what i'd pack for paris, 10 years later
How more than 10 years have passed since I went to Paris is beyond me. It was an experience that was deeply meaningful to me. I dreamed of visiting France for so much of my childhood and adolescence, the fact that I actually got to see it was a dream come true.
I failed out of French in high school. Or if I didn’t fail, I didn’t click with the teacher enough to pursue it further than French 1. College changed that. I still remember my first day of class—my professor came in and immediately spoke to us in French. It was incredible. I could decipher every third word by guessing the meaning based on how closely it sounded to a Spanish word. I was hooked. I went on to take as many French classes as I could while I was in community college.
After transferring, I found out my French professor was taking a group of students to France as part of her home exchange program. I spoke with my professor and she let me join the cohort as an alum!
The thing that made this trip so incredible was our homestay, which is study abroad language for boarding with a family instead of staying in hotels. We spent our days exploring Paris before taking the metro and a bus back to the surrounding villages our hosts called home.
I’ve always wondered if our host families realized the unique gift they gave us by welcoming us into experiencing the regular-ness of their French lives. My host mom made dinner almost every night and I still remember the food being absolutely delicious. Even a decade later, I can picture their house and the beautiful cultural moments they provided me.
To commemorate 10 years* since I last stepped foot in the City of Lights, I daydreamed about what I’d pack if I were heading to Paris this summer (say, for the Olympics!)
I also dug through my photo archive and sprinkled in some of my favorite photos from my 10 days in Paris. The photos are terrible quality and not that internet-worthy, but I went to Paris before Instagram became a thing, so I hope you’ll indulge me in the photography I took just for me and my memories.
but first, a story
Before I jump into what I’d pack this time, I have to spill my embarrassing experience with packing for Paris all those years ago.
I packed so terribly for this trip despite checking the weather constantly. That’s the thing about international travel; you rarely know what to expect, especially if it’s your first time traveling to a region you’ve never been to!
I saw we’d be in Paris during the first week of summer and thought my Target sandals (see photo) were the smart way to go.
Read: I packed zero comfortable walking shoes.
Don’t be like me. Pack comfortable walking shoes because being a tourist in a city means walking. And take it from me, walking on cobblestone streets in thin, flat sandals for a week will leave you constantly searching for somewhere to sit. Never have my feet given out like that (not even after three days at Disneyland).
This should go without saying but pack more than sandals, even in June! We got caught in a massive downpour one day and—you guessed it—I was wearing sandals. I had to rush into a store to buy closed-toed shoes, which I ruined that same day walking in the rain.
The other thing I failed to pack was outerwear. Again, I assumed summer weather meant I wouldn’t need a jacket or any kind of layering piece.
Oh, 21-year-old Alex, how very, very naive you were.
I packed one random, thin purple hoodie for the flight and ended up wearing that almost every day. Purple isn’t a color I wear often, even today, so it cracks me up to see myself wearing it in all of my Parisian photos!
Ok enough of my cautionary tale, let’s get into what I’d pack for Paris if I were going this year.
What I’d Pack For Paris
Cami top / Striped tank / Neutral tank / Baby tee / Boxy tee / Cardigan / Knit sweater / Quilted jacket / Denim chore jacket / Mini dress / Floral mini skirt / Denim midi skirt / Wide leg denim / Linen pant / Strappy sandal / High top sneakers / Mary Jane flats / Heeled boots / Sling bag / Bucket bag
I tried to stretch my fashion comfort zone for this Paris packing list. I knew I wanted pieces I could easily layer and shoes that looked nice but were good for touristy things like walking around museums. I think the strappy Teva sandals are a clever way to wear a comfortable shoe that doesn’t read super casual!
I also knew I wanted to bring in the color blue—one detail I vividly remember about Paris is that the sky is a distinctly different blue from the sky in California. I think about that all the time, so I added pieces like the blue striped tank, which plays on the Parisian stripe trend with a vertical stripe instead of the classic Breton.
Another little homage to my experience in France is the inclusion of linen. The first linen piece I ever bought was from a French H&M during les soldes, or the big summer sales. and I can’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia whenever I touch linen.
outfit ideas
You know I had to take this daydream to the next level and put some imaginary outfits together!
I included way more skirts and dresses than I would realistically wear in my day-to-day life as a mom of three, but I was drawn to those items because they’re romantic yet unfussy. Plus there’s something very French Girl about wearing a skirt or dress instead of shorts.
I think I may have convinced myself to hop on the denim midi skirt trend because it has all the practicality of jeans (like pockets) but with that casually dressed-up vibe I love!
I had a lot of fun playing with outfit ideas! It was a good reminder that I don’t have to have a trip to Paris booked to dress up! It’s inspired me to find ways to incorporate these outfits—or at least elements of these outfits—into my everyday wardrobe.
Thanks for daydreaming with me! What would you pack for Paris?
