As I said in my Paris style post, Europe this Fall was all about black, grey, skinny jeans, and boots. I did my best to not stick out like a sore American thumb. Not because I was worried about being fashionable but just because there is enough stress from being in an unfamiliar country where you don’t speak the language.
The biggest thing that made me feel awkward and isolated, was not knowing the customs. The Paris cafe, bakery, and shops culture is so much more complicated than here in the US and it felt like we were continually doing the wrong thing lol. I think Carrie from SATC summed up being an American girl in Paris best for me when she said “It’s harder than I thought”. So, when it came to what I wore during our vacation, I was less adventurous than normal and just wanted to lay low this go round.
Here is what I wore and didn’t wear in Europe:
Bottoms:
1-M+O black skinny jeans- Indispensable!
2-M+O dark wash straight leg jeans
3-Paige dark wash boot cut jeans
The above 3 are all the bottoms I wore on the trip. Each pair of jeans is hemmed long for a heeled shoe. The skinny and straight leg jeans could be cuffed to wear with flats. Btw- I saw many, many Parisians and Germans converting straight or skinny jeans into capris with a large cuff.
What I didn’t wear- JC dark grey felted wool mini- it was perfectly in fashion but it just felt too warm and humid for me to be into wearing wool. H&M black dress-If I would have had tall black boots, I probably would have worn this but I didn’t like it with flats and didn’t wear the heeled black boots I packed
What I wish I had packed- My AA interlock pencil skirt in plum -This lightweight skirt in a darker color would have layered well. Another pair of skinny or straight black jeans- I just wore the heck out of the M+O pair, they fit in so well. A pair of skinny black cotton ankle pants would have been nice as well. I would not have worn a khaki colored pant.
Tops:
1-JC navy corsage tee- Dark with mild embellishment, worked well
2-Gap sheer black s/s button up- Nice and lightweight
3-M+O grey cashmere silk sweater -Wore this a couple times, great for the cool evenings
4-M+O purple scoopneck sweater -A little too warm
5-JC white navy striped boatneck- This mostly white top felt too bright
6-AE Black and white striped tneck- Tissue tnecks are a winner, wore this twice
7-JC Rose tee- Wore this a couple times, the champagne is a good alternative to darker colors but not as bright as white.
8-AA grey vneck tee- Perfect, very basic but a little edgy with the deep v
9-Tank tops- Such a relief to change into after sweating in the Metro
What I didn’t wear- JC red cashmere sweater-too bright and too warm. Anthro blouses -too frilly and girly!
What I wish I had packed-More basic dark colored tees! I wish I would have bought a few more deep v or scoopneck tees before the trip because I didn’t have time to seek them out during. I found I didn’t have to worry much about a neckline being too low because I wore a scarf almost every day and you can hide any cleavage behind the scarf when it feels inappropriate or awkward.
Jackets and sweaters:
1- AE Boyfriend blazer- I wore this a lot! Perfect, fitted layer for cool mornings and was easy to put in dh’s backpack when it warmed up
2-JC navy Jackie cardigan- Again, perfect for layering!
3-JC Wool/cashmere shawl collar sweater- Very cozy on the airplane and cool evenings
4- Anthro Inverness trench- I wore this a lot. It was great in Germany where it was not as humid and also in Paris until it got really warm in the afternoon I was able to roll it up to fit in dh’s backpack (poor guy carried everything!) I loved the coat because I could look stylish even though I was wearing very basic clothes underneath.
What I didn’t wear-JC red peacoat sweater- Almost wore this but caved because it is so, so bright. AE Vintage blazer- Good style and color but just a little too warm
What I wish I had packed- I wish I would have bought a couple more Jackie cardigans in black, grey, or dk purple before the trip. It was the perfect weight, where as the wool cardigans I have are too warm
Shoes!
1-Juxtaposition booties- Even though these booties have a heel , I wore the heck out of them. All over Germany and Paris, over cobblestone, climbing hills to castles, etc. The boots were comfortable and fashionable. No blisters, rarely sore feet at all. The only day I had a problem with my feet hurting in them was the day we went to the Louvre. The Louvre is HUGE and there are so many stairs, so many *cries* lol. Honestly, the Louvre kicked my ass but it wouldn’t have mattered what shoes I wore.
2-Adidas- I wore my sneakers on the plane, to Disneyland, and one or two other days. They have great thick soles but they made my feet SO hot on the humid days. I hated them for that. Luckily the day we went to Disney it was cool, so they worked well that day
3-Flats- I bought my ON black flats and Delman nude flats but I rarely wore them. The soles were too thin (even the padded Delmans) and it just felt like I was walking barefoot on cobblestone. I did use them to change into after a full day in another shoe, when we were just leaving for a bit to grab a bit to eat. I really only brought them as an alternate, I wasn’t expecting to wear them much since I have high arches and they hurt my back.
What I didn’t wear- Ann Taylor booties- I really wanted a black boot for the trip so I bought the AT’s at the last minute. Although they are comfortable to walk in, I didn’t end up wearing them because I worried the thinnish heel would fall down into the street grates and cobbles and get ruined.
What I wish I had packed- Low thicker heeled knee high black boots would have been so in fashion and cute but it is hard to find a really comfortable pair. I really wish I would have packed a flat, shortie boot in black. I decided I absolutely had to have a pair as soon as I got back. (Btw- I have ordered the Anthro Cuttle (aka Sam Edelman Leah) boots from Revolve to see if they fit the bill)
Accessories:
1- Scarf-As you have seen, I picked up a beige/grey/black scarf from H&M as soon as I got to Germany. I wore it just about every day. I love how it ties all the different neutrals together.
What I didn’t wear-Since I was wearing the scarf I didn’t wear any necklaces. I didn’t wear much jewelry at all really because I was constantly having to layer and unlayer! Any jewelry would have probably gotten all tangled up and possibly lost.
What I wish I had packed- Black and brown rough leather belts about an inch wide would have been on trend and cute with jeans.
A studded accessory, a slouchy hand bag or skinny belt, would have been cool.
One more thing I noticed in Paris, a lot of ladies were wearing slightly sheer black tights instead of completely opaque. This might be good news for me since I feel my legs look weird and stocky in flat opaque black.
If you want to see any of the pieces I list here, take a look back to Sept and my packing thread HERE
thank you very much for this post! I inquired about those boots yesterday. this is such extremely helpful.
I'm glad you found it helpful Anon! Thanks for the reminder, I've been meaning to post this for awhile
I thought of one more thing I really would have liked to have had on the trip….
Call me a baby lol but at the end of every day I curl up on the coach with my own blanket. I wish I would have left a couple things behind and made room in my suitcase for it. It would have been so nice to come back to the hotel to my own soft, worn in blankie because the hotel comforter was thin and stiff and the extra blankets were heavy, scratchy, and slightly smelly
Shannon:
Ridiculously thrilled to hear you ordered the boots (didn't know they were on Revolve as well – TY.) Let's hope they are made for walking…Also on the hunt for a budget friendly gingham shirt to put under similar Gap school-style blazer. Not just the $$ JC price (do like quiality of their men's shirts for DH) but also because annoys me when they don't offer popular items online but do show in all the styling "whines." Thanks for Europe update, so true in travel, all about mix-and-match, layers. Re. blankie have you seen:
http://www.lugtravel.com/c=dLagVR5utORcTt2Ubs5JTEVkC/product/NAPSAC/Nap_Sac_Travel_Blanket.html
They are great.
Thanks for the link, they look so comfy! I think I might order one up for me or dd during car trips! Every time we drive into the city dd insists on bringing her full size pillow and comforter lol. Maybe I can convince her to use this instead.
A blog reader emailed me about the boots! Unfortunately Revolve only has larger sizes left(8.5+) Since we are similar size I'm guessing you wear smaller. I snagged the last 6.5 which might be too small for me. I'm crossing my fingers! I'll post pics when they get here
How are you liking the gap blazer? Is it still in store or online?
PS everyone-Revolve has a code tobiinstyle30 for 30% off (some excluded brands though, as usual)
Wow, this is the most helpful European packing re-cap I have ever read. I'm hoping to go next fall so your tips will surely come in handy!
Merci merci merci!
Thanks for the post. It is interesting to hear about parisian fashion. No wonder my British co-worker is always making fun of me, since I wear skinny jeans and boots all the time (as well as a lot of black and grey). He says I look too French.
How was the food? Were you able to visit a lot of restaurants?
Snagged my Gap blazer back in late summer. Think "My Closet, My Baby" has good recent pics of same/ similar one on her blog. Didn't have your AE score in Canada
But Gap is currently selling cute shrunken one w/ subtle plaid as well as a military one w/ small cuff ruffles which actually made me think of you – less OTT than JC frills on jackets & sweaters. Boots do indeed take either a 6.5 or a 7 (depending on socks, toe box) so back to Anthro then – and will await your fit report!
CashmereLibrarian-Ahh thank you, glad to help!
Rosa-We definitely did not get into the food enough. I am really looking forward to trying more restaurants next time.
The problems we had this trip was that the food was so expensive, it blew me away. We were staying in an expensive area I think, right by the Eiffel tower. A salad was 15 euro, 25 to 30 for single plate meals. Plus drinks.. desert.. and bottled water all day. After the euro to dollar loss, times this by the 3 of us, 3 times a day. It threw me into a bit of a panic at first lol.
The other food issue, is I am a vegetarian and I was not finding much french cuisine for me. Dh is a steak man but he continually got real poor cuts of meat hidden under sauce. We were so busy during the day that by the time it came to eat, we didn't have a lot of energy left to look all over the city for the many gems. Also, they eat dinner so late! We'd come back from seeing the sights and rest until the restaurants opened at 7pm.
The good thing is, the menus are all posted outside of cafes and I knew enough French to decipher most of it.
The last half of the week we did find a wonderful restaurant that had Italian food (of all things). The service was very friendly, they remembered us and what we liked when we came back the next night. The waiter had the French flare you imagine them to have lol. Loved him. The restaurant had the richest lasagna you can imagine and all fresh pasta. Which is so much better than the boxed pasta they serve in 90% of US restaurants!
I found that a lot of the more obviously english speaking, friendly, and convenient cafes were serving not great boxed food to tourists.
I really look forward to going back and exploring the food scene. Since I've been there and know the metro I'll be more comfortable staying in a less touristy area next time.
I will say the every day bread, cheese and fruit was amazing. Even in a museum cafeteria! The fruit especially has so much flavor, I couldn't believe it. I ate raspberries and I hate raspberries lol
Getfresh-Thanks, I'll look for them!
Something that is so disappointing, is you get use to the delicious french food: brie, croissants, the fruit and then you come back to the bland US processed food… I bought a croissant the first day we were back and about spit it out. I was like.. Wth is this!? This is not a croissant! It tastes like rolled up wonder bread. And the Brie we bought at the grocery store was disgusting too.
It has driven us to seek out local bakeries and specialty shops.
Forgot, just in case you like the jackets or need basics, Gap has 20% off on regularly priced orders through 10/29, code FORYOU.
Oh so bad about the food. But you know, I love bread, cheese and fruit, so I would be in heaven! Husband loves food and it is his dream for us to go there, he can eat, and I can look at the fashion.
I have started following your blog not too long ago, and I did not know you were a vegetarian. I am contemplating becoming one since my running days are over and no longer need all that protein. Maybe I will pick your brain one of these days about your life as a vegetarian.
Thank you for sharing all these info about your parisian experience.
BTW, a great italian restaurant in Paris? My husband is dying right now as I read to him what you said about your experience.
Thanks Getfresh!
Rosa-Anytime! I've been a vegetarian for 15y but my dh and dd are not.
In case anyone is thinking back on my ootds… yes I am a vegetarian that buys leather lol. I didn't wear any leather for about 10y but then one day my love of shoes defeated my morals lmao
Hi Shannon-
I came across your blog when I googled "Juxtaposition bootie" to see if anyone besides Anthropologie sold them. I was surprised to see a whole thread dedicated to the boot. I did end up ordering them and they are perfect. I also looked at the link to Belen Enchandia and love those bags…too bad the US dollar is so weak! Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for the review of the boot, it was very helpful!
Hi Lara- Welcome! I'm so glad you liked the boots as much as I did!
I know what you mean, the exchange rate is an absolute killer
LOL about the Louvre, I had to take my shoes off in The Vatican a few years back, I had ten blisters for toes. The shoe thing is always my biggest problem when I go away too, you want to look good but it's so hard to do that and be comfy.
May I ask a question? I'm new to bright colours and J Crew but I am mesmerised by your icon, are those shades that are specific to J Crew? I'd love to copy that look.
I'm in Europe ( mail order J Crewite) so I find your blog invaluable.
Tabitha
isn't that how it always works? You expect one thing and end up needing something else entirely!
I am planning a trip to Florida soon, I am working on the packing/outfits currently. I am staying with the in-laws, and I want a stylish casual vibe. Unfortunelty, I am not really good with casual style…
Yay! I love travel packing posts. I agree with much of what you said, as it was the same deal in the Netherlands and Germany back in 2006 when I was there. However, the next major trip I'm planning will be to South Africa when it's winter there. I imagine the brighter colors will be more popular, but who can say?
Also, you are SO RIGHT about French breads, fruit spreads, and cheeses. God I'm drooling just thinking about them.
Hi Tabitha,
My icon shows the Jcrew cashmere cardigan in plum and I think it was the Italian boucle pencil skirt in honey glaze. I don't think JC has any yellow pencil skirts out right now but they have sweaters in light berry which is just a little lighter than the plum.
Emily-South Africa, how exciting! I hope to hear about your adventure!
Plum and honey glaze, oh what a lovely mix, thanks so much Shannon.
Wow Shannon,
I wish I could order a pair of boots. Grr. My feet ache all the time just wearing casual flats! Seriously, somedays I need my Topricin foot cream so much I can hardly stand it (no pun intended) HA!
You got the perfect sense of Paris from your trip! It's not just this season really but Paris style is black all the time. I was there for three month and found that I stuck out like a sore thumb when I wore bold colors or patterns. By black trench was indispensable, like your inverness trench. I agree about the customs, there's a specific dialogue about ordering food or buying things in Paris and it takes time to get used to. I hope your trip was still lovely despite all of this!
sinece i have NO idea.
what brand is M+O? where can i find the jeans? i'm guessing it's short for something?
i think i figured it out.
martin and osa?
Nicole- Yes, it's martin and osa