We are now in the throes of planning for our trip to Paris. We leave next Tuesday and are gone for 10 days. A few days in Paris, then on to the South of France. We actually booked the same place in France where Miss Dani BP stayed last summer! It is so nice to rent a spot where a friend has already been - you arrive knowing that it recommended, and that all of the ameneties are there.
We are each only taking one small-ish bag. We are being very disciplined this time and plan to buy a soft sided bag over there if we need one for the goodies (hello wine and macarons, I am taking to YOU!)
My colour story is simple - navy, white, pops of blue and pink. While I do not have a picture of my shoes, they too will be simple - my walking flats by Arche, simple white tennis shoes (the Joe Fresh ones that look like bensimons), my butterfly van eli sandals and a pair of blue sandals. I will buy my espadrilles there when I arrive. Thus far, the weather looks promising - warm and sunny. As we get closer, I may have to trade out a thing or two if the weather looks like it is suddenly going to be colder..
I am packing around 8 tank tops and tshirts - they are easily packable, take very little room in a suitcase and are interchangeable with my bottoms. One sequin tank for some bling.
So far - only two pair of trousers - my j crew eyelet capris and a pair of white jeans for the airplane. I am always cold on airplans and will have a warm wrap and a nice jacket for that!
4 Skirts and one pair of shorts for the gite in southern france for lounging around.
Sweaters! I am always cold and I like to mix and match with the ts and skirts and dresses - one pink jackie, a navy jackie, the royal blue jackie, and the periwinkle jackie twin set. I am also bringing the Rococco top and a lightweight ivory cardigan. All roll easily into the suitcase! Did you notice the throw pillow with Paris written on it - purely a coincidence, I tell you!
Three dresses - the J Crew Giverny Dress, a Joe Fresh white eyelet shift and my Theory black jersey.
The one "undecided" is the maxi jardin skirt:
I think it will simply take up too much suitcase space! If it fits, it will be an add-on!
I will pack 2 or 3 lightweight scarves in appropriate colours to coordinate. Have not finalized the jacket I will take - I may take a simple blazer, but I am not sure...
That is it! I think this is a reasonable amount of clothes and really, I am going to France, if I truly need something else, I can simply pick it up!
I am very pleased - I did pretty well in Boston recently, but even then, I bought home a couple of extra things that were never worn. I know I have 10 days, but I have access to a washer and dryer in southern france (no - that won't help with the Giverny dress, but I figure I can get three wears out of that if I am careful before I need to dryclean it!)
Now to help the others pack - THAT will be a challenge!!!
I just googled the Giverny dress, oh oh I only dry clean sleeveless dresses if I stain them. Iam tinka linka little stinker!
ReplyDeleteOmg - you made me laugh out loud on that one!
DeleteI assume, given my track record and propensity for clumsiness, that the dry cleaners will be required at the end!
I think you should not take the maxi-- you won't need it and you can use the space for something you pick up there.
ReplyDeleteI keep my packing lists and mark the items I did not wear-- very instructive for the next trip. I rarely check a bag no matter where I am going in the States; I would check for overseas.
What shoes are you taking? Go for comfort!!!
Oh Lane - what a great idea about packing lists! That is a level of organization that is so beyond me that I am in awe! I think you are right about the Maxi - I think it will take too much room for the only one or two wears it would get.
DeleteYes - ONLY comfort for shoes for sure - there can be no shoes that I can't walk for miles in!
WMM, smiling at your pick-up baggage plan (yum) and congrats on stylish-simple suitcase contents. Now best with the rest of the famille! While you are planning the post-trip dress rescue, I think wearing white jeans on a long-haul flight is chicly brave. I'd probably manage a coffee upset or hem drag en route. FR can be either boiling or prematurely chilled in late August, so might be worth one slightly thicker sweater or a jacket choice you can layer a thin cardi under. And the umbrella of course. Bon voyage...
ReplyDeleteOh Get Fresh - I forgot I am sitting with two teenagers and myself on a long haul flight.... Hmmmm - I see another trouser for the flight now...
DeleteGood point on thicker sweater or jacket. I will haul out some things and see what I have that will go with all of this.. As for the umbrella - I am going to look for two or three small ones today that are good quality and won't take much room in the suitcase! thanks for the advice!
This is excellent packing up and everything meshes thanks to your color story. I don't know if I told you about the laundry house in Provence? You will want to do laundry at least once, it is an ancient stone building set in a garden and they have the most delicious rose chilled in a little fridge there, funny I found myself there many afternoons! ;)
ReplyDeleteI have had light-colored items ruined on holiday, mostly by MrBP who is always spilling wine or coffee on me. !!
I swear by the mini Fulton umbrellas which are sold at The Bay. They come in different fetching patterns, I always make sure each person has one of their own, in a pattern that matches their own color story.
I am so excited for you!
I will have to check if there are fultons around here - likely at one of our shops downtown, but maybe at winners as well!
DeleteGood point on the light coloured clothes. I will sit by myself! Or buy some new things!!!
I am excited now about doing laundry!!!
I am a tank and cardi person too. I agree that the white jeans are risky for the plane. If you wear the maxi skirt on the plane, you won't have to worry about it taking up too much room in your luggage, and I am sure it is comfy:) Have a wonderful trip!
ReplyDeletethanks knit yarns - i may just do good old denim - may be the safest bet!
DeleteI was just going to say 'Oh no' to white pants on the plane, lol. I always take one pair of comfortable cargo pants that I am afraid to get dirty if I sit on the floor or sidewalk. I am all about comfort on vacations, no pencil skirts or dry clean for me. I swear by very casual fare (short or a-line skirts with t-shirts and couple cardigans) plus 2-3 knit dresses and a pair of white (washable) pants (but not on the plane). If you wear jeans I would bring a pair in dark wash, they go with everything and don;t show stains easily.
ReplyDeleteOf course I meant to say 'that I am NOT afraid'... and shorts not short skirts... I think I need more coffee. Or less coffee, lol.
DeleteHA! Thanks! I am only taking one pencil skirt per se - the rest are more casual skirts that I am not worried about! only one of the dresses is fancy-ish - J Crew giverny - but I want one fancy one for a nice restaurant or too in France!
DeleteOf course, if there is a disaster, it will just be an excuse to shop.....
WMM, I would love to hear your analysis when you get back, of what you ended up wearing and what returned unworn. I always find that no matter the length of the trip, and no matter how minimal I think I've packed, I come back with 2 or 3 pieces that never got worn. And find that there are 2 or 3 superstar items that were indispensable for the trip because they were either very comfortable and/or versatile, elevated my basics with style and panache or just made me feel fab and not touristy while traveling. Curious to see what those wardrobe items were for you.
ReplyDeleteHave a great time! You will look chic regardless!
You must be getting SO excited at this point, WMM! Getting the bags packed makes it even more 'real', doesn't it? I think you will look absolutely lovely in whatever you decide to wear. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, that was interesting! I don't know if I could wear that many clothes in that space of time, so I agree with Connor, we mostly pack too much. I will be interested to hear whether you wear everything you packed ;)
ReplyDeleteNowadays I pack a lot less, not quite "6 items or less" but nearly, especially if I have laundry facilities. Then I don't bother checking my bag, either.
Incidentally, we are having a heatwave in central Europe... I couldn't wear a single cardigan or knit top here in any summer, but especially not this one!
England isn't doing so well temperature-wise this year, so in my bag I just packed for 12 days there, I did pack two cardigans, otherwise just very light tops I can layer if necessary (tank/blouse), about 5, and two pairs of pants (I can't wear skirts without tights, much as I'd prefer to take skirts than pants!). That's it! A pair of sandals and a pair of ballerinas, both very comfortable. Basta.