What to Pack for Paris

The city of love. The city of light. The city of impossibly fashionable women. Packing for Paris can be intimidating, especially when you have limited space for all your favourite clothes and especially if you have more destinations than Paris planned for your trip. With my packing list, which mixes up a capsule wardrobe of classic and cute items, you will look and feel like your best Parisian self while strutting the cobbled streets and hanging out at streetside cafés. Here’s my guide on what to pack for Paris.

My Guide On What to Pack for Paris

The Girl’s Guide to Packing for Paris

I was in Paris towards the end of summer (technically it was already autumn), but it was unseasonably warm. While there were yellow leaves falling from the many trees that line the streets and the sky was predictably grey, the air was actually nice and warm. That’s why my advice for you is to pack light layers that you can mix and match to create a few seriously stylish looks.

1 Blue Jeans and Black Jeans – I just found this pair by Mango from Spree and they are the softest and most comfortable pair in my cupboard right now.

2 Little Black Dress – Paris is super chic, but there’s also a cool street style vibe. The perfect LBD can be dressed up with heels or down with a pair of sneakers and a cut-off jacket. I absolutely love this one by Style Republic from Spree (and it’s under R350!)

3 Wrap Dress – Again, so easy to dress up or down. Between seasons it can be worn with tights and a coat if the evenings get cold. I love this white Vero Moda dress , which I pair with sneakers and a denim jacket or a pair of leather sandals.

4 Pinafore Dress – I love that is modern classic is back for another season. Worn with a polo neck, ankle boots and a hat in winter or a cute white T in summer, it’s a really versatile piece to travel with. I love this one by C(Inch).

5 Striped T – Obviously. Worn with jeans or underneath a pinafore, it always looks cute. This is a cutie by Jeep from Spree.

6 Bell Sleeved Blouse – It’s a major trend that just happens to be extremely cute and very flattering. I got this one by Mango and I love love love it.

7 White Blouse – You can never have too many crisp white blouses. This particular one by Mango is great for travelling, since it doesn’t crease too badly and it easy enough to un-crease by using steam in the shower. This boho blouse with fabulous sleeves by Style Republic was a hit during my trip.

8 Black Leather Jacket – Or faux leather even. It looks amazing with jeans and a pair of flats, or with an LBD and a pair of heels. This one by Vintage Zionist from Spree is stunning.

9 Classic Trench Coat – This Mango trench is probably my favourite thing in my cupboard right now. It’s beautifully cut, light enough to stuff in my handbag and looks amazing with pretty much anything. Definitely a must-have.

10 Jumpsuit – I love a good jumpsuit! It’s so comfortable and is pretty much an outfit all by itself. This black jumpsuit by Pieces from Spree is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen. It looks great with a white blouse or polo neck underneath, or with a pair of wedges and a red lip. I also love this casual one by Style Republic (for under R400!)

11 Black Slacks – For when jeans are just a little too casual. I am a huge fan of a pair of beautifully cut black trousers. I got this pair by Mango and they are so comfortable I wore them as often as possible. This pair by Pieces is great too.

12 Flared Skirt – It just looks so good (and it’s lots of fun to twirl in). This striped one by Style Republic looks great with white sneakers and a cute t-shirt. This is a nice alternative.

13 Pleated Sheer Skirt – This red skirt by Style Republic looks great with a white t, leather jacket and white sneakers or black wedges. In colder climates, you can add a big chunky scarf.

14 Black Wedges – It’s hard to justify carrying a pair of heels across the world if you don’t really foresee yourself wearing them to hobble across a cobblestoned square. This pair of black wedges by AWOL is unbelievably comfortable and super light. My new travel staple, for sure.

15 Cute Scarves – They just feel so right, right? Wear them around your neck, or in your hair, tied to your handbag, whatever. Find a navy blue one on Spree here and a grey one here.

16 Black Flats – They’re not great for walking around all day, but they do look amazing paired with skinny jeans and a T, or black trousers and a bell-sleeved blouse. This pair of asymmetrical babies by Mango is tres chic. These ballet flats are cute too.

17 White Sneakers – Ok, I know Chucks look awesome with pretty much everything, but I personally can’t travel with them as my walking-around shoes (I just find them really uncomfortable after a full day of walking). I like something with a bit more support, like this pair by New Balance or these guys with metallic details by Pierre Cardin.

18 Just-In-Case-Dress – It’s good to have one stunning dress to wear for some (you never know!) special occasion. The one I’m wearing in the header image is by Amanda Laird Cherry from Spree.

I don’t need to tell you that offline shopping is my worst. I would never try anything on and I hate having to look for parking, look for cash to pay for the parking, stand in endless lines, etc. I live for online shopping and I have always found Spree’s selection really inspiring. My favourite brands to shop are Style Republic (local and so affordable) and Mango (sizes run quite small so I shop for Large/40 in bottoms and Medium/Large in tops). I hope my guide for what to pack for Paris was helpful!