Hello. We are taking our oldest daughter to Paris the first week in April. She is very excited, of course, but in a panic about looking as chic as the French. This is a girl who cares passionately about fashion. It's easy for me, the mom, to pack black jersey separates for travel, but how can we satisfy my daughter's need to feel like a fashionable 16 year-old and still fit everything into her suitcase? Any ideas? Experience? (Incidentally, it's my first time to Paris too!) Thank you, in advance!

Just take her to a Pimkie shop when you arrive. Have a look at the showcase and let her choose. Those shops have been here for a long time (I used to dress there as a teen ager in the 80's) and there are many of them. The others are H&M, Etam, Promod, Camaieu, Zara, Mango... not expensive.

good luck!
coco

Suggest she start by hanging the outfits she wants to take along in a separate place in her bedroom. I do this a couple weeks before a trip.

Picking out 1) her favorites, 2) the ones she likes to wear most at home, 3) ones appropriate for the weather, 4) things that mix and match, and 5) fabrics that pack well. Keep it to 3 pair of shoes if possible (one on her feet).

Start packing the suitcase with the necessities first, then add the clothing in order of preference. Stop when you get to the top!

p.s. Also suggest and help with getting all cosmetics and toiletries downsized to just enough for the length of the trip. That can be a big savings in packing space.

remind her that:
if the suitcase is full on the way there, she won't have room for new clothes from Paris.

She will not see the same people twice and NO ONE will ever know if she wears the same outfit every day.

comfortable shoes are a must as you'll be walking everywhere. taxi fare cuts into clothing budget

>>>>>
She will not see the same people twice and NO ONE will ever know if she wears the same outfit every day.
>>>>>

no one will care...in france it is normal to wear the same thing every day for a week. then it goes away for a while and in a few weeks you will see it on them for another week at a time.

Along with all the good ideas you have received here I would like to offer one other suggestion. Tell your daughter that she will have to handle her luggage by herself. Our daughter always tried to overpack. So we finally had her pack everything she wanted to take a week ahead of time and then test the suitcase out as to if she could handle it on her own. It was amazing how she started weeding items of the suitcase. Also, make sure her suitcase isn't too big..that will just encourage her to pack more. Have a fun trip!!

I'd do the same thing for a girl as I did for my teen boys -- Give her a 22" suitcase and a smallish carry on tote and tell her she can bring anything she wants that fits in there.

If you are only going for a week that should be no problem. Suggest to her that she can wash things out by hand, so they should dry quickly and without wrinkles. Make sure she knows what the weather will be like.

If she has illusions of looking like a Paris model, well, you might as well set here straight on that now. It's unlikely she'll "pass." 16 year old girls are cute no matter what they wear!

I feel for her. It is easy to be a tourist someplace like Disneyworld, where everyone is dressed like a tourist. But is harder in places like Paris or NYC where nicely dressed people are going about their normal life. I always end up envying their stylish clothes and purses.

I forgot to add my suggestion. It will still be chilly in April. Make sure she takes a light jacket that she feels terrific and stylish in...that is what she will essentially be wearing every day anyway.

I totally agree with Missypie about feeilng terrific and stylish in the jacket. She will wear that a lot and will make her feel good if she likes it. Bring one or two cool scarves and she will fit right in.

I often teach French exchange students at our local university. The girls usually wear jeans, a crisp white or pastel blouse, and stylish flats or boots. They often add a sweater (sometimes tied around their necks) or even a colored scarf. Their jewelry is usually just a great pair of earrings. They are simply dressed, yet very "pulled together." They are easy to pick out in the crowd as they never appear sloppy or untidy as American teenagers sometimes do. I hope this information helps your daughter feel more comforable about packing.

I am going to Paris the next week with teen daughter and she is already planning on dressing like Carrie from Sex on the City's last episodes in Paris (LOL)...However, since it will be just a five day trip and with hubby and I sharing a room with her (we're crazy)- we told her that we are limiting our trip to 2 suitcases and a carry on. She's been to Paris two years ago so she knows how small the hotels can be. So, will work with outfits (especially pants) that can be worn twice). Our last trip was mid-April and I will say that while we had gorgeous sunny weather - we were comfortable with heavier coats rather than lighter coats. I might suggest a warm coat and a sweater that can be layered or worn seperatly if it is warm. When my daughter was 14 she had a field day in Pimkie- they had great prices and cool fashion that fit most tastes. It was one of her favorite shops in Europe. It will be interesting to see if it appeals to her on this trip.

risab- 2 suitcases and a carry-on per person? or that's the total for all 3 of you?

just wondering ;-)

Yes...two suitcases for the three of us and one carry one for toiletries. If my daughter wants to take a carry on it will have to be a nylon bag that can fold up. Actually, I like to take a nylon folding bag for items that we buy that we do not want to pack in the suitcase. Last time in Paris we had a two rooms - but they were small and we barely just fit three large suitcases (we were traveling for over two weeks- and had mostly warm clothing- because we had been in Prague and Vienna). As is often mentioned the elevators are small in many of the hotels and can just about fit one suitcase and passenger. All of us in my family are notorious for wanting to take a lot because we all like "options" however, we've gotten better over the years.

interesting. i can't imagine sharing a suitcase! then again i only travel with a 22". maybe 3 small suitcases would work better than 2-3 large ones?

and surely your daughter wants her own tote, small backpack, pocketbook, or something for her own stuff on the plane, right?

If you or your daughter can read a little French, try going to www.pimkie.fr and checking out some of their outfits - and prices in euros.
Good luck.
Sara

Just checked out the Pimke website. Have to admit that the fashions aren't much different than in NYC (felt that the last time we were in Paris) - in NYC I saw lots of fatique pants and skirts in moderate and high end shops, similar jeans, cropped pants, and dressy tank tops. However, their prices are good and it is a Paris shopping experience for kids. Been to Italy more than Paris and for some reason fashion always seems a year a head there.

If you're only going to Paris and staying in one hotel the entire trip, and she's a normal, healthy teenager--let her have a bigger suitcase.

We don't know what size her current suitcase is, but Mrs. Fly and I haven't had any significant problems with 26" and 27" suitcases on our world travels.

Unless she has some gargantuan monster suitcase, it shouldn't be a devastating life-changing experience to schlep her suitcase to the airline counter and then from Paris airport to hotel room and vice-versa. And if she should try to carry too much, this is a good time for her to learn how much too much is.

Set out all the clothes she thinks can fit in her suitcase. Cut this by 1/2. Fill the suitcase to see how full it is. Remove clothes - set aside, and 2 days later, cut by 1/4. Repack. Unpack, then remove exactly 2 items. You will have enough space for souvenirs, clothing bought there, etc. You will also have room to pack a collapsable piece of luggage to use for emergency packing on your way back from Paris. If she is upset about the "lack of clothes" that she can take, you can supplement it but TELL her that she won't have room to bring anything back with her, and I am SURE that she will want to bring back some chic French styles rather than schlep the same old stuff to AND from Paris.
This method has always worked for me!
Good luck!

I might add that the French girls I saw in Paris were not as "skimpily" (is that a word???) dressed as American teens.

The American teens with their bra straps and bare bellies really stuck out. (Not true in Rome though.)