Saint-Tropez is where French ease meets a little glamour — sun-bleached, moneyed, but never trying. Bardot invented the look here and it hasn't really changed: tan skin, a striped something, flat sandals, and the confidence to under-dress a place everyone else over-dresses. The mistake visitors make is packing for the fantasy instead of the reality. So I use a system.
The Riviera Packing Method™
The Riviera Packing Method™ is our simple rule for the Côte d'Azur: one palette, three fabrics, five pieces, two shoes. One neutral-and-white palette so everything mixes; three fabrics only (linen, cotton, fine knit); five core pieces (a striped piece, a two-piece set, an easy day dress, one dinner dress, a swimsuit); two pairs of shoes (flat leather sandals for day, one dressier flat for night). That's the whole case — and you'll look more Tropezienne than the woman with three suitcases.
The port and the day: striped, easy, Bardot
Nothing is more Saint-Tropez than stripes. A striped halter maxi like the Hermance Striped Halter Maxi is the port-in-the-morning, coffee-and-people-watching piece — effortless and unmistakably Riviera.
Club 55 and beach days
The famous beach lunch calls for something you can wear over a swimsuit and still feel chic in. A relaxed set like the Sandrine Halter Top and Wide-Leg Pants Set is exactly right — it's the second of your five pieces and it earns its place all day.
Evening in the old town
Dinner in the cobbled streets behind the port wants softness, not sparkle. A pretty polka-dot maxi like the Colombe Sleeveless Polka-Dot Maxi has that undone French charm — your one dinner dress, doing quiet work.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear in Saint-Tropez?
Effortless Riviera pieces in a white-and-neutral palette: stripes, an easy two-piece set, a soft day dress, one dinner dress, and flat leather sandals. Follow The Riviera Packing Method™ — one palette, three fabrics, five pieces, two shoes — and you'll look chic from the port to Club 55.
Is Saint-Tropez dressy or casual?
It's glamorous but understated by day — the chic move is to under-dress slightly. Evenings in the old town are a little more polished, but softness beats sparkle. Confidence and ease read as more Tropezienne than anything flashy.
What shoes should I pack for Saint-Tropez?
Two pairs: flat leather sandals for the cobbled streets and beach by day, and one dressier flat or low sandal for dinner. Heels are impractical on the cobblestones.
What is The Riviera Packing Method?
It's Forever Vogue's packing system for the Côte d'Azur: one neutral-and-white palette, three fabrics (linen, cotton, fine knit), five core pieces, and two pairs of shoes — a full Riviera wardrobe in one small case.
Keep reading
More coast: What to Wear in Positano, Capri Style Guide, What to Wear in Mykonos, and the European Summer Packing List. Shop it in Côte d'Azur, Resort Mornings, and European Summer.
— Sabine