PACKING FOR PARIS

We kicked off our June trip to France with a long weekend in Paris. The itinerary was relaxed so I worked my packing around a casual theme. Comfortable shoes – sneakers and Birkenstocks – were rotated on big walking days, while a loafer took me through evenings. Sandals would have worked as well. A polished cross body (I brought an old Celine in taupe) and a lightweight Prada nylon bag were alternated during the day. I swapped those out for a small white Bottega for dinners. I packed a lightweight poplin print dress for warm days and a black ribbed tank dress which proved versatile in dressing up or down. Crisp cotton shirts, a white linen skirt, and a tank top for layering gave me plenty of styling options. For cooler temps, a black linen blazer and a cropped cardigan were useful and added polish.

I anchored the majority of my looks with classic black and white pieces. The Birkenstocks or loafers both looked chic with the skirt and blazer. On warmer days, I wore an opened cotton shirt in place of the blazer. Layered pearls went from day to night.

blazer, tank, white bag, black bag, sandals, skirt, small pearl necklace, large pearl necklace

I’ve worn this print dress several times this season. It’s my go-to for comfort and one-and-done styling, especially on hot days. The woven black belt creates a better waistline than the simple string tie.

dress, sunglasses (similar), belt, sandals, bag (another style here), pearl necklace and here

A pair of long, flare leg jeans made more sense than a cropped style for this trip. I knew I’d wear sneakers with them and could create more pulled together looks if the shoes weren’t so obvious. A stylish bag and blazer add a hint of polish.

sneakers, blazer, shirt, jeans, belt, bag

A contrast tipped cropped cardigan added a second option for a pulled together look with the jeans. I wore the cardigan on its own without an additional layer and carried a printed scarf if I wanted more coverage.

cardigan (similar here, here, and here), bag, pearl earring, loafers, jeans, sneakers

A simple, black ribbed dress was incredibly versatile. I wore it with the blazer or a poplin shirt gathered and tied at the waist. I sized up on this style from COS so it would skim the body rather than fit snug. I like to contrast an all black look with white accessories for a subtle dose of style.

black ribbed dress, also here and here. Blazer, loafers, earrings, bag and sandals, as before.