We are visiting Paris the last week of July, after spending a week in London. My wife is looking for suggestions on what she should pack. We are in our early 60's and quite active. As of now we have no reserved dining plans but I doubt we will be in really fancy establishments. Our days will be filled with touring and given that will be gone for two weeks, our packing will require washing and wearing some things twice.
So for those who have been, can you offer ideas and suggestions?
Keep it simple: 4 Light cotton pants or shorts. 4 Light cotton short sleeve shirts with collars. One very light weight water resistant jacket with a hood. Some kind of hat for protection against the sun. One pair of comfortable waking shoes. I agree just bring what you wear normally at home on an off day in summer.
You will not need to bring a sports jacket. Buy wrinkle free shorts and pants that you can wash or take to a wash, dry ,fold laundry. REI is a good resource, Travelsmith too. I pack clothes similar to what I wear at home both for daytime and evenings out.
Crop pants and cotton tops, or plain or stripe tees. A super lightweight scarf and a pair of flat sandals or slip-on ballet style flats take up very little space if your wife is trying to dress up a day outfit for evening dinner.
Some general thoughts:
If you don’t have experience doing hand wash while traveling let me know and I'll let you in on a few tricks.
Do not take a hair dryer. Every place we’ve stayed in the past eight or nine years has had one in the room. Or one can borrow a dryer from the front desk. Worst case scenario buy an el cheapo there.
Take only black, white, and grey clothing that can be mixed and matched. A splash of color can be added with a scarf or tee or tank. Take things that are light weight, wrinkle free, and will dry quickly. Several sources are Magellan's, Travel Smith, and Chico's. All have web sites and Chico's has regular stores.
For medications, get an extra label from the druggist, put it on a freezer zip lock, put the meds in the baggie. Saves space and weight. Just take the data sheet with you to show what it is and that it is for you.
Take very little jewelry. One or two necklaces and ear pieces at the most.
Take only two purses at the most. Her regular day bag will do ok for daytime. If she you feels the need for another then a small clutch for evening.
Do not take a lap top or tablet. Just takes up space and adds weight. Email can be checked with a smart phone at a Wi-Fi hot spot.
No matter if checking bags or only using carry on bags (or both) always put half of her stuff is his bag(s) and half of his stuff in her bag(s). Checked bags do get "lost" and carry on bags are sometimes gate checked no matter what the size / weight. If one of the bags goes on its own vacation, you will still be able to get by.
Clothing for Her:
Three under shirts – two regular and one tank top – wear one and pack two.
Five underwear -- wear one and pack four.
Three bras -- wear one and pack two.
Five pairs of socks – wear one and pack four.
Two pairs of shoes – wear one and pack one.
Three pairs of pants – wear one and pack two.
Three shirts or blouses – wear one and pack two
One jacket and one belt – both to be worn in route.
One vest (optional), one sun hat, and one light sweater – all to be packed.
Rain coat to be packed.
Do you also need a packing list?
Also recognise that the only person who will know if you have worn something once, twice, or more will be you and maybe the breakfast server - and they won't remember or care.
I was in Paris in mid-August, and it was hot. I usually pack one pair of black pants, a pair of capris, a 3/4 sleeve blouse, 2-3 tops, 2 scarves and two lightweight dresses. I wear the pants, 3/4 sleeve top and a raincoat on the plane.
Since it was sunny & warm, I ended up wearing my dresses on most days and occasionally switching to the long pants for dinner. I brought clothes that can be sink-washed and are usually dry by the next morning.
I don’t pack socks - just wear comfortable sandals.
For a 2 week trip, I would take enough underwear so that I needed to do laundry just once. You could do your laundry after arrival in Paris, or have it done. I like to use the small launderettes where you drop it off, and it’s ready either in the afternoon, or the next day. Some hotels also have laundry service, which is very convenient to use, even if pricey. I always expect to wear outerwear several times.
A light sweater can be useful in the evening if temperatures slip. The French just toss it around their shoulders. When the sun is out, a hat that shades the faces is important. And those comfortable walking shoes should also have a degree of rain resistance. I have a peculiar fondness for laundromats (laverie automatique), if they are near a sidewalk terrace serving beer.
For the end of July:
I'd probably take 2 pr long pants (light weight/wear one on plane) and 2 pr capris. She will probably only need 3 pr of pants for 14 days but someone posted a couple of years ago that they had broken a zipper on a pr of pants so I always take at least 2 of something if I am taking different lengths like regular length and capri.
I'd take 5 SS shirts. I like the Lands End Cotton/Modal tee shirts which wash well in the sink and hang to dry. For just 2 weeks she can probably get by with just 4 - wear 1 pack 3.
I would take a sunshirt but I am sensitive to the sun and want to be covered up.
I'd take a cardigan in case it is by some miracle chilly at night.
Two pair of shoes - wear 1, pack one.
Every shirt should match every pr of pants/capris and the cardigan.
I'm not a dress wearer but if she wants to take one to dress up for dinner there are a number of travel type dresses that don't wrinkle and will wash out easily. I don't eat in fancy places so I just wear my same athletic shoes I've had on all day to dinner.
I would take a waterproof rain jacket.
I do all sink wash on my trips. I've gone up to 8 weeks just doing sink wash. I take a 2 gal ziplock bag with seams I've reinforced with mailing tape. I do all my wash in that including jeans.
If your wife wants ideas on capsule wardrobes, have her go to www.theviviennefiles.com She has wonderful suggestions based on scarves, paintings, etc. Many of her clothes are too formal and too expensive for my retired lifestyle in the boondocks but I love her color selections!
TC, if you have a packing list you would share that would be great! I've gotten one from RS site, but the more information, the better. I can add it to my ever expanding binder which is at almost 200 pages, lol. I've got screen shots, schedules, phrases, maps, suggestions, do's and dont's, so thI more the merrier!
dmwacu,
As requested.
Clothing for Him:
Three under shirts –wear one and pack two.
Five underwear -- wear one and pack four.
Three handkerchiefs – have one in pocket and pack two.
Five pairs of socks – wear one and pack four.
Two pairs of shoes – wear one and pack one.
Three pairs of pants – wear one and pack two.
Three shirts – wear one and pack two
One jacket and one belt – both to be worn in route.
One vest (optional), one sun hat, and one light sweater – all to be packed.
Rain coat to be packed.
This (and the one for her posted earlier) are bare bones packing lists. The lists might seem as if we are shortchanging ourselves on clothing, but this is what we take when traveling with only carry on bags. Each of you might be able to add another shirt or pair of pants – just depends on how much space is taken up with cosmetics, shaving gear, phone chargers, guide books, misc., and the size of the carry on bag of course.
Each of us also carries a RS Veloce Shoulder Bag as a personal item. It will hold lots of odds and ends.
This list isn’t perfect for everyone but it works well for us. At least it will serve as a starting point for developing your own.
We also use a combination of packing cubes, folders, and tubes to organize things and aid in the placement of the various items. One of the keys to being able to travel for a long period with only a carryon is experimenting with the packing and seeing what does and doesn’t fit / work.
Check out Rick Steves' packing lists; they are thorough and knowledgeable. I make some adaptations: I take 4 pairs of pants (one black that could be fancy if they had to be) and 5 tops (again, one which passes for "fancy"), all of which go with everything else so I can mix-and-match to avoid boredom. I really liked the post that said nobody but you is going to know if you wear something twice (or 10 times). The key is "comfortable and washable."
If you want to pack light and be comfortable, the generic category/features to look for summer travel are "hiking/travel" and "quick dry(ing)". Hiking pants tend to be of rip-stop or similar fabric that is robust while light/breathable and quick drying, and have a lot of pockets. Same with shirts. Quick drying travel/hiking tees are comfortable with their wicking fabric and weave, and will dry overnight after a sink wash. Light socks made with CoolMax fabric or light merino wool will also dry overnight. And of course ExOfficio underwear.
I usually include one washable skirt, just below the knee, with enough width to make for easy walking -- cooler than long pants in hot weather, dressier than shorts in a city.
Please for all that is HOLY do not wear shorts. DO NOT DO IT IN PARIS. Maybe in the evenings in the hotel but please dont. Just use summer basics, think beach house on marthas vinyard. For me, i bring plain coloured blouses, in a solid colour, neutral tones, and one slack, one good jean, one skirt and if summer maybe a khaki. Get a well cut thing. I recommend Dillards maybe. Lots of the women i notice wear sleavless and then layer with a light button up that they can open when warm or take off when sitting down. Just dress like you are going to church, but like a nice one. For mu husband, he wears Good pants, like a good fitting jean or a slack, and a button up shirt with sleeves rolled up or a solid color t shirt that is on the nicer side, like a v neck. But we are in our 30's. And please please wear a good shoe. A nice solid but comfortable shoe. youtube paris neighborhood walks, and you will see people making videos while in paris. Look in the back ground,,, you will be able to see who is a tourist and ugly american and who is blending. i go to paris a lot because i love it. The people are just wonderful and lovely when you respect how they do. Oh, tell your wife a simple coctail dress or a skirt will be wonderful (put jogging shorts under though because walking). Also, even though you wouldnt think it, most restaurants do prefer you to have a reservation, even if they are not going to be busy. Its a courtasy. The front desk person at your hotel can generally help wiht that. Or you can make the reservation if you see one you want to try during the day. Just go in and tell them you want a reservation for that night. 8 is a good time because they are usually not busy with the french people just yet, and the restaurants are just finishing with the tourists so you will be better off. You dont want to go too early and you often they dont open til around 7 anyway. Also the moroccan food is amazing in paris. Enjoy your trip. Im so excited for you.
Great packing advise
Thank you,
Lorie
