cigalechanta

I saw quite a few gold purses but carried by younger women.

SeaUrchin

I'm glad I live in Los Angeles, anything goes, any color any time.

marshacarlin

Reading this post, in preparation for my last minute trip to Paris next week (help what else should I wear? Live in NYC but was hoping my bootcut jeans and cowboy boots (soooo comfortable--who knew!?) would work) Made me remember my first Le Sport Sac bought for my first trip to Paris 16 years ago........found it in the closet (I knew there was a reason to never throw anything away DH!.....it's black (darn) but I did find a franc in the bottom! maybe I can decorate it and make it a standout.......but just yesterday I was thinking how I didn't want to carry around a heavy leather bag, so thanks for this post........and again, any other wardrobe suggestions would be lovely.
I also printed out he TSE poem to take with me and read whilst sippig in a cafe.

panecott

Great post, milogirl.
I think you'll look smashing, and I like the suggestion of the pink scarf as well.

Dallas

Milogirl, here's your pin... You can't be an official Fodorite until you've received your first bashing and have been called a troll! Congratulations!!!

Enjoy your trip and your pink purse in Paris.

mbluvsne

milogirl, I don't know if you've already gone, but I spent 8 days in Paris before Christmas with my college son at the end of his semester, and he said I could wear anything I wanted to, as long as I had a cool scarf thrown casually around my neck. "Casual" frequently took me 15 minutes, but I got the hang of it and never felt like I had a big "tourist" tatooed on my forehead. And I think small children like color! Go for it, but DO buy a new purse.

missypie

There are so many "what to wear" threads on this board, but yours made me think. We all seem to want to "fit in" in the foreign country. I agree that we shouldn't look like the "Typical American Tourist" in shorts, hawain shirt, black socks and white sneakers...BUT (here is MY Declaration of Independence), why can't we look like we come from where we come from, rather than dressing like them?

You know, if a group of ladies from India who normally wear saris came to visit Dallas, I would hope that they would proudly wear their saris, instead of wearing shorts, t-shirts and flip flops to "fit in."

Several years ago I went to NYC on business in the summer...I had heard that they always wear dark clothes in NYC, even in the summer (true? don't know), but I thought, why not wear my light colored, Dallas summer business attire? So WHAT if people think I'm from out of town?

I guess the key is to be well dressed and be yourself. Just think - the French or the Italians or whomever might just think that what YOU are wearing is cute!

Guenmai

I needed a good chuckle for today. I leave for my vacation to Paris tomorrow. Have been there a couple dozen times and I love "loud" colors,too. As a fellow Angeleno, I say go with the loud,"pink". You know how we Angelenos just LOVE,"color!". So,throw that pink handbag on your shoulder and strut you stuff on down the Champs Elysee. I just packed my blueberry-colored epi leather handbag...it was between that one and the bright red one! By the way, Paris has some of the best handbag boutiques in the world. I collect handbags. You will lose your mind. Check out the Karine Dupont store in the 7th on rue Cherche Midi...almost next door to Poilane bakery which is a must for an apple tarte.I've been buying her handbags since 2003. And also check out Un-Apres-Midi-de-Chien...on rue Etienne Marcel...walk WEST(left) after you exit the metro at Etienne Marcel(Line 4) and it's about a 5-minute walk on the opposite side of the street(north side) from the metro exit. We have the same store here in L.A. on Melrose, in that cluster of Bungalows about two blocks east of La Cienega on the south side of the street and across from the French bakery. But, they aren't open on weekends and the prices are higher here than in Paris. Have a great time. Happy Travels!

Weezie

"Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."

seafox

Milogirl - Have you returned?

I applaud you.....and at some risk must say I am envious ......

Perhaps you have stayed in paris????

Nikki

Seafox, now I'm curious, are you envious of the pink purse? Oh, the visuals.

peeky

What is so daring about a pink purse?

BTilke

Nothing, really. In fact, there is a very attractive vivid pinkleather purse in the window at the Lancel store. 320 euros. They had many other purses in bright pink as well.

Gretchen

Actually a number of years ago I bought our DILs really super good looking chartreuse and pink purses at a market. They were about 2 years ahead of our fashion here. They loved them.

Luisah

I think it's about the American female (few men care) travelers' perception that we must wear all black in Paris or be considered fashion pariahs.

I've always seen color in Paris, but it takes a long time for perception to catch up with reality.

OliviaOlivia

Can I go with you carrying a bright violet purse?!!! I'll even stick bright green and yellow hearts on it so it matches yours!! I love that spirit!

PatrickLondon

Is this all black thing a folk memory of the days when women in Mediterranean countries went into black over a certain age or in widowhood - and never wore anything else?

missypie

I bought a very sleek, cool AQUA messenger bag for our trip to Italy. I did not see anyone else with a messenger bag that was any color other than black or tan. No problem...I don't mind being different. However, early in the trip it struck me what my big aqua bag looked like: a diaper bag! THAT is what made me wish I had stuck with tan or black.

BTilke

Earlier this year, I attended a medical conference. They always hand out messenger type bags to hold your program, etc. This year, you had a choice...the typical conservative black bag made of cordura nylon, tough, practical, you could use it repeatedly. But everyone wanted the second choice--bright yellow, plastic type material, with big bold print. There were far fewer of them available (the planners thought everyone would want the plain black ones). I scored a yellow one as did my colleagues/friends and we looked uber cool at the meeting. But now, I don't really know what to do with it. It's kind of a doofus thing to use in the "real" world. OTOH, I could easily have used the black one over and over. Oh well, I may take it to a conference in Chicago.
Anyway, it was this year's object lesson on the short lifespan of superficial status symbols

SHLTLVR

I was in France, Spain and Italy in
May...Saw bags and clothes in every
conceivable splashy color, as well as the basic black. Orange, aqua, and white were big for summer,(not all together), but I used a small metallic gold bag and driving shoes a lot. Definitely go with a zip top, and something that can tuck in your armpit, or under a jacket, if needed.
Just tried not to dress in geeky
travel gear, which I have used, and
worked well in other venues.
Don't take anything that can be cut easily, as I've had two friends that had a waistpack and SAK purse cut off of them in public places. Creeps can
spot a vulnerable Yank a mile away,
and take advantage. Don't put any
thing important in your tote...save
that for the "in the pants wallet".
Even the shop owners said be careful,
and I took it seriously.
I had map, umbrella, water, book,
a few basic cosmetics in a zip pouch,
small camera, sunglasses, sunscreen,
sunhat, shawl, packaged hand wipes, tissues, notepad, pen, and a few euro.
Not the comprehensive list, but I
was also going for light weight. You
go girl, with your bright bag, and
have fun.