My husband and I are traveling to Paris and then to Amsterdam for a total of 10 days. Any suggestions for packing fashionably light? Paris fashion intimidates me. My husband would like us to take as little as possible...less to carry and be hassled with. We are visiting in early April. I appreciate any advice.
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I think the best advice is take half the clothes and twice the money.
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Hi Tabitha88,
Take clothes that don%26#39;t wrinkle, like knits. Look at a travel catalog like Travel Smith to get ideas. Take and wear the most comfortable shoes you own, you%26#39;ll walk more than you ever have in your life.
Don%26#39;t take light or white clothes, stick with darker colors so spills and dirt won%26#39;t show. Accessorize with scarves to brighten up a simple sweater or top.
Have fun!
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I am going for 24 days with a carry on I totally agree with your husband, too much luggage will stress you out.
Wear heaviest clothes on plane( planes are cold anyways) a nice ligtweight coat or jacket, , slacks and good walking shoes. Take a cardigan or two, , a skirt or dress , 6-7 more tops( a couple long sleeve a couple short and maybe a turtle neck, and two more pairs of slacks. One more pair of shoes you could wear with dress , slacks or skirt.
Pick a base color, mine is black , but brown,dark grey, or navy work also, then just add color with a scarf or a top. No one in Paris realy cares what you are wearing, and most of them are wearing basic good quality clothes, a nice pair of slacks ( or jeans if you prefer, nice jeans mind you) good quality leather shoes, and a smart jacket and you are set. Florals and wild prints, sequins, glitter , or brand names all scream %26quot; tourist%26quot; . If you don%26#39;t care about that then go for it though, this is not a judgement about whether or mot you should try and%26quot; blend or not, soon as you talk they KNOW your a tourist anyways. LOL
Good shoes most important.
Layer. April weather can go either way.
Pack things that can be rinsed in sink ( washable silk shirts are great, and travel stores sell some great symthetic blouses that don%26#39;t wrinkle but look great and wash and dry quick.
Also, count on buying a few things while in Paris , DUH,,LOL That is the most important. I HATE shopping but even I manage to pick up a top or two ...
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Hi Tabitha --
I agree with your husband - and the poster who said half the clothes and twice the money.
Joan is much more smartly dressed that I. I carry black bottoms and white tops. I wear 1 pair of black slacks and carry two. I carry several short sleeved and a couple of long sleeved tees (the ratio depends on the season/weather). BTW, I have nothing against jeans except that they take forever to dry if one is sloppy and they need to be washed.
I wear a black cashmere cardigan and carry a large soft red woolen scarf on the flight, along with a rain hat and a rain coat. The rain coat choice depends again of season and weather. I use the red scarf as a blanket near my face on the flight - so I don%26#39;t have to use one of those %26quot;clean%26quot; airline blankets, and then to keep the chill off in the evening when out for dinner.
On one of the forums, I was once accused of blatant snobbery for mentioning cashmere. It%26#39;s not snobbery. Cashmere is very warm for it%26#39;s weight and bulk, or should I say lack thereof. It folds up into almost nothing, so it%26#39;s something to consider. Cashmere and silk is also warm and folds up into almost nothing, as well.
In addition to the above, I pack a long black skirt which I can brighten up with my red scarf when needed.
I wear a pair of black clogs on the flight and pack a pair of black New Balance sneaks, along with a pair of black leather dressyish mary janes with a comfortable walking sole. sometimes, though, I have to leave the flight in my slippers because my feet have swollen so dramatically. I carry a pair of slippers with rubber soles on the flight so I don%26#39;t have to discover why the lavatory floors are always wet.
I also pack my silk ski underwear, both top and bottoms, in case of a cold snap. I learned my lesson in Spain one September, and I%26#39;ve packed them ever since.
I get away with packing two pairs of shoes because I fill them with my digital camera and make up and underwear, and anything else that will fit. They are never black holes in the luggage.
I take only basics in terms of make up, etc. I use travel sizes of shampoo, toothpaste, hair gel and perfume. If I%26#39;m going someplace where I probably won%26#39;t be in a city for a while, I might take several travel sized shampoos, then throw the packaging away before I leave where ever. If I%26#39;m somewhere where recycling is a problem, I%26#39;ll take the packaging home with me.
I never take a blow dryer or curling iron. I get a wash %26amp; wear cut before I leave home or, in the case of Paris, as soon as I arrive. With a good cut, I wash my hair and sometimes add a little gel and leave it alone. It eventually dries, and I haven%26#39;t spent any precious vacation time standing in front of a mirror making noise at my hair.
In the inside pocket of the lid of my rolly I carry name and address adhesive labels for post cards - normally two sets for each city on the itinerary, I also pack either copies of, or the original pages torn from, a guide book, along with copies of the appropriate rail schedules removed from my Thos. Cook European Rail Schedule which I pack, only if I%26#39;m planning to take some rail journeys. I never carry any entire books. They%26#39;re just too heavy.
As is often suggested here on the forum, pack your luggage and go window shopping while carrying it. If you can%26#39;t last an hour without resorting to sitting on it for a rest, go home and edit yourself mercilessly. You%26#39;ll thank yourself all over Paris.
Be sure you have two or three pens and a small flashlight.
Bon voyage.
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bring 2 pair of shoes. When you walk a lot (and I mean a lot!!) your feet might swell. It helps to change between two pair of shoes. Also, you might discover that a pair of shoes that are comfortable at home are no longer comfortable when you are walking 10 miles daily for 5 days--then you can wear the pair that is most comfortable. Some places require you to dress up a little (e.g., Opera Garnier performance). So make one of the pair of shoes something that would work with pants and a skirt.
Paris has the nicest and most fashionable ladies skirts on the planet. If you want to buy yourself a gift, that is what I suggest. unusual hems, shapes, styles--gorgous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Leave room in your suitcase!
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Thank you so much everyone(Joan, In Love with Paris, 1BC Traveler and Justleavenow)for your helpful tips...I always stress about packing when we travel and I am now a bit more at ease. A BIG abstinee thanks from my husband...I know he will be very happy to travel lighter!!
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Sorry TripNebraska...I left you out of the THANKS..Thanks for your advice as well!!!
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Go light, the inconvenience of a minimal wardrobe is nothing compared to the inconvenience of packing around too much luggage. The last time I was in Paris it was APril and pretty chilly. I suggest a very warm and fashionable jacket. Like maybe a wool peacoat. If your jacket looks great who cares whats underneath.
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