Paris in Fall Packing List

Ah, Paris. Such a beautiful city. I could spend all my days in France, sipping on café au laits, strolling through the picturesque avenues, and eating my bodyweight in croissants.

There’s something captivating about the street fashion of Paris. Regardless of your personal style tastes, the effortlessly chic look the Parisian women have nailed is inspiring. This past fall, I had an opportunity to turn a layover in Paris into an extended weekend. My goal for this visit to my favorite city in the world was to blend in a little more. I had refreshed my French skills (I studied the language a few years in school), planned an itinerary a bit off the beaten path, and felt confident about navigating about, having visited previously. The only thing left was making sure my look blended in with all those fashionable ladies roaming around.

Since my trip was shorter (three nights), I was able to pack for my specific activities, rather than making sure I had a variety of options to last a week or more. It would be easy to expand on the general concepts of this packing list if you needed to pack for more days. Some of my agenda items included dinner at a very fancy restaurant, a day trip to Reims, and exploring some less-touristy parts of town. Here’s my perfect Fall Parisian Packing List!

• Black trousers – a fantastic base for any outfit. I have found a well-fitting pair of neutral trousers to be more popular than jeans in Paris.

• Gray sweater – perfect for the chilly fall temperatures while casually exploring the city. Add a few extra sweaters if you plan to stay for a week or more.

• Jewel-tone long sleeve blouse – a simple way to add a splash of color while still having an elegant look to your wardrobe. I wore this on my day trip to Reims when the sun made an appearance. Add on more long sleeve tops if your trip is longer than mine.

• Warmer duster coat – warm enough for spending most the day outdoors without being a bulky winter coat. It felt dressy enough to wear to my swanky dinner, too.

• Scarf – always a packing essential for me. It keeps you warm and serves as a pop of color.

• Neutral colored ankle boots (comfortable to walk around in all day) – More fashion-forward than a pair of sneakers but warmer than a pair of ballet flats. Make sure you have a pair that’s supportive enough for trekking around all day!

• Black tailored day dress – we had plans to stop at a nicer place for lunch, so I wanted an upgrade from my trousers one day. This structured piece, paired with the coat and tights, made me feel fabulous without sacrificing my comfort.

• Fall-friendly (darker colors and long sleeves) cocktail dress – packed exclusively for my fancy dinner, this was a one-time wear during my time there. For Parisian trips longer than a few days, swap this for something you could dress down to get more mileage out of it.

• Heavy tights – fleece lined tights are a saving grace when you want to wear a feminine dress during chilly fall weather.

• Heeled black boots – I packed a pair with a higher than usual heel to go with my dressy cocktail outfit. I would suggest going with a lower heeled boot so you could wear these during the day without killing your feet.

• 2 bras – nude and black

• 2 pairs of socks

• Underwear – one for each day I was there, plus an extra (my rule of thumb)

• One lightweight PJ outfit – sleep shorts and tank, packs down easily so it doesn't take up a lot of space

• Other travel essentials – beauty products and things like my passport, adapter, phone charger, etc.

I stuck with neutral colors/prints and opted to pack my “nicer" clothes – ones that were more of an investment/staple wardrobe piece and therefore had a better-quality fit and feel. I felt very chic in a minimalist way. I was able to dress casually and comfortably when needed but could dress my outfits up to fit different occasions. I never felt out of place and sometimes I completely blended in (and was able to keep up language wise - score). Most importantly, I was able to dress appropriately for the weather. October in Paris can be unpredictable, and I encountered sunny skies and rainy, cold days. Having some warmer pieces kept me comfortable and focusing on layers made it easy to add or remove items as needed.

I felt fancy enough to hang in a beautiful French château like this

Staying longer than a few nights? Pack along a second pair of pants (like a pair of dark wash skinny jeans), a few extra tops, and some sweaters to keep you warm. It would also be wise to pack extra everyday essentials – socks, underwear, etc.

While you should always stay true to yourself and your style, it’s sometimes fun to play into the fashion trends of a destination. Parisian fashion has always been a point of fascination for me and it almost felt like playing "adult dress-up" pairing my outfits together. I’m hoping my next time in Paris is over the holidays – I would love to see the city all sparkling in the snow! Is Paris on your travel bucket list?

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