Travel: Paris Winter Packing Inspiration
Since I live here, there’s two things I can’t really do on a personal level to help travelers enjoy Paris to the fullest and those are what I would possibly pack in a suitcase for a trip here and what hotel to stay in. HOWEVER, my friend Lauren’s last minute trip to the city of light in early December with her family inspired me for a new mini-series to highlight here! She agreed for me to showcase her outfits she brought for several days of walking and museum-going with her kids since they were impeccable. Lauren has a great design eye in many fields (she has an art history degree like me!) and she stays in the know with cool brands, local artists, and goings-on in addition to being a stellar SAHM to her two boys and being the backbone of her household. Here’s her curated picks from her own closet - nothing was purchased for this trip.
The one photo I snagged of her crossing the street from capturing a space invader for the kids!
Let’s not overthink what to bring for 4 days in the City of Light in winter - with the right pieces, you can mix easily and have a variety for dinner, museums, and general ‘flâneuse-ing” around.
She was a trooper and took some photos of her outfits for me before they left Paris and she packed everything up again!
This was it besides one fancier black dress she didn’t even get to wear.
She had great pieces, all of which weren’t “basic” and had style. One look was mustard cords, a Breton stripe and navy sweater coat - easy-peasy. Her embroidered blazer and slim jeans with boots was my favorite look for an afternoon in the Marais. Layered underneath was a dark green and black stripe with a subtle metallic - a French lady even stopped and asked her for directions! Always a sign you look like a local, ha.
The tweedy jacket is an old Alice & Olivia with her Khaite straight leg jeans and black Rag & Bone boots. These “lady jackets” can be hard to style sometimes, but the key is to not overthink and just throw on with denim as she did in the first photo. Bring a short sleeve or sleeveless dress even, and a jacket like this can just go right on top and take you straight to dinner! I loved the art nouveau printed skirt she brought; a piece like this can be versatile even with this bold print. Denim jacket over a turtleneck for day or a black fancy sweater for night.
The reversible bomber is a Bon Marché purchase on her last day - it’s so cool and she thought about it the whole time we shopped and needed to go back for it! That’s the main theme maybe, is pack a bit light and buy things there, haha.
In the spirit of her amazing capsule she created for this December trip (slightly warmer than normal but with some showers), I was inspired to create a similar one for you, dear readers, out of my closet alone. Here is what I came up with to mix around some of my favorite pieces.
Tweed, brocade, cashmere knit, and a bead-stripe navy blazer - it’s all wearable!
Burgundy heavy cotton and water-resistant overcoat with a fur lining - the inspo for this capsule!
So, none of this is ground-breaking, right? Some burgundy cashmere, straight medium wash denim, white ruffle neck blouse, and a couple jackets. One pair of loafers and I would do a comfortable walking boot in black for this, like a riding boot. I showed some fun earrings and a grey belt; you add some base layers you like and some other accessories and you are in business! These can all be mixed around, and yet none of them are just black or solid except my pull-on knit pant. There’s texture, print, and color - all things to be embraced in Paris. Locals do, and so can you!
Let me know in the comments or shoot me an email if you need help with and winter styling and packing questions. À bientôt!
