Womens clothing for Paris in June & July

My 2 cents - you will be marked as a tourist no matter what you wear. You will never see any of these people again. Parisians are not going to stop and point at the lady not wearing the absolute latest approved styles walking down the Champs-Élysées. So wear what's comfy for you!

Well, I am not a fashionista. I wear the same things in Paris that I wear in Coeur d’Alene. I wear jeans when it’s cold/cool, travel pants when it’s warmer. I don’t travel to Paris in the summer but if I did I’d wear capris. I’m not a dress or leggings wearer.

I also wear athletic shoes as my main shoe.

I don’t eat high end but have never been treated poorly in the neighborhood places I go to.

You will see everything in Paris. Dress for comfort and be prepared for little AC.

You will see everything in Paris. Dress for comfort and be prepared for little AC.

^This (especially on your feet)

I think you’re going to find, as we did, that when it’s hot, people (all ages) wear shorts in France just like they do in the US. Wear what feels good for you.

We were unfortunate enough to hit a spell of 90+ degree weather June, 2025. Many women were wearing loose fitting linen dresses or baggy linen pants.

I've been in Paris late May / early June as well as in late August and primarily wore cotton or linen clothing for my tops, bottoms, dresses and skirts. Particularly for the multi-stop RST structure, I pack light, highly organized and with a capsule wardrobe. I want repacking and moving my stuff around from location to location plus having stylish and comfortable on me ensembles to be as easy and effortless as possible. I start with a color palette; say white, light blue and tan and build my capsule with the intention that all items mix and match. I lay out my options for visual confirmation everything goes together, pick an accent color for a 'pop' and pack it all up to confirm weight is within my self imposed 18 pound carry on limit. I generally work with 3 - 4 bottoms, 4 - 5 tops, 1 - 2 layering pieces, 1 dress, 1 jacket, 2 - 3 pairs of footwear. I'm a scarf wearer, so will always pack 1 or 2 and during summer will have either a brimmed hat or a visor. I shop my closet first and put emphasis on lightweight options for everything I choose to bring. If I feel I need to purchase something new, I'll poke around online, check out a blog or two, and shop a broad spectrum of retailers. Walmart is killing it these days with well constructed and designed clothing choices for women of natural fiber like 100% cotton at very affordable prices. I just picked up a quality 100% linen collared button down shirt from TJ Maxx for $25 and spent $5 (regular price) for a 100% cotton square scarf at Target. Well in advance, I write out my packing list and continually refine it until I think I've got the very best grouping for my journey. Have a wonderful trip, Paris (and to my mind really all of France) is magnificent. Bon voyage!

Twice in Paris we hit cold spells in June and I bought a raincoat at a church jumble sale and the other I finally found a sweater in a shop in June. Then last summer the heat wave was precocious in June. So prepare for either.
Jeans are fine. Legging are long out of style in France but I usually have a pair when I travel that can be used as pj bottoms if it’s cold.

I was in Paris last September and while it was warm (it turned really cold and rainy, later) women were wearing summer dresses, especially mid-calf, along with those wearing the usual capris, jeans--a whole assortment. I noticed that many wore dresses while I was in the Tuileries Garden--perhaps they had just been/were going to the Louvre/d'Orsay (?) They wore a variety of shoes with those summer dresses but running shoes were predominant. I'm returning in mid-June and will be watching the weather to see if I'll be packing a summer dress. I love my bright yellow Crocs but wonder if the French might faint!(?)

Well, I had to laugh at the comment about the yellow crocs - I needed a really good laugh. My initial post was partly as a result of being "dinged" by a fellow tour group member on a recent RS tour who felt I needed to be informed that leggings were just not worn in Germany. Note taken!!! - ha.! I try to stay up to date and dress as fashionable and stylish as possible while still being a comfortable traveler which can be a feat in itself - and I admit I may not be aware of all the regional current trends in a foreign city. At the same time its doubtful I'm going to ditch all my schlepped duds for new ones at the Dior store. I'm good taking in the window displays.

Why anyone on your tour felt the need to comment on your attire is pathetic. I wouldn't give any power to a stranger about my preferred travel clothes. Though after 4 tours, I can't think of encountering anyone on our tours who would have made such a comment nor do I recall what anyone else wore on any of our tours. We've always had really considerate travelers in our groups.

I also have no idea what anyone was wearing in Paris two years ago and never encountered anyone who I thought was especially fashionable except for one stunning looking young couple who strolled through the Rodin garden pebbles; he looking dapper and she wearing stillettos. Believe me they only had eyes for each other; and did not notice us sitting on a bench nearby wearing our Hoka shoes and whatever travel clothes I was wearing that day.

Just do you!

That comment from a tour member is none of her business. Who cares.

Another temperature anecdote
Temperature summer 2024: Paris was having hot weather so I took the train there
with only my linen dresses about July 12th. No t-shirts, no slacks. Cool air rolled in from the Atlantic coast. Felt cold. Be prepared for anything. I wasn’t.

OH MY WORD!!! I can't believe that tour member! As Mama would have said...."Consider the source". Ugh.

I'm so sorry she made you feel uncomfortable. That is inexcusable. I can guarantee you Europeans would rather have you visit in whatever clothing you have than to be a know-it-all. I am sure that person did not endear herself to locals.

Seriously, my main concern is/are my feet. Especially in Paris I walk a LOT plus I'm old and want my feet to hold up for a vacation there.

leggings were just not worn in Germany.

Huh. Well, I wore leggings/yoga pants almost exclusively in both Berlin and Paris last fall. I was attending dance workshops in Berlin, so I needed clothing I could move in that also looked decent with a sweater or tunic top for non-dance times. Nobody batted an eye, as far as I know, including the local German workshop participants with whom I toured around and had lunch one day and met for dinner another.

Mind you, the workshop host, who took me and the main dance instructor touring and lunching one day, dresses unconventionally. He has waist-length hair and wears gorgeous pantaloons. He is also very tall and really stands out. The only comment anyone made was to compliment him on his wonderful pants.

So, shrug, I would wear what's comfortable and easy to pack, as always. If I know it will likely be hot, I usually pack a caftan or some other kind of light, long dress. (I don't think of shorts as city wear and use them only in beach towns, anyway, but I might be old-fashioned in that.)

Edited to add that I DO make sure I am respectful of any local/religious customs or rules, such as being modest in temples or churches.

BB!!!! OMG...that sounds wonderful! Let's all change to pantaloons! Comfortable in the heat and you can layer under for the cold!

Pam, right? So comfy.

I can't express fully how little anyone will care what you wear. Look around and you will see everything -- the metro in fall winter and spring will have most people in jeans, and most of the others in athletic wear. In summer lots of women wear skirts or linen pants but you will see people in shorts as well (and in winter you sometimes see women in tights and wool shorts which I found weird -- but not my problem.

Pack a capsule wardrobe that is flexible for changes in weather and be sure to have something comfortable for a rainy day and a very hot day. I don't see a lot of people wearing hats in Paris but at that time of year you will have the sun in your eyes much of the day if you don't have one, so I'd also pack a sunhat or visor of some sort. Build your wardrobe around pieces that mix and match and that you feel comfortable in. You can dress up the basics with scarf and or necklace and maybe one fancy jacket or sweater for an upscale evening.

Lindy, the one big strike against Crocs is that you need to wear socks with them, and if it's 90+ F they might be too hot, since they're rubber. Consider getting a pair of Taos sandals, which are really comfortable and you can put a lot of miles on them. They're not inexpensive, but they are great quality. Same goes for Clarks. Birkenstocks are also an option, especially the styles which have a strap around the ankle.

As for other clothing, the person who recommended linen is giving good advice. Of course any breathable fabric is good. I'd avoid denim, especially if it has to be washed, because probably going to be pretty humid, and denim will take forever to dry. Also, it's too hot. Light cotton or linen tops and bottoms are the way to go. Another option for tops is merino wool, which is cool and dries quickly. A mix of skirts, dresses, shorts, and long linen pants will serve you well. Quince has really great quality linen for a ridiculously good price. I'm actually going to be in France this summer as well, at the same time, and this is what I'm bringing: a cardigan for the plane and anywhere else where it might be needed, one maxi skirt that's white with different colored vertical stripes; two pairs of linen shorts (white and tan), one pair of long blue and white vertical striped linen pants (which I'm wearing on the plane), one dress which can double as a swimsuit coverup because I'll be in Nice for part of the trip, six tops which will go with all of the bottoms, one pair of white canvas sneakers (Taos) with three pairs of Smartwool no-show socks (they dry quickly so more aren't necessary), one pair of champagne-colored sandals (also Taos), and a pair of flip-flops or Tevas for the beach. I wore this same mix of clothing to Egypt last summer, and it was even hotter there than it will be in France, and it worked out very well.

I'm not someone who wears tech clothing outside of the gym, so that won't be coming with me, and capris make my legs look even shorter than they are, so no dice there, haha! Anyway, I hope this is helpful.

In June and July Paris is packed with tourists. You will see people from every corner of the planet, so you won't stand out.

Think it's typical American to go over the top with Paris. Going with high expectations and thinking having to meet high expectations. Once there it becomes irrelevant, just relax and enjoy the place.

I was in Paris last November so the weather was different. If you want to blend (as I always try to do) I suggest black wide and straight leg pants, mid-calf and ankle length skirts/dresses, blazer, mix and match tops and a rain coat just in case. I didn't see many women in leggings. I felt like I blended pretty well and even got a compliment on my silver metallic sneakers!

From the OP: Thanks to all who have responded and for your helpful and encouraging comments.!! This got more replies than I thought it would. Packing travel clothing can be quite a challenge - maybe more so for women. While comfort is key, many of us like to look coordinated, neat and maybe a little stylish if possible. Accessories can help like scarves but also adds to the suitcase contents - so the challenge is packing the right items for the climate - and in the right quantity so as not to be hauling a steamer trunk. I'm not sure what a "capsule" wardrobe is - ?? I found that the compression zipped packing cubes do help me keep organized.
I noticed in the comments linen seems to be pretty popular but I'm not a fan because of it's tendency to wrinkle easily. (Unless there are new fashions/fabrics with linen out there that have a nice crinkly-wrinkly textured look). I try to pack breathable cotton blend items as so much new clothing out there now is the synthetic polyester type.

Don't be afraid of leggings if that's what you're comfortable wearing. Sure, if you're dressed in full Lululemon head to toe, you'll stand out a bit, but leggings are sold and worn here too.

A capsule wardrobe is a versatile collection of clothing in a cohesive color palette meant to be mixed and matched. Meaning making outfits is easily done with less decision fatigue. So, no bringing items that can’t be worn with at least 3 other pieces.

That individual you mentioned who had criticized your attire was outrageously rude. I hope you gave the comment the consideration it deserved, which is to say most emphatically none.

Oh gosh…I love the blog The Vivienne Files for capsule wardrobe ideas and colors. She will base a small travel wardrobe on a painting or a scarf or something else and build some great functional capsules.

Start here:

https://www.theviviennefiles.com/start-here/

This is one she posted on Monday that I liked but is too heavy for summer. Still it’ll start your brain working.

https://www.theviviennefiles.com/2026/03/the-simplest-packing-i-can-devise-england-march-2026.html/

Some of her suggestions are too dressy and too expensive for my taste but sometimes she gets basics from LL Bean or Lands End that work well for me. I bought a Lands End chambray shirt last year because she featured it and it works so well for me either at home or in Europe. Almost all my scarves go with it as well!

One of my favorite combos from her is Cobalt and Aqua. Great for summer if these colors are in your closet already and easy to find scarves with both of those hues. These colors go with any neutral bottoms - navy, black, khaki or jeans. 4 shirts that all go with 3 bottoms gives you 12 options. 2 scarves with each of the 12 gives 36 options. Easy to build a bunch of looks!

BTW, most of us love packing threads!

So….why was I doomscrolling at 530 this morning? Apparently to see this scarf in my FB feed.

https://www.nordstrom.com/s/beach-picnic-silk-square-scarf/8911429

I love the colors. I’d pretty much decided to go with pale pink and light blue for my shirt colors for my next trip with the chambray shirt. This scarf looks like it works for that along with white and black shirts. Bottoms are dark wash jeans, black jeans, black travel pants in case it gets warm.

Now, do I actually want to spend $99 on a scarf???

It's 100% SILK! So, yes, I want you to spend your money (haha) on it! It's cute, is whimsical and you've already justified that it works perfectly with your travel wardrobe. How could you not?

@Lindy - You can be the scarf enabler like Mardee and others are bag enablers! I can get 10% off ordering thru Echo but the return policy is better at Nordies in case the colors are not as my mind sees them.

Pam, that scarf is awfully cute!

You can be the scarf enabler like Mardee and others are bag enablers!

Hey, I resemble that remark!!!

Sorry to hijack PaintedSuitcase's thread but yes, I did order the scarf, Jean et al and yes, Mardee you do resemble that remark, hahaha.

I think there needs to be a new thread started or Forum Subject just about this SCARF. I have NO clue about this - yes it appears my forum plane got flown off way off course.

Hahaha...I'll post on the packing forum when the scarf comes and I have built my capsule wardrobe around it!

I travel with just a small carry-on and I mean SMALL. I usually bring 3 changes for a week long trip and wash items in the hotel sink. I travel solo on buses and trains and walk everywhere, so I have to pack as lightly as possible.

I find jeans to be very heavy (even the lighter weight ones) and don't rely on them for traveling. I might wear a pair on the plane but they're not my main travel pants.

I love the idea of linen but it rumples badly and I don't think it would be my preferred fabric to travel with.

I've worn travel pants made out of nylon material but I've gotten really tired of them. They look like hiking pants. I'd rather wear something more fashionable. This is just ME though, I'm not dissing anyone who wants to wear jeans and leggings. I usually bring a pair of nice black pants and a pair of gray pants, both polyester. They don't wrinkle and they don't usually need to be washed. I can mix and match a few neutral tops with these 2 colors plus I wear a black waterproof jacket or raincoat and black leather ankle boots. I only bring one pair of shoes (the ones I'm wearing) so they have to work with everything I wear.

Since I travel solo, I don't go out to dinner or shows in the evening which means I don't need dressy clothes.

I haven't taken many warm weather trips as I prefer to travel in cooler weather (early spring or fall) but I would probably not wear linen pants myself. I'd wear some kind of cotton polyester pants or lightweight travel pants.

I'm a guy, and not anybody's guide on fashion, but I just want to add that, unless you're from the cooler part of the USA, people in Europe think 80f is hot, and they dress accordingly. i was in Metz yesterday, it was 65f and shorts, light tops, and sandals were much the order of the day.