Packing Lists

What I Wore in Paris

I’m going to be doing a detailed itinerary of what we did in Paris, but first I thought I’d round up the outfits I packed. Not going to lie here… I did an excellent job of packing the right things. Packing is one of the stressors I have when it comes to traveling. (And it probably will be until we have some Harry Potter-esque floo powder that I can use to transport my entire closet with me.) I always worry that I’m going to forget something or pack the wrong thing or wish I had brought different shoes, or whatever.

So a week before the trip, the weather looked ~perfect~ or “parfait” as the French would say. It looked sunny every day and in the mid-60s. That’s the easiest type of weather to pack for because you can do sweaters or light coats and not have to worry about actually staying warm.

Then as our travel day got closer, the weather started to look poorer and poorer. It was going to be in the mid/high 40s/low 50s and chance of rain every day. This is the hardest to pack for! At least if it’s freezing every day, you can carry on a giant puffer, wear the same jeans, and your warmest boots every day. The pretty-cold-not-freezing-maybe-rainy is tough.

But my outfits ended up being spot-on and I gave myself a little pat on my back.

Please enjoy these mirror selfies 😂

I have no photos of what I wore on the flight over, which is probably for the best considering my lack of sleep. But I wore my heaviest coat, a turtleneck over a white tee, jeans, and sneakers. (I’m usually freezing on flights, but I was so hot on that one– I was relieved to have on a simple white tee under my turtleneck, which I rolled up and used as a neck pillow, ha.) I wore pretty much the same thing on the way home, so not much to report there.

What to Pack for Paris

DAY 1 // Walking around/Museum Hopping

Bow Sweater // Pants // Ballet Flats // Trench Coat

When I put this on, I was expecting a rather leisurely day since we had just arrived on the red eye. I think we were running on adrenaline though and ended up covering some serious ground over the course of the day. This was the simplest of outfits I packed and, frankly, you just can’t go wrong with black trousers and a trench in Paris! These pants are miracle pants. They look super dressy but are as comfortable as leggings– great for traveling and work.

Packing for Paris in the Fall

DAY 2 // More Exploring

Coat // Sweater // Jeans // Boots (c/o) // Hair Bow

This was the outfit I was most excited to wear when I packed it for the trip. It’s super comfortable, but I felt very put together. I mentioned in Friday’s post that I was nervous about wearing these boots for the first time. I had nothing to worry about because they are insanely comfortable– I walked 12+ miles in them this day alone. (Which was also the first time I wore them!)

How to pack for Paris

DAY 3 // Garden hopping, shopping, exploring

Similar Coat (mine is old from a couple of years ago) // Jeans // Boots (c/o) // Turtleneck

Another cold day called for a cashmere turtleneck under a wool coat. I packed these gloves for the trip too and I’m so glad I did. Warm and easy to flip over and off when you need to text or (take a photo 😉).

What to wear to Normandy

DAY 4 // Day Trip to Normandy

Coat // Turtleneck // Jeans // Rain Boots // Gloves // Tote // Similar Scarf

For this day, I dressed for comfort and warmth above everything else. I wish I had brought a beanie to wear, but my beret was going to have to make do. I wore my warmest coat, a thick turtleneck, jeans, and rain boots. I swapped out the Longchamp I had been carrying in Paris for this tote so I’d have more room to hold snacks and extra water.

Outfits for Paris

Day 5 // Rainy day of exploring

Similar Trench (less expensive) // Similar Sweater // Scarf // Jeans // Rain Boots // Beret

I had to bring out my rain boots for the first half of the day because it was so rainy and I didn’t want to ruin my shoes. I almost didn’t pack this red trench, but I’m glad I did. Sounds so dumb, but it really popped in photos on such a cloudy day.

Outfit for Paris

One last thing though, I carried my black Longchamp every day (besides the day trip to Normandy). It’s the best bag to travel with, especially if you’re worried about pickpocketing. I like that it zips all the way across and tucks nicely under my shoulder while still fitting everything I need, including a camera, throughout the day. It also folds up super tightly, so it doesn’t take up valuable space for souvenirs on the way home.

Okay! Later this week I’ll share actual photos from the trip + the details from the itinerary!

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19 Comments

Ashley

Love this recap!! Please include details/thoughts on the Ritz Paris, too. I’ve been to Paris once and we stayed at the George V, which is also a super classic/famous Paris hotel, but would love to hear about the Ritz, specifically if you thought the splurge was worth it.

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Kelly

Carly, do you have tips for how to pack so many coats?! I have quite the collection but can never seem to get more than 2 in my bag 🙁

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Heather

I was wondering the exact same thing! Coats make the outfit when you’re going to spend most of the day strolling around outside, but they take up so much room!

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Isabella

PLEASE do a post on how you actually packed (and fit stuff in) for this trip. 5 different coats? How many checked bags is that??? I get that bloggers have to bring this much stuff, but I think it would be very interesting for us to see what the breakdown actually looks like. Especially if you have coat-folding tips!

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Christine

YES!!! Exactly what I was thinking. I need a video of you packing your suitcase or seeing how much luggage you bring along! Or at least a detailed diagram/list of packing/outfits. I always overpack in some areas and underpack in others. But five coats, quite impressive.

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Malinda

All your outfits look so Paris chic! I have the black pants from your first day and they are amazing. I wear them to work a few days a week and they’re so comfortable. I love your plaid coat, it looks so polished and put together!
Cheers,
Malinda
https://www.pearlsandpinot.com/

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Mackenzie

I love all of these outfits! They are making me even more excited for the fall, chilly weather we have been having. I think good sweaters and cute jackets are key to not feeling frumpy in so many layers when its chilly out. How do you pack your Hunters? Also a note about Longchamps – I actually wouldn’t recommend wearing them around Paris if you are going to be in tourist areas or on the Metro. Apparently there are pickpockets that specialize in these bags due to the canvas material- they use a switchblade to cut the fabric open without you even noticing. Sounds insane but happened to 2 of my girlfriends when we were there on 2 separate occasions. I am hyper-vigilant and did not notice anything happen on the crowded train (we were all standing in a group) and when we got off her bag was cut into. Crazy! Just worth noting.

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Marcella

I was going to say I loved having my Longchamp in Paris this spring because I felt like it made me blend in more since everyone has them! But I had no idea about that I thought they were aafe since you can bring the zipper in front 😯

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Laura

I would love to see how you packed everything for your trip! I always struggle so much on what to pack and how to pack especially with larger items like coats and you brought so many nice ones!

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Laura

This is so helpful! Did you find your Hunters to be comfortable walking around all day? I have a trip to NorthernEurope coming up and am struggling on what shoes to bring! Bean boots or Hunters as a waterproof option.

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