What to Wear in Paris
 

I'll be in Paris for the first time this summer. I've heard that one must dress up but I'm planning on seeing a lot of the city on foot so I'm particularly worried about what should I wear on my feet - I'm fine with wearing fashionable sundresses and skirts but I can't stand the idea of heels for anything other than a night at the Opera.

The vast majority of tourists will be wearing jeans and walking shoes, so the most important consideration is: how would you be most comfortable? Do you like to dress casually, or do you like being a bit more fashionable. (Some people are more comfortable going into boutiques well dressed ... but it's a totally personal thing.

As it can get warm in the summer, so a sundress or skirt would probably be cooler, but there's certainly no reason to wear heels.

Wear what you want. Really. I don't bring shorts because I know that they aren't worn so much there - but jeans, shirts, sneakers, shoes, whatever. I didn't ever feel a need to wear heels.

How big are your feet? I mean, are we talking HUGE wide-body swamp-chompers or what?

The French base thier shoe fashion fines by size, so it can get right steep if you get caught in a "black heels-only" zone.

Well, let's put it this way, I'm a great waterskiier. I'll have to increase my budget for the fines. Dammit.

Val, have a great trip and remember that ultra short pink or yellow miniskirts are back in style this year in Paris.

The first time I went to Paris I dressed for comfort, the second time which was a few months later in the winter I thought that I should dress up a bit more so bought a cute pair of ankle boots with a slight heel for walking around sightseeing. Big mistake. I ended up with a blister on the entire sole of one foot. So big that bandaids didn't work. Maxithin pads did, amazing what you can think of when you are in pain. Now I am back to dressing for comfort.

You won't have to sacrifice cute for comfort. There are lots of nice walking shoes out that will pair nicely with your sun dresses and skirts. Just make sure you break them in before you go.

Hi Val,
I've got bad knees and sensitive feet and you won't find me in a pair of heels unless my life depends on it, but I still like to look stylish and blend in with the locals. You should be able to manage with two pairs of shoes: invest in a good pair of walking shoes (there are many fashionable styles and brands out there now - Ecco and Munro are my favorites) and a nice pair of walking sandals. You can have style and comfort too - last summer I bought a pair of black suede Tevas that are really cute (they have more delicate straps and buckles than regular Tevas), they work with skirts or pants, don't look clunky, and are super-comfy.

Be prepared for hot weather - since women don't wear shorts much in Europe, bring a couple of light, airy skirts and/or capris (if you like those) and you'll fit right in.

There is no reason any woman ever needs to wear heels ever except to please her self and her friends. No employer, no restaurant no matter how snobbish, no hotel no matter how exclusive, no museum or monument in the world requires women to wear heels.

There is absolutely no reason you "must dress up" in Paris. That is a myth. And high heels are ridiculous imo, period. I wouldn't go with sundresses either. Just some nice pants or skirt, tops, and good looking comfortable sandals or shoes are perfectly fine.

Jeans are popular in Europe as well. I mean, you might not want to wear t-shirts blazing with Mickey Mouse, or knee-shorts with some touristy shirt. We had some of those on our Fat Tires tours (which was fine, but you definitely can tell who is a tourist in that case, very quickly). But not everyone wears heels, and if you do want to see museums and such, I'd stay away from them. I wear (white) sneakers. I walk a LOT, and that is what is comfortable for me.

Yes, SUZE is right again.

No need to dress up in Paris. Wear flip-flops, sweats pants, jogging suits, and fanny-packs. People will smile and wave at you with great delight. The French are a cheerful, friendly bunch of folks who rejoice in diversity of dress.

Degas, hey, there you go, pulling my leg again. I did NOT advise her to dress like some demented tourist at Disneyland! I encourage Val to look classy. Dress nice. But no need to be tottering around in heels and a sundress (what is this the 50's?) -Suze

Cute Teva, Ecco, or SAS sandals with lightweight slacks or dresses should work great for most day activities/walking.

Generally, no matter what you decide to wear, you will feel that you have made the wrong choice -- either up or down -- when you see what people are really wearing in Paris.

Keep in mind that tourists will often be surrounded by 80-90% tourists in the main tourist areas.

Please do not over-dress for your venue. You will look like a fool dressed for a cocktail party whilst standing in line at the Eiffel Tower.

You will look equally foolish dressed in flip-flops and shorts for tea at Lauderee.

Adults should know how to dress appropriately.

Ackislander, I wonder if I know you. I lived there for 9 yrs until moving to Switzerland in 1998!

What's wrong with wearing a dress? They make more sense in the heat than jeans and a sundress is a great option.
"Dressed up", by most American baby boomer standards means that she will not be wearing a T-shirt with a logo, baseball cap and old jeans. If other people want to dress like Michael Moore, that's fine but I don't see why they should tell others how to dress. Sounds like the OP likes clothes and wants to be stylish. You go girl!!!

"You will look like a fool dressed for a cocktail party whilst standing in line at the Eiffel Tower."
My goodness, the girl didn't say she was going to be to be parading around in a full length evening gown in broad daylight. Obviously, she has some fashion sense and is just asking about shoes.

It was not meant as a critism, for me capris or light weight slacks are more versatile & sure make the shoe-thing easier.