The Real Chic Life

First, I’m excited to announce the winner of our Diptyque giveaway- Velvetwhip! Congrats, please see the original giveaway post for more information. We’ll be announcing an exciting new giveaway for subscribers on Tuesday. Now on to Sézane. One of the ways I elevate my classic style is by having feminine tops that are easy to wear with denim, and perfect to mix and match with skirts and slacks. They’re wardrobe staples that do quite a bit of heavy lifting. Though we love sharing about all the things that lead to living a beautiful, joy-filled life, we’re pretty big fashion aficionados over here. One of our favorite brands for chic staple pieces is the French brand Sézane. Courtney has a post about their knitwear, which you can see here. She also shared a little about the brand’s history- “If you’re unfamiliar with Sézane, it’s a French brand founded in 2013 by Morgane Sézalory, that is known for having a mix of classic, feminine, and bohemian pieces with a French aesthetic. The brand has a robust website as well as multiple brick-and-mortar locations across Europe and the US.” 

In 2023, George and I went to Paris for my 50th birthday. One of my shopping stops was the original Appartement on rue sainte-fiacre, the Parisian street where Sézane was born. Though you can easily purchase Sézane online (I highly recommend that by the way- they ship fast and returns are easy), it was delightful to visit a brick-and-mortar location too. 

One of the things I love about the brand is that they incorporate so many pretty details into their designs- lace, ruffles, and prints, presented in fresh new ways. Their pieces are classic but never boring. 

My first pick is the Chlo Shirt– The Chlo is a long-sleeved, high-collar shirt with an embroidered band on the placket and collar. I have five of these in my wardrobe- which is probably enough to be considered a collection. My collection runs the gamut- from silk to cotton, but my favorite of the fabrics is the guipure lace. They add new versions of the shirt throughout the year, which keeps me coming back for more. I’d recommend a silk Chlo in ecru to start- as that feels like an essential wardrobe staple piece. The sizing recommendation is that if you’re between sizes choose the size below. This worked perfectly for me. 

My second pick is the Abélia Blouse– The Abélia is a long-sleeved textured blouse in a wrap-around style with a V-front for a draped effect. I have the Abélia in purple, an older colorful floral print, and a black blouse with a small white floral print. Neither of the florals is available now but it does come in bottle green, ecru, black, and black with gold rhinestones. For a more conservative look, you will want to wear a cami or pin it- as the drape is pretty low, but I find it so feminine, versatile, and easy to wear that I reach for mine often. I sized down for this one too. 

My third pick, the Bianca Blouse– was a new purchase for me. If you saw my holiday Instagram story or my try-on reel, you know I discovered a Sézane Golden Ticket in my holiday gift package. This was a huge surprise as I never win anything (hopefully we’re rounding a corner here). Winning season? I’m definitely here for that. But I digress; the golden ticket was for $250 in Sézane merchandise. With my lucky voucher in hand, I chose two Bianca blouses that were on my wishlist. 

The Bianca has ⅞ sleeves, a high collar and cuffs in guipure, and a lace cutout print throughout. The back slit closes with buttons at the collar. Right now, it comes in black and ecru. The lace makes it uber-feminine but it has such a fun and interesting pattern that it feels both classic and edgy. Size down on this one too. 

So those are my top 3 favorites to wear all year. Even though they all have longer sleeves, the fabrics are light and the lace is breezy- so they work well with lighter denim, dress shorts, or skirts. I also picked up a classic Max Shirt that seemed to garner high marks in my reel. I love that you can style it in so many ways. I haven’t worn it out yet, but after my try-on, I think it’s going to make my future favorites list too. 

Have you tried any tops or blouses from Sézane? If so, I’d love to hear about your favorites in the comments below.

Until Next Post, 

Xo Tonya Parker