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Why is it harder to pack for a summer short trip?

I came easily pack in a carry-on bag with no problem for two weeks in Europe in the winter but summer….apparently not.

I have been invited with late notice to watch the finale of the Tour de France in Paris . Obviously, I said yes. traded in some frequent flyer miles for the flight, I booked the hotel that has air-conditioning and now I have to figure out what to take (by the way Delta has a pretty good sale going on right now on business class to Europe. It cost less miles to buy business class from Atlanta than it would have to go coach.)

I currently have two dresses, two skirts, two pairs of pants, three long sleeve linen shirts, four or five assorted short sleeve shirts, one short sleeve sweater, and 2 long sleeve sweaters and on my guest bed for consideration. I mean it’s a five night trip.😂

Yes, I will narrow this down, but I just wondered if anybody else has ever found this to be true. The reason I’m thinking this is so hard is because it’s such a short trip doing laundry is just really not feasible and France is having incredible heat this summer. .

I don’t leave until next week so I won’t be packing until next weekend but I always like to get everything out and start making sure that I don’t need to replace anything, sew on any buttons etc. and apparently I thought I should get out most of my closet.

So here’s what I think I should narrow it down to and I’ll welcome suggestions

1 dress
1 skirt
1 pants
1 long sleeve linen blouse ( I plan to wear this both as a shirt and as a jacket over other tops and the dress.)

3 tops ( at least one of which has to be of a tech material that will quick dry overnight because it’s hot in Europe right now I don’t know if tops can be worn more than once without laundry)

Posted by
1990 posts

I don't think you need to go that minimal. You're going on a whim. It's a short trip. You're not moving between destinations. And it's Paris. Take all your fabulous summer clothes and have fun.
On a practical level, I would want to have a top and two pairs of underwear per day. I would take both dresses, linen shirts and skirts and more pants/shorts/capris. Instead of the sweaters, how about a lightweight shawl/sarong that you could use on the plane and/or in case you are chilly in the hotel? It might also provide some extra shade when combined with a big sun hat. I'm thinking of you standing in a crowd in the hot sun at the end of the race.

Posted by
622 posts

it’s hot in Europe right now I don’t know if tops can be worn more
than once without laundry

Pack a little atomizer bottle so you can spray the smelly parts with vodka per Mardee's tip.

Posted by
3305 posts

I’m sorry if the top is hot and sweaty, I don’t want to just spray it to get rid of stink I want to clean it so I’m taking one that will dry overnight. That’s just me. It’s not anything wrong with the idea, but I know myself.

I realize I could take all this stuff, but I also need to be able to lift the suitcase into the overhead bin by myself without assistance because I certainly don’t want to check it

Now coming back, it will be under the plane mainly because I buy liquids in Paris😂

Posted by
1990 posts

Time to get out the kitchen scale so you can choose the lightest fabulous linen garments. Have a great time!

Posted by
9907 posts

Carol, your minimal option list looks good to me, especially if the dress is one that washes/dries quickly overnight. I have a Royal Robbins dress that I literally wear every other day if I’m some place really hot because it feels cool and dries very quickly. (I have three of them now in various colors/prints because I wear them during the summer at home, too.)

Just check this week if it’s warm in your city that everything you’re planning to take feels good in hot temperatures. I had a shirt I took a few years ago to Italy made of some unknown fabric that turned into a personal sauna when I wore it the first day in Venice - ugh. ; )

If it’s really hot, I like to take an additional quick cool shower later afternoon and change into a dress, so I pack 2-3 dresses and additional underwear sets. Your skirt could work as that option, too.

Have a great time!

Posted by
187 posts

Second vote for Royal Robbin’s dresses. I wore them on hot days in Vietnam. You can dress them up with a chain, scarf and sandals. Or be comfy in sneakers. Easy to wash in the sink… and quick to dry!