ira

m_kingdom2

>Ira dear, when are you being appointed as the editor of Vogue?<

My dear M_K,

I am trying to phrase this as courteousely and tactfully as I can.

What the hell does some pommy twit know about Paris fashions?

I reported what I saw all over Paris.

Get stuffed.

Nasty letter to follow.

ninasdream

Tiger_Lily - I pack a 24" bag and a carry-on for 2 weeks vacation, and bring Woolite. But you are not on tour, this is business. So, don't skimp too much and bring what you know looks good on you. I might try to limit it to 3 colors that can easily mix and match to minimize volume. Like cream, camel and black, or navy white and pink. Thanks for your support on my pink jacket! It felt particularly good at Giverny with all the flowers. Color is great. Ice blue, for example, has been the hot color for the past 2 years so, I agree bring the blue jacket. On my return, I bought a pair of tan GV stretch gab pants- no elastic, they have a zipper and regular waistband. Sooo comfortable and great looking for casual. I saw them in blue denim and black as well. Bring the black bag if you are going to use it as a sort of briefcase, and a small under the arm handbag if you like. Keep your laptop under guard. I met a woman who had hers taken as it rested on the seat next to her at a restaurant. I say bring with you so you won't have to buy, but shop if you like. I think we are so distinctly American, I am not sure shopping there will appreciably change things. Your style is your style. Just my opinion. Though I enjoyed tying my scarves in the french manner.

StCirq

Good one, Ira !

Seriously, don't worry about "competing" with French women or going out and buying all those designer labels m_kingdom is so fond of touting (how sad that she feels compelled to bring them up ALL the time, as if it might enhance her image on a message board).

Pink IS a big color in Paris this spring/summer. And so are those endless pointy shoes - though I'd never recommend buying those for walking in Paris. You may want to wait until you get there to pick up a couple of pink items to brighten whatever other color scheme you choose. But keep it simple - a couple of suits, a pair or two of pants that can go with the suit jackets, a pair of casual pants, a simple black linen dress for "dress-up" - and a half-dozen tops ranging from t-shirts to silk. Whatever's lightweight, packs easily, and doesn't wrinkle.

Are you guys actually talking about drycleaning your underwear??? ("whatever is next to your skin&quot. Maybe I'm nuts, but I have never in all my life drycleaned my underwear. Or did you mean something else?

ira

Hi StCirq,

>Are you guys actually talking about drycleaning your underwear??? <\

Once upon a time (OUAT) I dopped off a load of laundry. When I picked it up I was billed for dry cleaning.

ninasdream

StCirq- by next to our skin, I think we mean blouses and perhaps lightweight pants, which will really need refreshing after a busy day and should be washed/cleaned. But that outer layers need not get such frequent treatment. I save drycleaning for suits and coats, and try to keep it to only a few times a year, everything else gets Woolite.

Airlawgirl

Good post, Nina, we're in agreement here.

StCirq

WHEW! I thought maybe I was a member of the Great Unwashed and didn't know it!

Scarlett

The Great Unwashed LOL, never!!

I think instead of hoping to ever look Parisian or anywhere else but American, I will try to look like the Best American there is in Europe ~

I will stir envy in the hearts of Parisian women ... or at least die trying

elle

Some color combos that I've been wearing (and loving) lately:

Pale pink and grey/navy/tan/brown
Butter yellow and light grey
Light green with grey
Ice blue or robin's egg blue with chocolate brown
Shocking pink with navy
Camel with grey and cream
Lavender and grey
Aqua with grey

ira: tee-hee!

StCirq

ira: I did that once, too, totally unwittingly. I left a large load of laundry at the blanchisserie in St-Cyprien and came back four days later to find that my kids' baby socks had been drycleaned to the tune of something like 20 francs apiece! Such an expensive mistake, but a good learning experience.

ira

I hope they were ironed.

StCirq

Yes, they were ironed, pressed, drycleaned, starched, and whatever else one can do to clothes. Needless to say, it was ridiculously unnecessary - pressed socks on a toddler?

Airlawgirl

You know Scarlett, that's not as hard to do as one might think. When I was studying in Paris, I did recall one outfit that I had that at least 3 Parisian women made approving remarks about. I felt quite pleased that I had put it together myself. Sad to say, I've never been able to duplicate that!

auntgrapes

Ira rocks !

StCirq

elle:

I love your list of colors. I've been playing with a lot of the same this spring. Since I recently lost a bunch of weight and am really thin for the first time in quite a few years, I'm loving putting outfits together (NOT Prada or MiuMiu or whatever, just ordinary clothing). My favorite new color, which is shocking since I always hated it, is tangerine. I love tangerine with pale green and grey and black and white. I found a tangerine-colored necklace at the flea market at Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in April for 10 euros, bought a similar-colored silk scarf in my travels in Provence in April on a day that was so cold my neck was freezing, and then found a "matching" cardigan sweater here in the USA, and. They have been the basis for my spring wardrobe.I'm sure m_kingdom will be completely shocked and disapproving.

suze

I think our original poster who is smart enough to get herself to Paris for a month can figure out when and how, or not, to wash out her undies! My personal travel wardrobe ... pick the current best 4-5 outfits you have at home for the summer, that would pack well, look and feel great, & take 'em. End of story.

Scarlett

Mmm tangerine, I love it and look awful in it..
My summer fave so far is a black skirt with pink ribbon trim with a pale pink sleeveless top and my pink bag ... I feel ever so slightly Audrey Hepburnish~

StCirq

Scarlett: My daughter,who is 17 and très fashion-conscious, looks delicious in her black flouncy mini-skirt with wide pink belt and matching pink hat and pale pink boat-neck top.
I, of course, would look like a total nightmare in this outfit. I can copy the colors, but not the cuts.

FauxSteMarie

Ira, I just loved your post.

Tiger Lily, find one all purpose handbag and bring that. You do not need to change bags with every outfit. I have quite a few of them at home, but find I use one 99% of the time.

If you need some things to mix and match, Travelsmith has a lot of nice lightweight things that take up no room in the suitcase--including short sleeve and sleeveless shells.

And none of my French friends have Hermes scarves or buy designer labels, so forget mkindom's advice. She just wants to impress fauxdorites with her phony expertise.

BTilke

NYTraveler, I can assure you that Parisian women do indeed wear backpacks, but they are a far cry from the typical student nylon backpack. High quality leather backpacks (purse style backpacks) from Longchamp, Lancel, Le Tanneur, Ma Campagne, etc. are perennial top sellers. I attend many conferences in Paris and have seen scores of professional women wearing these backpacks. I have a Longchamp one myself that works perfectly well with my business clothes.
Re dry cleaning, overall, I have found that Parisian dry cleaners are not very careful with garments. There is one French chain of cleaners, 5 a Sec, that is VERY rough on clothes. We have them here in Brussels, too, and have learned from bitter experience not to use them except in emergencies (they staple their tags to the clothes, smash buttons on jackets, and clothes often reek of chemicals).
Tiger Lily, there is a chain of clothing stores in France (and Belgium) called Un Jour Ailleurs. They sell well made, moderately priced clothes that are specifically for business women. I just bought a suit from them for a business meeting in Milan at the end of the week. As a bonus, almost everything they sell is machine washable (at 30 degrees C, no dryer). If you look at their web site, http://www.un-jour-ailleurs.com/ , it will give you a good idea of typical business (and after work socializing) attire.