorned with crystal embellishments. While places like Toteme and Bottega Veneta have understated options, if you’d like to go for a more minimal aesthetic.

Over on the high street, Zara has a Y2K-inspired pair with bow detailing that looks as if it’s been plucked straight from the ’90s, while Mango has offered up a sleek beige iteration that will go with everything you own.

Keep scrolling to shop the best mules for summer, as selected by a fashion editor.