Paris Fashion Fall ‘26
Dear Lovely,
I leave for Paris in just a few days and yes, I’m practicing what I preach and am carrying-on. Please refer to my book, 11 Days in a Carry-on, to understand how and why I do this.
The first thing I do prior to traveling on a big trip like this is to create a Pinterest Board of inspiration. Here is my Paris Fall Fashion Pinterest Board. Make sure you follow it for lots of chic outfit ideas.
My goal on this trip is as always, two fold: I want to
1.) Pack efficiently, selecting pieces that easily mix and match and transition from day to night. There will be plenty of days I don’t have time to change prior to dinner.
2.) Maintain a sophisticated, chic, and comfortable style.
I stuck to a very neutral color palette, more than I ever have before. Black, white, red, and pops of ice blue are dominating my suitcase.
I invested in 6 pieces from Antropologie to take with me on this trip, and because I keep my clothes forever, I’m glad to know these will take me to many places across the globe in the future.
It looks like this dress has been marked down (yay!) but that also means that it perhaps is going away (boo!) Here is another option with sleeves that I believe will accomplish a similar look: Jersey High Neck with Ruching Also, how chic is a dress with sleeves???
Below I’ll tell you why I’ve chosen to invest in these pieces including showing you my inspiration from Pinterest. When I return, I’ll do a new post about ‘What I Wore in Paris’ and show you how I made these pieces work for me, but you get to see what I’m going for prior to the trip.
1.) The Black Dress-I purchased this one from Spanx (this one with sleeves looks good too). I think a good black dress that can be casual and dressed up is essential in your wardrobe, whether you travel or not. This one can be worn with tennis shoes or heels, and let me tell you why else I like it:
It is comfortable.
It is flattering.
It is a good price.
It’s fitted enough to give me some shape, but not so fitted that I couldn’t put actual Spanx on underneath it if I wanted to.
It has a string on the zipper so I can get it on without help.
*I believe it runs about half a size big, so be aware of that when ordering.
2.) Red Ballet Flats
I don’t often wear ballet flats, but for this trip to France, I decided to bring a little French whimsy in my suitcase. Along with paying homage to my favorite ballerina (Noëlle) and my favorite Parisian color (red), ballet flats bring timelessness to any look. And let’s not forget all the walking we do in Paris. Flats are essential.
3.) Cute Tennis Shoes-This really doesn’t need much explanation. A cute pair of tennies that are comfortable and light weight are pretty essential for travel, especially on a trip like this where I will be walking around a big city. The right pair of cute tennies can be paired with jeans, slacks, a dress, skirt, shorts…literally anything. Obviously, these are different than the tennis shoes you would jog in or wear to the gym, but I guess, if you’re trying to save space, you could probably make them work for that, too.
4.) Stirrup Pants-I actually started seeing the resurgence of stirrup pants all over the place a few years ago but just got up the nerve to buy a pair. Originally, the point of these was to prevent pants riding up in ski or equestrian boots. All the inspo pictures I’m showing you below have the stirrup pant paired with a flat or heel, so the stirrup is very visible, but I really do love how seemless they look with a tall boot. I plan on pairing mine with my new cropped white shirt, a leather jacket, a silk camousole…honestly, anything goes. Black pants are a closet staple, the stirrup just adds a bit of style to an otherwise simple basic.
5.) The White Shirt
I go through white shirts pretty quickly, and when I saw I needed an update before France, I decided to get a boxier version. White shirts really need little explanation. They look polished, tailored, sophisticated, are comfortable, should be able to clean easily, and pair well with anything and everything. I love a white shirt with cute tennis shoes. I love a white shirt with red ballet flats. I love a white shirt paired over a black midi dress. White shirts just work. And this cropped boxy one is cool.
Have you seen the sheer tops, skirts, and dresses dominating Instagram recently? Well, I found a sheer icey blue top at Anthropologie, and it completely reminded me of the one I mention in my post, The Art of Dressing. I love that I could have jeans and tank top on while running around during the day, and then throw on a heel and this sheer shirt, and voila! I’m ready for dinner. Sheer elements are great for layering, provide interest, and yes, they are sexy too.
I hope this helps stimulate your creative brain when packing. Or, if you have zero desire to stimulate your creative brain when packing (thats how I feel at the gym), then I hope this post will help take the thinking out of the equation and just lead you to some excellent buys.
If you are getting ready to travel, I have lots more blog posts to help simplify your life, and I hope you’ll check them out.
The Art of Un-packing-how I keep clothes fresh and wrinkle free (both home and away)
Pre-Travel Timelines-a checklist for getting it all done before your travel day
Travel Essentials-travel containers that help me carry-on my luggage
11 Days in a Carry-on-is one of the books I published last year: part photo album, part packing list, part travel diary from the trip to Provence that inspired The France Dance
Happy travels, happy dressing!
