Bonjour!

If you’re like me, I normally go on a shopping spree before I travel anywhere far. I always feel like I have nothing to wear or that I don’t have the right things to wear. So I go online searching for the perfect outfits. But in reality, I could wear what I have in my closet. I just talk myself out of it…thinking all my clothes are for the office and not for vacation. It’s funny because when I take a work trip, I think all my clothes are too casual for the office.

Thinking about what to wear to Paris was quite stressful for me. Again, I start overthinking. You see pictures of Paris street style  and you think…I can’t look that chic. I can’t wear heeled shoes knowing I’ll be walking more than 15,000 steps a day or running after Luke. I wanted to make sure I was comfortable and a stylish at the same time.

 I wanted to share this post before I left for Paris. Then I figured it would be more helpful if I shared it after I came back (which was yesterday) since I can give a little review of what worked for me.  Below are my “essentials” or the basics to pack. You can always add your personal style by packing a colorful shirt, a short jacket, or a few colorful dresses. The one thing I learned about this whole wardrobe planning is that I wanted to look and feel “comfortable” while looking Parisian as the same time without feeling like I was trying too hard.

Tops

Striped shirts are a must. It really doesn’t matter where you get them. Just get them in both long sleeves and short sleeves for the warm and cool days. I would also add a black or white t-shirt.

Denim

If anyone can make wearing jeans look chic, it’s the Parisian. Because of my short (ahem…petite) legs, I like wearing skinny jeans. I highly suggest bringing two pairs of jeans – one black and one a light/dark wash. I tend to go for dark washes because they tend to make my legs look leaner. My go to for jeans with the perfect amount of stretch and length that are not too low or high waisted are from the Gap. I highly recommend the STRETCH 1969 True Skinny Black ones and the STRETCH 1969 True Skinny Rick Indigo ones.

Trench Coat

I’m not exaggerating…I think everyone in Paris wears a trench. And it’s a must especially when you encounter rainy weather like we did on our trip. Actually, I think a trench is appropriate in the spring even if it’s not raining. I already had a trench but  purchased this Banana Republic Classic Trench shortly before my trip because I wanted a trench that was longer in length than the one that I currently had. I purchased a size Medium which fit everywhere except that the arms were a tad bit too long. The petite trench fit me in the arms but it was just as short as the one I was trying to replace. Besides the fit, this trench kept me warm and stylish and especially very Parisian.

Shoes

I don’t know how many pairs of shoes I have. I think I’ve lost count. But I do know that I didn’t have the right shoes for walking the streets of Paris. I actually purchased three new pairs of shoes for the trip but ended up wearing the Superga Slip On in mushroom and the Cole Haan “Tali” Bow Ballet Flats the entire time.  I was in between sizes on the Superga (7.5 and 8). I went with the 8,which gave me room to wear socks. I didn’t need to break the Supergas in as they were quite comfortable with socks. I love the look of the Cole Haans and they looks very French. But I wish I would’ve worn them or broken them in before the trip. I wore them for the first time in Paris and they kinda pinched my feet. But they were perfectly comfortable a few days later. Whew!

Bags

I’ve had the Longchamp Large Le Pliage Tote for the last 10 years and it’s so light and sturdy for travel. I use it as a carry-on as well. While in Paris, I basically threw everything in this bag, from my wallet, an umbrella, snacks, to Luke’s change of clothes.

Dresses

I didn’t put any dresses on this board but I highly suggest packing a dress or two, depending on the weather. With dresses I think you should wear what works for you. I know my favorite types of dresses are fit and flair, shift, and maxi dresses. I prefer cotton dresses because they’re easier to run around chasing Luke with.

Accessories

Depending on the weather, bring or buy an umbrella while there. I prefer red because it looks great in pictures. Lastly, bring a scarf or two. I prefer an infinity scarf because it’s easier to put on and just makes it look effortless…because I struggle with the long scarves. You can have fun with print and color of the scarf!