What I packed for my Paris trip
A long-winded way of saying: not much!
Hi and happy Friday!
I just want to start off by saying, never in my life have I taken such a microscopic look at packing, nor have I ever taken so many photos of myself in one go. This was actually a really great exercise at seeing how different proportions stacked up against each other and outside of just packing my bag, I took away a better sense of what suits me best. Would suggest this for anyone trying to figure out their style/reimagine their closet, impending trip or no.
If you’re in the dark, I curated a shopping list last week for my trip to Paris, which by the time this reaches you, I’ll have just arrived! I don’t often post much when I travel, but follow along here and I’ll at least be sharing my looks each day.
My packing ethos as I’ve aged is to keep it simple. I used to pack all my fanciest stuff, HEELS, and wacky accessories I’d been wanting to try out, but ultimately when I would go to get dressed for the day I would feel lost and a little bit like a fashion clown. So I would pivot the opposite direction and end up repeating the same outfit each day and not feel cool or confident in that either.
So now when I start to pack (frantically, the night before), I lean back on all the things I feel best in my day-to-day life. I’ll be walking miles every day so all I want is shoes that won’t give me blisters and simple but special pieces I can mix and match and just feel comfortable in. I don’t want to think about what I’m wearing while I’m wearing it, I just want to feel like me and focus on the fun stuff I get to do.
With all that said, get ready to dive in and suss out a final packing list with me as I share all my thoughts and also provide one of the most hilarious and distinct depictions of the realities of sun exposure I’ve ever seen. This newsletter is comprehensive and halfway through writing this I realized this would probably have been better suited to a styling video but what’s done is done. I didn’t mean to be so long-winded but whenever I read packing tutorials, I like to hear the thought process that went into the final packing list, not just the list itself.
So I’ll list all my options, walk through my thought process, and then what my final picks are.
Happy packing!
Sweatshirts
I LOVE sweatshirts. I wear them all the time, I style them all the time. The thinner and more raggedy, the better! So the one on the left I got at Goodwill is a no-brainer. Can wear it either as the in-home lounge piece or out in the world. The one on the right is kind of an elevated sweatshirt that I also found at Goodwill and turned out to be a Bill Blass piece! It has shoulder pads (which I love), and it has the ease of throwing on a sweatshirt but has *just* enough going for it that you can tell it’s got some secrets. This piece is the epitome of my packing ethos: I toss it on, don’t think about it again, feel great in it.
Verdict: Packing both!
Button Downs
Another closet staple for me, so deciding between these was tough. I love a striped button down but the weather will be rainy and overcast most of the time so I kind of wanted to lean into that moodiness and go darker. Underneath each of these is a mesh Rodier turtleneck that I’ll be taking as a layering piece so that influenced my choices, too. I was very nearly convinced on the white Dior button down because I do love that look. But again, that’s not one I’ve tried in my day-to-day life so I don’t really know if it feels like me, and I don’t want to get stuck mid-day walking around just feeling out of place in my own skin. I have earmarked it as a look to try as soon as I get back, though, so we’ll see how she feels then!
Verdict: Packing brown Armani and black tunic.
Sweaters
Sweaters will be key in this trip both for layering but also as the centerpieces of my outfits because I’m sure there will be days when it’s too warm for a jacket but perfect for just a sweater. 1. This black v-neck has slowly become a favorite for me this winter. It feels…sporty?…but since it’s cashmere it’s quite luxe-looking in person. 2. The oatmeal Club Monaco is cropped to the perfect spot and is cozy and comfy. 3. LOVE this striped cardigan and haven’t taken it off since I got it but it doesn’t play as well with all the black pieces I’m packing. 4. I love the idea of this ‘flap’ sweater but it’s too snug and we’re going for comfort, people! 5. Feel the same about this navy pinstripe cardigan as the red & navy one. 6. This Acne sweater is so chic, it’s mohair so it also reads so luxe, but I’m not feeling cropped cropped stuff for this trip. 7. I would be wearing the black turtleneck sweater with these jeans and they’re two too different blacks, so it’s a no. 8. Feel the same about this St. John as I do the Acne one. TMI: I’m on my period and feeling bloated! I don’t want to mess with cropped things right now and so they’re staying home.
Verdict: Packing black v-neck cashmere and oatmeal Club Monaco.
Outerwear
This is the most important category to me because it will be what’s seen the most as we wander around. It’s supposed to be low 50s for the duration of our trip which is *perfect* light jacket weather! 1. Love the cropped brown suede but with the rain, suede is a no-go, sadly. 2. I recently found the black wool duster and was so hopeful that it would be the coat for the trip, but it’s just too warm for the weather (who would have guessed in February) so it’s sitting this trip out. 3. Forest green leather is great for rain, roomy for sweaters, and pairs well with black! 4. You know I love a collarless jacket and this is black one is lightweight but warm. 5. I love a classic trench but seeing this in photos drives home what I’ve always felt about this one: it’s not for me! I want a longer, looser trench so this one will actually be for sale soon! 6. This Armani has the drapiness I want in a trench but the sleeves are super wide and wouldn’t play well with everything else I’m packing. 7. Love the Valentino but it has glove sleeves, so it looks great with a long sleeve but I would need to be mindful if I wore a short sleeve top under it. 8. I desperately wanted to take this patchwork with me, but the idea of it getting rained on scared me too much. Plus, traveling with this size jacket would be cumbersome and we’re going for ease.
Verdict: Packing the collarless black and navy Valentino.
Pants
I have more fanciful pants than these, but I knew I wanted to keep things simple and easily mixable. I also wanted to keep a cropped pant rotation because it’s supposed to rain most days and I didn’t want hems dragging around. 1. These black jeans have been on constant rotation for me so those were an easy yes. 2. These Jil Sander pants are too business and also, seeing these photos, need to be hemmed higher to fit me better. As they are, they’re very dowdy-looking. 3. The light denim are classic but do I need two pairs of denim? 4. The Armani are floaty and chic (also might need to be hemmed but with the wider leg makes it look more modern).
Verdict: Packing black jeans and navy pants.
Jumpsuits
I’m not a dress person so automatically I knew I wasn’t going to pack any but I thought maybe a jumpsuit would be a good option as a ‘one-and-done’ kind of outfit. This flight suit is a go-to in spring and fall for me but I couldn’t find a jacket that worked well with it. The raw silk jumpsuit is divine and I’d say very well-suited to Paris but the top kind of skims my curves and I’m very aware of my body in it. I don’t want to think about my body at all while I’m out all day so it will await a fun night out once I’m home.
Verdict: Packing neither!
Special Tops
Even with all my espousing of comfort and ease, I do like to have one piece that is a little fancier for a surprise night out or if I’m just ~feeling~ it, ya know? I love black satin and the lapel on this is a favorite cut. This plaid shacket was a surprise to me (note the face) as it’s been languishing in my closet for, like, two years! And I love this little black top that’s all surprise in the back. But, the one I ended up going for is much sexier than these options, and I'll share it below.
Before that, though, in addition to pants, I wanted to throw a little miniskirt in for the same reason I like a little going out top: sometimes I do want to be aware of my bod and go all-out. So I tried my chosen top with the miniskirt but made the DIRE mistake of not trying it on with tights. Before you scroll down, please brace yourself for the most INSANE difference in skin tone between my top and my legs. I’M DYING. My top half is human-like and my legs are UNDEAD hahahaha They look like they’ve never once been kissed by the loving lips of the sun. I noticed it when I took the photo (you can see I’m amused) but oh my god. I cried laughing when I finally started looking through the photos and saw just how extreme the difference is hahahaha Are you ready?
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SWEET LORD. I sent this to a friend and she responded, “I thought you were wearing white tights.” LOL I can’t. Even typing this now I’m laughing. The lighting absolutely makes this look more extreme than it really is but I find it hilarious nevertheless.
Verdict: Packing both the off-the-shoulder top and the miniskirt! But never fear, tights are packed so I won’t blind all of France.
Shoes
You can see through all the photos that I tried various footwear, sussing out what works with what. Our itinerary consists mainly of walking the city, hopping from cafe to museum to vintage shop on repeat , so we'll probably be clocking about 8-10 miles each day. These three are tried and true, having ferried me through NYC when I lived there (and a previous trip to Paris) so I know they can handle the workload. They're also black so I know they'll match every outfit.
En fin! If nothing else, I hope this dive into the excruciating minutiae of my thought process for packing was of some service for the next time you travel! Next week I’m thinking of recreating some looks I see around Paris so keep your eyes peeled for that. Thanks as always for being here, keep emailing for a ceasefire (this link fills out all the info for you, you just click send), and have a great weekend xx Maggie
LOVE seeing the options and being walked through your decision-making process. This is so relatable and helpful. Have the best trip!!!
This is one of my very fav RGV newsletters!!! Like Janet, I too am proud that I picked your choices — and will soon be trying to convince you to sell me a few of these!!!