Packing for a trip to Paris, or perhaps just dreaming of a shopping spree on the Champs-Élysées? Whatever the occasion, talking about what you wear is an essential part of daily life. While you might know one basic word for 'clothes' in French, there are actually several options. The term you choose can depend on the context, the formality of the situation, or the specific type of clothing you're discussing. Learning these variations will not only boost your vocabulary but also make your French sound much more natural. Let's dive into 9 different ways to say 'clothes' in French!

The standard term for 'clothes' – les vêtements

Les vêtements is the most common and standard French word for 'clothes'. It's a versatile, all-purpose term you can use in almost any situation, from everyday conversation to more formal contexts.

An important thing to remember is that les vêtements is almost always used in the plural form when referring to clothes in a general sense. The singular form, un vêtement, means 'an item of clothing' or 'a garment'.

Think of it this way:

• Les vêtements = Clothes (in general, a collection)
• Un vêtement = A piece of clothing (a single item)

For example, you'd say, J'achète des vêtements (I'm buying clothes), but Ce t-shirt est mon vêtement préféré (This t-shirt is my favorite piece of clothing).

Les vêtements is a neutral term, suitable for any context. You can use it when talking to friends, shopping in a store, or in a professional setting. It covers everything from shirts and pants to dresses and coats.

The verb associated with les vêtements is s'habiller, which means 'to get dressed' or 'to dress oneself'. For example: Je m'habille pour aller au travail. (I'm getting dressed to go to work.)

💡 * J'ai beaucoup de vêtements dans mon armoire. (I have a lot of clothes in my wardrobe.)

• Elle porte des vêtements élégants. (She wears elegant clothes.)
• Ce pull est un vêtement très chaud pour l'hiver. (This sweater is a very warm piece of clothing for winter.)
• Où sont les vêtements pour enfants ? (Where are the children's clothes?)
• Il faut laver ces vêtements à la main. (You have to wash these clothes by hand.)

The slightly more formal term for 'clothing' – les habits

Beyond the common term les vêtements, French offers another word for 'clothing': les habits (m.). While it can be used interchangeably with les vêtements in some contexts, it often carries a slightly more formal, traditional, or even literary connotation.

The key difference lies in the nuance. Les habits often refers to a specific set of clothes for a particular occasion or purpose, especially formal ones. Think of the English distinction between 'clothes' and 'attire' or 'garments'. You might hear an older person use les habits more frequently in everyday speech.

The singular form, l'habit (m.), is particularly specific. It often means a uniform, a costume, or a formal suit, such as a riding habit (un habit de cheval) or a monk's habit (un habit de moine). This specificity is captured in the famous French proverb: L'habit ne fait pas le moine (literally, 'The habit doesn't make the monk'), which means 'Don't judge a book by its cover.'

You'll frequently encounter les habits in specific expressions. For example, les habits du dimanche refers to one's 'Sunday best'—the nicest clothes reserved for special occasions. Similarly, un marchand d'habits is an old-fashioned term for a dealer in second-hand clothes.

To summarize: use les vêtements for general, everyday clothing in most modern conversations. Use les habits when referring to more formal attire, specific outfits for an occasion, or when aiming for a more traditional or literary tone.

💡 * Il a mis ses plus beaux habits pour la cérémonie.

• N'oublie jamais le proverbe : l'habit ne fait pas le moine.
• Les enfants, allez changer vos habits avant de dîner, vous êtes tout sales !
• Le musée présentait une collection d'habits royaux du 17ème siècle.

The informal/slang term for 'clothes' – les fringues

A very common informal or slang way to say “clothes” in French is les fringues.

While the standard, neutral term is les vêtements, you'll hear les fringues constantly in everyday, casual speech. It's the French equivalent of saying “threads” or “gear” in English.

Grammatically, fringues is a feminine plural noun. You will almost always encounter it in the plural form. For a single item, one might say une fringue, but this is much less common.

This is the perfect word to use when chatting with friends about shopping, packing for a trip, or complimenting an outfit. However, you should avoid using it in formal situations, like a business meeting or in academic writing, where les vêtements is the appropriate choice.

From this noun comes the informal reflexive verb se fringuer, which means “to dress” or “to get dressed.” For example, Il se fringue toujours à la mode means “He always dresses fashionably.”

💡 * J'ai dépensé tout mon argent dans les fringues ce week-end.

• Il faut que je lave une montagne de fringues.
• J'adore tes fringues ! Où est-ce que tu les as achetées ?
• Pour le déménagement, mets de vieilles fringues.

A specific 'outfit' – une tenue

A specific 'outfit' – une tenue

Une tenue is the French word for an 'outfit,' but it specifically refers to a complete set of clothes chosen for a particular occasion or activity. It emphasizes the coordinated nature of the clothing.

The word tenue is a feminine noun. This means you must use feminine articles like une (a/an) or la (the). For example, you would say la tenue est belle (the outfit is beautiful).

You would use une tenue when talking about a 'work outfit' (une tenue de travail), a 'sports outfit' (une tenue de sport), or an 'evening outfit' (une tenue de soirée). It is more specific than the general word for 'clothes,' which is vêtements.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'une nouvelle tenue pour le mariage. (I need a new outfit for the wedding.)

• Sa tenue de soirée était magnifique. (Her evening outfit was magnificent.)
• Les athlètes portaient leur tenue officielle. (The athletes were wearing their official uniform/outfit.)
• Quelle est ta tenue préférée pour l'hiver ? (What is your favorite outfit for winter?)

The 'things' or 'stuff' you wear – les affaires

Les affaires is a versatile French term that broadly translates to "things," "stuff," or "belongings," but it's very commonly used to refer specifically to your clothes.

Think of it as the French equivalent of saying "I need to pack my stuff" when you mean your clothes and other personal items for a trip. It's a casual and common way to refer to your clothing collectively.

When used in this context, affaires is almost always in the plural form: les affaires. The singular form, une affaire, typically means something different, like "a deal," "a business," or "a matter."

While les vêtements is the direct and more formal translation for "clothes," les affaires is more informal and can encompass other personal items you might wear or carry, like a bag or accessories. It’s a broader, more everyday term.

Use les affaires when you're talking about your clothes and personal items in a general, informal way, such as when packing, tidying up, or getting ready to go out.

💡 * Je dois ranger mes affaires. (I have to put away my things/clothes.)

• Prends tes affaires, on s'en va ! (Grab your stuff, we're leaving!)
• J'ai acheté de nouvelles affaires pour l'hiver. (I bought new clothes/things for the winter.)
• Où sont mes affaires de sport ? (Where is my sports gear/stuff?)

The 'laundry' or 'linens' that are clothes – le linge

In French, le linge is the primary term for 'laundry.' While it can encompass all household textiles that are washed, like towels and bedsheets, it most commonly refers to clothes in the context of the washing process. Think of it as the collective noun for items heading to, or coming from, the washing machine.

It's crucial not to confuse le linge with les vêtements. Les vêtements are 'clothes' in a general sense—the items you wear or see in a shop. Le linge refers to those same items, plus others like towels, when they are grouped together for washing, drying, or folding. For example, you buy des vêtements, but you wash le linge.

You'll almost always encounter le linge in phrases related to chores. The most common expression is faire le linge or faire la lessive, both meaning 'to do the laundry.' You might also hear étendre le linge (to hang the laundry), plier le linge (to fold the laundry), and refer to the panier à linge sale (dirty laundry basket).

The word linge is also the root for 'linens.' You'll see it in specific terms like linge de lit (bed linens) and linge de table (table linens). This highlights its core meaning related to washable fabric items in the home, not just clothing.

💡 Je dois faire le linge avant ce soir. (I have to do the laundry before tonight.)
Le panier de linge sale déborde ! (The dirty laundry basket is overflowing!)
Peux-tu m'aider à étendre le linge dehors ? (Can you help me hang the laundry outside?)
Nous changeons le linge de lit toutes les semaines. (We change the bed linens every week.)

The entire collection of clothes or 'wardrobe' – la garde-robe

The French term for a 'wardrobe,' referring to the entire collection of clothes a person owns, is la garde-robe. This noun is essential for discussions about fashion, shopping, or daily routines.

While la garde-robe most often refers to a person's collection of clothing, it can also literally mean the piece of furniture where you store them (an armoire or closet). The context usually makes the meaning clear.

It's crucial to remember that la garde-robe is a feminine noun. Therefore, you must use feminine articles and agreements, such as la, une, or describing it as nouvelle (new).

💡 * J'ai besoin de renouveler ma garde-robe pour l'hiver. (I need to update my wardrobe for the winter.)

• Elle a une garde-robe impressionnante, pleine de vêtements de créateurs. (She has an impressive wardrobe, full of designer clothes.)
• Pour mon nouvel emploi, je dois me constituer une garde-robe plus professionnelle. (For my new job, I have to build a more professional wardrobe.)

A single 'garment' or 'item of clothing' – un article vestimentaire

A single 'garment' or 'item of clothing' – un article vestimentaire

Un article vestimentaire is a precise and somewhat formal way to say 'an item of clothing' or 'a garment.' You'll often encounter this term in retail, fashion, or administrative contexts, like when filling out a customs form or reading a product description.

Let's break it down: un article means 'an item,' and vestimentaire is an adjective meaning 'related to clothing.' Together, they literally mean 'a clothing item,' which makes it easy to remember and understand its specific usage.

While you can almost always use the more common word un vêtement (a piece of clothing), using un article vestimentaire emphasizes that you are referring to a single, distinct piece from a larger collection of clothes. It sounds more specific and technical.

💡 * Le magasin offre une réduction pour l'achat de trois articles vestimentaires.

• Cet article vestimentaire est fabriqué à partir de matériaux recyclés.
• Veuillez décrire chaque article vestimentaire que vous avez perdu dans votre valise.

The 'look' or 'style' – le look

When you want to talk about someone's 'look' or 'style' in French, one of the most common and modern terms you'll hear is le look. This is a direct loanword from English, adopted into everyday French to describe a person's overall appearance, including their clothes, hair, and fashion sense.

It's important to remember that le look is a masculine noun in French. Therefore, it is always used with masculine articles like le (the), un (a), or mon (my). Forgetting this is a common mistake for English speakers.

You can easily specify the type of look by adding an adjective after the noun. This is a very flexible structure used to describe any kind of style. For example, you can say un look décontracté (a casual look), un look chic (a chic/stylish look), or un look rock (a rock-and-roll look).

While le look is very popular, you can also use the more traditional French word le style. The two are often interchangeable. However, le look can sometimes refer more to a specific outfit or a current trend, whereas le style might imply a more general and timeless sense of fashion.

💡 * J'adore ton nouveau look ! (I love your new look!)

• Il a un look très professionnel pour son entretien. (He has a very professional look for his interview.)
• Elle a adopté un look vintage pour la soirée. (She adopted a vintage look for the party.)
• Ce n'est pas mon style, je préfère un look plus simple. (That's not my style, I prefer a simpler look.)

Are there other ways to say 'clothes' in French?

Are there other ways to say “clothes” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “clothes” in French, from the standard vêtements and habits to the informal fringues. However, the French language, especially concerning fashion, is incredibly rich. There are many other terms, including specific words for different types of attire, regionalisms, and ever-evolving slang.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for specific categories, like “vêtements de sport” (sportswear) or “tenue de soirée” (evening wear). This will help you learn more precise and contextual terms.

Context is everything. The word used in a high-fashion magazine might be different from what people use in everyday conversation. Before using a new word, always check its definition and try to see how it’s used by native speakers.

Pay attention as you watch French movies, read fashion blogs, or browse French online shops. You’ll naturally discover the nuances and the specific vocabulary that surrounds the world of French style.

If you're looking for more specific terms or idiomatic expressions related to clothing, exploring a French fashion magazine's website like Vogue France or Elle France can be a fantastic and practical resource.

I hope this article has helped you dress up your French vocabulary. To finish on a stylish note, here is a timeless quote from the legendary designer Coco Chanel: La mode se démode, le style jamais. (Fashion fades, only style remains the same.)