First of all, we are coming to Europe from the Southeastern United States in early June. So we will already be accustomed to temperatures in the 80s and lots of sunshine. We won't, however, be packing clothes for the same climate!
London's average temps in early June are 66-68 degrees for highs and 52-55 degrees for lows - - - (and then there's that pesky precipation too).
Paris' average temps are only slightly higher at 69-70 degrees for highs and 55-56 degrees for lows.
We, therefore will be very comfortable in trousers and will need to bring a sweater or light jacket/raincoat.
Most of what we are doing will be casual (including attending a play in London's West End), but we will be going out to a couple of nice dinners where a jacket will be required for the guys.
London is more "anything goes" as far as fashion goes. But Paris is much much more fashion oriented, and you will feel very out of place if your "go-to" outfit includes shorts, flip-flops and tank tops.
PARIS clothing guide
(from ParisEscapes)
Men's Fashion Tips (P.S. Think "metrosexual")
Basically it's clothes that fit and are neat, not slouchy sloppy.
1. Leave the Athletic Wear at Home - The sweat pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, baseballs hats, and windbreakers that you live in at home aren't seen outside the "home" in Paris. Dress up a tad - sport a black sports-coat vs a hoodie, or a polo shirt instead of a t-shirt.
Unlike the US, common places, such as shops and cafes, are often considered part of a Parisian's "home". By dressing up a little, you are showing respect. And, this respect will translate into better treatment in cafes, shops and restaurants.
2. Wear Light-Weight Pants, Not Shorts - In many European churches, showing bare legs and shoulders is a sign of disrespect. This idea must have spread to outside the church, because you rarely see Parisian men and women wearing shorts in public. However, to stay cool, the men do wear capri pants - something you don't see often in the US.
3. Wear Comfortable Shoes, Not White Tennis Shoes - If you want to blend in, leave at home your white/tennis running shoes. We know that these shoes are comfortable and built for mileage, but white tennis shows are the tell-tale sign of "American Tourist". Unfortunately, many that prey on tourists also know that this is the case. Don't make yourself an easy mark for pickpockets - leave the tennis shoes at home.
There are many shoes designed for walking (Ecco, Mephisto, or Dansko). One day of climbing steps up monuments and navigating cobble stoned corridors and you'll understand why these sturdy European brands are so popular among Parisians.
1. Neutrals are Key - If you're from a climate that sports a lot of florals and bright colors, aim for the subdued approach. You can never go wrong wearing black in Paris - in fact, you'll notice that this is the color scheme that most of the locals live in. You've heard it all before - black is slimming, always in style, and versatile - a flattering black sweater or pants/skirt can be dressed down for daywear and easily spruced up for a night on the town.Black
Grey
Navy
Brown
White
Burgundy
2. Leave Leisure Wear at Home - Leave your hoodies and matching sweatpants, white tennis shoes, shorts at home. The comfortable clothes that suburban American women live in, are not seen on Parisians outside of their homes.
Elisabeth Fourmont of La Coquette, a Parisian fashion blog, says it best, 'Most countries fetishise styles only young people look good in, whereas in Paris there are interesting women dressing their age. 'That's why designers find Paris so inspiring.' And always look neat: 'There's a lot you can't get away with here,' continues Fourmont. 'Wearing a tracksuit and flip-flops to the post office is a form of disrespect.' Bottom line: Dress your age and dress nicely - you'll be rewarded with better treatment in cafés, shops and restaurants
3. Make a Statement with Accessories and Scarves - Don't over pack with too many outfits. Bring basics that travel well and that you can mix and match. Dress up your outfits with accessories - necklaces, earrings and scarves. Scarves are ubiquitous in Paris - Parisian women know they are a quick and easy way to pull an outfit together.
They also make great souvenirs. You can usually purchase a few silk scarves in the season's hottest colors and patterns (usually, a year ahead of trends in the US) for 5-10 euros at the stands outside the Galleries Lafayette. Or, splurge at Hermes for a scarf that will last a lifetime (and at 300+ euros/scarf it should).
4. Wear Comfortable Shoes, Not White Tennis Shoes - Paris is a city made for walking and you'll be on your feet more than you can imagine. You will see trendy, flat "puma" like tennis shoes on young Parisians, but if you want to blend in, leave at home your white/tennis running shoes. We know that these shoes are comfortable and built for mileage, but white tennis shoes scream "American Tourist". Truthfully, when you see white shoes in a sea of black, you know that is an American in Paris. Buy shoes made for walking. Or, wear a pair of flats, loafers or short-heeled boots that have been battle-tested at home for walking.
Men's Fashion Tips (P.S. Think "metrosexual")
Basically it's clothes that fit and are neat, not slouchy sloppy.
1. Leave the Athletic Wear at Home - The sweat pants, t-shirts, sweatshirts, baseballs hats, and windbreakers that you live in at home aren't seen outside the "home" in Paris. Dress up a tad - sport a black sports-coat vs a hoodie, or a polo shirt instead of a t-shirt.
Unlike the US, common places, such as shops and cafes, are often considered part of a Parisian's "home". By dressing up a little, you are showing respect. And, this respect will translate into better treatment in cafes, shops and restaurants.
2. Wear Light-Weight Pants, Not Shorts - In many European churches, showing bare legs and shoulders is a sign of disrespect. This idea must have spread to outside the church, because you rarely see Parisian men and women wearing shorts in public. However, to stay cool, the men do wear capri pants - something you don't see often in the US.
3. Wear Comfortable Shoes, Not White Tennis Shoes - If you want to blend in, leave at home your white/tennis running shoes. We know that these shoes are comfortable and built for mileage, but white tennis shows are the tell-tale sign of "American Tourist". Unfortunately, many that prey on tourists also know that this is the case. Don't make yourself an easy mark for pickpockets - leave the tennis shoes at home.
There are many shoes designed for walking (Ecco, Mephisto, or Dansko). One day of climbing steps up monuments and navigating cobble stoned corridors and you'll understand why these sturdy European brands are so popular among Parisians.
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| shawnvoyage |
FOR WOMEN:
1. Neutrals are Key - If you're from a climate that sports a lot of florals and bright colors, aim for the subdued approach. You can never go wrong wearing black in Paris - in fact, you'll notice that this is the color scheme that most of the locals live in. You've heard it all before - black is slimming, always in style, and versatile - a flattering black sweater or pants/skirt can be dressed down for daywear and easily spruced up for a night on the town.Black
Grey
Navy
Brown
White
Burgundy
2. Leave Leisure Wear at Home - Leave your hoodies and matching sweatpants, white tennis shoes, shorts at home. The comfortable clothes that suburban American women live in, are not seen on Parisians outside of their homes.
Elisabeth Fourmont of La Coquette, a Parisian fashion blog, says it best, 'Most countries fetishise styles only young people look good in, whereas in Paris there are interesting women dressing their age. 'That's why designers find Paris so inspiring.' And always look neat: 'There's a lot you can't get away with here,' continues Fourmont. 'Wearing a tracksuit and flip-flops to the post office is a form of disrespect.' Bottom line: Dress your age and dress nicely - you'll be rewarded with better treatment in cafés, shops and restaurants
3. Make a Statement with Accessories and Scarves - Don't over pack with too many outfits. Bring basics that travel well and that you can mix and match. Dress up your outfits with accessories - necklaces, earrings and scarves. Scarves are ubiquitous in Paris - Parisian women know they are a quick and easy way to pull an outfit together.
They also make great souvenirs. You can usually purchase a few silk scarves in the season's hottest colors and patterns (usually, a year ahead of trends in the US) for 5-10 euros at the stands outside the Galleries Lafayette. Or, splurge at Hermes for a scarf that will last a lifetime (and at 300+ euros/scarf it should).
4. Wear Comfortable Shoes, Not White Tennis Shoes - Paris is a city made for walking and you'll be on your feet more than you can imagine. You will see trendy, flat "puma" like tennis shoes on young Parisians, but if you want to blend in, leave at home your white/tennis running shoes. We know that these shoes are comfortable and built for mileage, but white tennis shoes scream "American Tourist". Truthfully, when you see white shoes in a sea of black, you know that is an American in Paris. Buy shoes made for walking. Or, wear a pair of flats, loafers or short-heeled boots that have been battle-tested at home for walking.
Remember: Paris is not the city to "break-in" a new pair of shoes.
5. Jeans are OK - Five years ago, you never saw anyone in Paris wearing jeans except teenagers. Today, denim is a growing Paris trend. Jeans are everywhere - upscale restaurants have even lessened their dress codes to admit designer jean clad customers.
Before you toss your favorite Levi's in a suitcase, remember that we're talking about Paris, and the jeans you see on Parisians contain certain stylistic elements - dark, slim fit "skinny jeans", or slight flare - paired with low-heels or ballet flats for daytime walking and stilettos for going out at night. If your jeans can be described as high-waisted or pleated, you'll feel more comfortable wearing black pants or a skirt - especially for dining in the evening.
6. Don't Worry About Your Hair and Make-Up - A bonus about visiting Paris is that you don't need to obsess over your hair and make-up. It seems like a contradiction in terms, but Parisian woman tend to favor the natural look more than their American counterparts. Hairstyles are more unstructured and air dried. You'll see more long hair pulled back into a casual chignon than elaborately straightened and styled like in the US.
Make-up is minimal with an emphasis on glowing skin (visit any French pharmacy and you will be stunned by the amount of products promising "prefect, pore-free, blemish-free radiant" skin). To quote Laura Mercier, the French creator of a line of cosmetics, "French women are not flashy. They must be subtle. The message must not be, 'I'm spending hours on my face to look beautiful."
Parisian cosmetologists caution restraint by choosing one area to highlight - shadowed eyes mean neutral or no lipstick, wear lipstick and keep your eyes untouched, and let your natural skin show by wearing minimal foundation and little blush.
Parisians just take a basic uniform like a t-shirt, blazer, jeans, and ballet flats or heels, and then change up the t-shirt to something graphic with a pattern, or instead of a blazer, they wear a black leather jacket.
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| pinterest image |
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| savespendsplurge |
LONDON:
Londoners are not going to look down on you because of what you are wearing (unlike Parisians), but London has come a long way over the past 30 years. You don't really see any Londoners wearing tennis shoes.
We are attending a play in the West End one night, but it's not a formal event. Women definitely can get away with pants and flats vs a dress and heels. You want to dress nicely for afternoon tea as well as in certain restaurants (Sushi Samba is known for having well-dressed patrons for example and has a "bouncer" of sorts that will turn people away who are dressy shabbily).
Thoughts on PACKING:
Having said all of the above, my main goal is to pack LIGHT. It'll be a first. I do not want to be struggling with numerous bags that weigh me down or are impossible for me to lift without assistance.
Here's a sample of how to pack LIGHT for a 2 week trip:
And this checklist from Huffington Post is great:
Click here for a legible list to view or print out.
They also suggest a few ways not to embarrass yourself while traveling in Europe:
1. Pack Too Much
2. Dress like you're attending a ball game
3. Overtip
4. Be really loud
5. Complain about dining dissimilarities
6. Freak out about paid toilets
(see full article here)
Here's another fabulous website with a list for a 10 day trip to Europe for women - http://travelfashiongirl.com/my-10-piece-packing-list-for-10-days-in-paris-and-rome-in-summer/
And another that has tips for what men should pack: http://traveltipsbyken.blogspot.com/p/mens-packing-list-for-europe-ive.html#.VQHg-0v_XwI
My goal is to have a handbag, a small backpack and a suitcase. All of these can be handled by myself alone. It's a sad situation when your luggage controls you:
Thoughts on PACKING:
Having said all of the above, my main goal is to pack LIGHT. It'll be a first. I do not want to be struggling with numerous bags that weigh me down or are impossible for me to lift without assistance.
Here's a sample of how to pack LIGHT for a 2 week trip:
 |
| alldaychic |
They also suggest a few ways not to embarrass yourself while traveling in Europe:
1. Pack Too Much
2. Dress like you're attending a ball game
3. Overtip
4. Be really loud
5. Complain about dining dissimilarities
6. Freak out about paid toilets
(see full article here)
Here's another fabulous website with a list for a 10 day trip to Europe for women - http://travelfashiongirl.com/my-10-piece-packing-list-for-10-days-in-paris-and-rome-in-summer/
And another that has tips for what men should pack: http://traveltipsbyken.blogspot.com/p/mens-packing-list-for-europe-ive.html#.VQHg-0v_XwI
My goal is to have a handbag, a small backpack and a suitcase. All of these can be handled by myself alone. It's a sad situation when your luggage controls you:
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