I spent countless of hours on google looking up what French women wear, the weather forecast and what I should pack for our 7 day adventure. My dream of enjoying a sinfully delicious pastry at a local cafe while wearing a scarf and red lipstick came true.
If you are planning on going to Paris, my advice is to pack as little as possible. Aim for a carry on bag so that you do not have to lug around heavy bags in the airport. Keep in mind that hotel rooms are small and transportation is very crowded. Try to stick with neutrals and create a wardrobe of mainly black and white pieces that you can mix and match. If you love color, bring a few scarves. Parisians are obsessed with scarves. While comfort is key, only pack things that you absolutely love. The last thing you want is to feel feel frumpy in this beautiful city.
Here is what I brought:
- Trench Coat: I wore mine every day! Perfect for the unpredictable weather in Paris. I found mine at Nordstrom Rack, also check out these options.
- One black dress: Choose a comfortable black dress that can be dressed up in the evening, but can also be worn with flats for sight seeing. See these options.
- One black skirt: You will get a lot of mileage out of an A line black skirt! Here are many great options.
- One pair of black pants: Perfect for museum hopping! I found mine here.
- One pair of dark wash jeans: Many options here...
- 5 tops: 3 long sleeve casual tops, 2 short sleeves...think layering
- Shoes: 2 pair of black flats, I pair of black ankle booties, bring a pair of Chuck Taylor's if you really want to wear comfy shoes, just stay away from wearing chunky gym shoes.
- 2 Scarves: you can always buy one there!
- Intimates: 1 pair of tights, pj's, extra undergarments and plenty of socks
- 1 small cross body bag: Preferably with a zipper, there are a lot of pick pockets in the touristy sites. I used my Rebecca Minkoff Mac bag every day.
Other things to consider: Invest in a universal plug adapter, you will need this to charge your cell phones. If you must bring your flat iron or a curling iron, which I did, you have to make sure it is dual voltage and that you have a universal plug adapter. As far as cameras, I chose to not bring my heavy DSLR camera, instead we took lots of pictures with our iPhone's which have amazing cameras.
If you forget anything, they sell everything in Paris. Leave room in your bag for goodies. You will find a Pharmacy on every corner which sell the best skincare and hair products.
Safe travels! Thanks so much for reading!