Paris in April

My friend is headed to Paris in April and would like some fashion advice. She writes...

I'm kind of intimidated about going overseas for the first time, especially being that I am used to stay-at-home mom wardrobe now. :) 

I know they don't wear jeans, and dress up a bit more.

This is so exciting for me because it was almost two years ago when EmilyStyle helped me prepare for my most recent trip to France!

A trip like this is the perfect excuse to update your wardrobe! The Parisian’s wardrobe is pretty much monochrome with few color accents. When traveling, I always recommend choosing a basic color palette so that all your pieces and accessories can mix and match together. In this case, black is perfect! This wardrobe features a base of black/white/grey with accents of purple and blues. I have also punched things up a bit with more bold accessories. Paris in April can vary from brisk and rainy to warm and sunny so pack thin layers that can be mixed and matched. This wardrobe contains three pairs of shoes, two pairs of pants, one dress and several tops to mix and match into at least 6 complete outfits.

Denim
While denim isn’t as common in France, don’t rule it out all together. It never hurts to have a classic pair of wide leg trouser jeans that are ultra slimming and can be dressed up or down. I recommend spending a little extra to get a pair of premium denim, with high quality material and an excellent fit. My current fav brand of denim is J Brand because the fit is amazing, they come in fits and styles for every body type, and they are minimally branded so they don’t stand out as being the “it” brand from last season, or any season for that matter. You definitely won’t look out of place in the city of lights wearing either of these fabulous pairs.

Trousers
A grey pair of seasonless wool trousers will serve you well. This pair is effortless chic and looks fabulous with the yellow flats! You could also go with a lighter grey pant or a refined cotton chino as well.

Tops
Pack lightweight silk tops like this and this with basic cardigans and pull over sweaters. Pick up a few pretty tees and tanks to layer underneath other tops. Those can also be washed easily in a hotel room sink, if necessary! Don't forget basic white! It goes with everything!

Shoes
Try not to pack more than three pairs of shoes: flats, heels, and sneakers. These yellow flats are just adorable, but you could also go with a more conservative grey pair of mary janes. Clarks makes some really cute pumps with a stacked heel and extra cushioning for lots of walking. For a sneaker, try to pick something that doesn't scream "athletic shoe" so that on the day when your feet are dog tired, you can throw on the sneakers and keep on going. These from Simple are a decent pair.

Accessories
A cute scarf or cashmere wrap will make any outfit feel more complete and a wrap will give you the option of added warmth in the evening.

Thin gold chains a nice delicate way to complete an outfit and this one from Forever21 is cute and a bargain price!

Get a durable bag with zipper closure that you can tuck under your arm (and away from prying hands) that is big enough to handle your daily essentials plus a water bottle, guidebook, camera, sweater, and a snack.

This trench coat is so chic that it will stop traffic!

Stay dry underneath this sunny umbrella.

Travel Wardrobe Staple: The Wrap Dress

The wrap dress was made famous by legendary Diane von Furstenberg in 1973 and the dresses just don't go out of style. They are also the perfect garment to pack for just about any trip. While they come in a variety of materials from silk to wool, the best for traveling are the ones made of synthetic materials. They just don't wrinkle and they wash easily in a hotel room sink. The wrap dress, especially a black one, is so versatile that it can move from day to night or from sight seeing to a business meeting with ease. You can dress them up or dress them down, depending on your needs. This classic dress flatters nearly every figure and covers a multitude of sins. While the DVF wrap dresses are gorgeous, the one shown is the classic Julian, there are also more economical options like this one from Macys. Once you find one you love, you won't want to leave home without it!

Packing tips from Real Simple

This short video from the Early Show from a couple of years ago has some great and simple tips for simplifying your packing and sticking to a 22" suitcase. While that suitcase is too big to carry on an international flight, the tips are applicable for any size. My favorite tips are rolling your clothes (I do this and it definitely keeps wrinkles at bay) and utilizing dry cleaner bags to separate clothes from the rest of your bag.

Traveling Commandment #1 - Never Check Luggage

After many years of traveling all over the world and carefully watching and interviewing other travelers, I have come with a list of "Traveling Commandments" to share with you that I hope will help you enjoy traveling more and reduce much of the hassle. The Traveling Diva's first commandment is to never (or almost never) check luggage with an airline. Here are just a few of the reasons why you should choose to limit yourself to carry-on luggage only.

* You can check into your flight from home and head right to your gate on arrival at the airport, which means you spend less time at the airport
* If one of your flight segments is delayed or canceled, it's much easier for a gate agent to quickly book you on another flight if you haven’t already checked luggage
* The airline can't lose your bag!
* Many airlines now charge up to over $100 for checking a bag
* Your bag is in your control at all times, eliminating the risk of an airport worker with sticky fingers (this is an especially big problem in foreign countries)
* If you get delayed at an airport overnight, airlines will frequently not enable you to retrieve checked luggage, leaving you without the basic comforts like clothes, toiletries, etc.
* When you arrive at your destination, you don't have to waste time at baggage claim
* You can move more quickly with less (and the right kind of) luggage, which gives you more flexibility for your whole trip
* Your sanity

For trips one week or less, this is a no brainer. DON’T CHECK LUGGAGE! If you are wondering how on earth you can cram all of your stuff into a carry on suitcase, never fear, future posts will cover just that. You will wonder why you ever wanted to carry anything bigger! Packing for trips greater than one week in length will be covered in a future post. Traveling light is one of the nicest things you can do for yourself in order to enjoy your trip more and be better prepared for the bumps in the road, and that's what this blog is all about!