I spoke to a french girl the other day who told me that the key to french style comes under a few factors:
1. Balance. If she wants to wear a dramatic poofy skirt then she pairs it with a hat so she never looks top heavy or bottom heavy. The same goes for colours, if she wants to wear red shoes, then she wears a red scarf or hair accessory and muted tones in the rest of her outfit.
2. As I think someone earlier said, she told me that it is really important to wear not necessarily tight or figure-flaunting clothes, but clothes which fit well and are well tailored.
3. She told me that every piece should scream your personality and that you shouldn't buy generic 'basics'.
4. She also admitted that a lot of stylish women in France wear heels in daily life, moreso than the English do.
I'm going to Paris at the beginning of next summer, I'm going to start buying my clothes and planning outfits this summer though as I won't have a chance to next year.
You summed this up well, DesignerGirl.
I have to agree with each of your 4 points, they convey the attitude i and my friends have to dressing.