Sézane is one of my favorite French brands to shop for for a few reasons, the clothes are high quality and hold up over seasons and the styles are fun and different than you can buy in the US. I have loved each of the pieces I have collected over the years that I have purchased from Sézane. Sézane is a sustainable brand and they are committing to giving back to the community and various charities.
If you are looking for a brand that looks and makes you feel more French, this is it.
They do have great basics that they keep in stock and are around year after year.
You can purchase items online or in-store. Sézane now has a couple of locations with one in NYC and London if you can’t make it to Paris. On any given day, a Sézane store will be filled with shoppers. On my recent trip to Paris last October, the lines were at least 50 people deep outside. We were very lucky to have a private shopping experience to let the girls shop and try on items in the dressing room without a wait. Typically, the wait for dressing rooms is at least a few minutes.
Sizing for Sézane is so important as the French typically run a bit smaller than American sizing. You may want to size up certain items. Sézane is great in giving tips on selecting a size for each individual item. I have typically worn my regular size 4 in dresses, small in sweaters and shirts, and size 8 in shoes. There are certain items that run small or large and I do my best to address this specifically with the items below. The French cuts do vary between American cuts and it may be more cropped or baggy depending on the item and that is something to take into consideration. Look at the way things are styled in the images to get an idea of how an item should fit and if you want to size up or go for your standard size.
We are all wearing the Sézane classic Marinière shirt with a trench coat. Size small for me my regular size.
Once you sign up for their email list, you will get a notification of a lookbook for a new collection along with a release date. They are typically Sundays. The French version will go live and then the American version will go live so if you are on early, they do reserve items for the second batch to release. My tip for this is to sign on before the American sizes are released and try to snag items early. You can get the app which will give you a push notification for both the collection preview and when it is ready for sale.
I highly recommend downloading the app for easy access to new collections. In the past, they would release a collection each month. They have since updated the releases and have dropped more than one collection a month. Some sizes, styles, and colors can move quickly so it is important to get the app and push notifications. You can see a preview of a collection a few days before to get an idea if there is anything that sparks your attention.
Your cart will stay active for 30 minutes while you shop. Some collections are bigger hits than others. I am giving you the heads up because items can go fast!
Sézane recently introduced this handy guide to compare European sizing to US standard sizes.
One of the questions I get asked most often is about Sézane sizing and how it runs in comparison to US Sizing. The minimum order with Free Shipping from France is $200 so it is worth it to purchase two items to get that discount on shipping. You can always return something if it doesn’t work out. Plus, if you are unsure about sizing, you can order two sizes and see what works best. Their return system is really easy and free. Anything that doesn’t work for me will be returned back in the original box with a pre-paid shipping label. Once it returns to their warehouse, I will be credited back. No questions were asked on why it didn’t work between fabric, fit, or if I just didn’t like it.
It is one of the most popular Sézane items. They regularly restock it and add new colors. I have baby pink, blue, and black. It is light enough to wear as a transitional piece in Spring or Fall over a cami or dress. The great thing about this sweater is it can be worn two ways. The sweater runs a little big in comparison to the other sweaters. You can always do a little French tuck in the front into jeans if you feel it is too long.
I wear my Gaspard black sweater even in the summer months to drape over a dress at night to keep warm.
I am 5’6″ and it fits great as a size SMALL. I am also asked if it is itchy. It has not bothered me at all and it is soft. To wash your Sézane sweaters, I highly recommend the Laundress wool and cashmere shampoo. You can also take your items to the dry cleaners. There is wool in the sweaters and they will shrink if you do not wash them properly.
You can see some of my favorite Sézane items here. I update this regularly when new collections launch.
I have had the Johnson Coat for two years now and I love it. In the coat, I am a size 36. I could have probably gone up to a 38 with sweaters and scarves it gets a little tight. I am bigger in the chest. If you are too, you might want to size up.
This is the category of Sézane I have the most of. Each year, I invest in a few pieces that are classy and I know will carry over for more than one season. I have chosen smalls in all my sweaters. The Gaspard runs the biggest and the other sweaters are tailored a bit smaller and more of a French cut. I have a long torso so there are definitely some I wish I sized up.
I have one polka dot blouse from Sézane that I absolutely love and it has also become my staple date top before the Pandemic. It is easy and so fun and great with a pair of black boots or a skirt. I wear a Size 36 and it fits great.
I recently purchased the Louisah blouse and I love it. I have worn it so many times already. It has a boxier fit on the bottom and can be worn tucked in or out. I like the ruffle detail on the neck and it looks great with your hair pulled up. I have the size 4 in Ecru.
I have a few dresses from Sézane all in size 4. I bought 3 dresses at the store in Paris last October convinced I would be engaged in one of them. I was thrown off on my fiancé and wasn’t wearing any of them the day he proposed. I have worn this black dress the most since I bought it in October of last year.
I recently purchased the Vic dress after it sold out last year. I bought it in size 36 and it’s perfect. Make sure to tie the arms before you put them on. It’s a bit tricky if you do it the other way around. I wore this for my 40th birthday. I know I will be wearing this dress on repeat for years to come.
I recently added a Sézane belt to my collection after wanting one since last year. I tried mine on in person when I was in Paris and I wear the size 90. I am typically a 4/27 if that helps you. The 80 was too small for me.
The only category I cannot comment on sizing is Denim. They run high-waisted and I prefer lower-rise jeans.
If you are a different size than me and you have found your size in Sézane, I would love to have you comment below and share so other readers can find their size.
All photos of me taken by Katie Donnelly Photography
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