I spent seven fabulous days in May traveling solo in Paris, where the weather was a bit erratic. When I first arrived, it was sunny and warm, but there were a few days of pounding rain. When you travel to Paris, almost any time of year, you must be prepared. I think I did pretty well, although there are a few things I would do differently. I’m hoping for a Part 2 next year because I fell in love with the city!
My carry-on plan was impossible
I usually love to travel carry-on with a minimal capsule wardrobe. The problem was that Air France had strict weight restrictions. I checked in my bag. That left me with a backpack as a personal item, which would have been strapped to my carry-on, but since it wasn’t, I had to carry it for what seemed like miles through the airport. Next time, my personal item bag will have wheels. I was huffing and puffing by the time I reached the gate.
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I was already aware there would be rain, so I made sure to bring a trench coat. I’m so glad I did. It came in handy when I remembered to zip it up. I got stuck in a major downpour in Montmartre on a Sunday when the Metro line I needed was under maintenance. Uber failed me six times, so I gave up and walked back to my hotel. The rain had subsided a bit, but I looked like a drowned rat when I returned.
Pro tip when traveling to Paris: Make sure you bring either water-resistant or quick-drying clothes.
Your most important clothing items are your shoes
I brought along two pairs of sneakers to switch when one pair got wet.
Influencers, even those in our age demographic, will tell you to bring along ballerina or pointy-toed shoes to look stylish. But if you are going to be walking on cobblestones up and down stairs, you need shoes that are comfortable and stable. Almost everyone wears sneakers in Paris.
I brought a pair of Asics Gel Kayano 32 sneakers in peacock blue. They are a little clunky looking, and I should have bought them in tan or off-white, but they kept me on my feet and were mostly comfortable.
I have a high instep, so at first, they irritated the top of my feet, possibly from flying over 10 hours. After a while, that went away. One thing I did was replace the shoelaces with elastic laces so I could slip them on and off. That made a huge difference. They are not waterproof but are made with a breathable mesh, so they dried out fast.
I also brought my Dr. Scholl’s Time Off sneakers in champagne. They were very comfortable, although I did get a blister on my toe after averaging 18,000 steps per day. Made with vegan leather, they were more water-resistant than my Asics but not completely. When I got back home to the US, it took a few days for them to stop smelling musty.
Both sneakers were worn previously on many walks before I left, so they were essentially “broken in.”
As an option, I brought my Vionic Uptown leather loafers. They are also comfortable and supportive, but not something I could wear all day. I only wore them once to walk a couple of blocks to dinner. Otherwise, it was sneakers all the way.
My goal while I was in Paris was to stay upright. Stable shoes are more important than style when you are over a certain age.
My goal was to look stylish from the ankles up
Although jeans are very popular in Paris, I chose not to bring them for two reasons.
- They are heavy and take up room in my suitcase.
- When they get wet, they don’t dry out fast.
Instead, I brought 3 pairs of wide-leg pants: a navy stretch blend, a black cotton, and a tan linen. As an apple shape (big tummy), I find that wide-leg pants, with a tighter shirt, belt, and blazer, make it look like I don’t have a tummy. That was my standard uniform for Paris.
My color theme was navy, off-white, and tan/cognac, although I brought a couple of black items. Accents were teal and burgundy.
Layering pieces included a navy blazer cardigan from Lands End, an ecru Zara blazer, a black DKNY blazer, a Quince navy cashmere v-neck sweater, and a London Fog trench coat.
For shirts and blouses, I packed two Old Navy off-white ¾-V-neck sleeve T-shirts, two cream V-neck T-shirts, a teal Merino wool polo shirt, a white/navy vertical pin-striped button-down shirt, and a Quince burgundy silk button-down blouse. I didn’t wear all the t-shirts, but brought extra in case I spilled something on myself. (which I’m very good at doing)
To spiff up my outfits, I brought two belts, one in cognac and a leopard print, and 4 print silk scarves.
The only jewelry I wore on this trip was a pair of gold-plated earrings and a silver ring I never take off. It’s best to wear costume jewelry in Paris to avoid theft.
My crossbody bag was from a brand called Wanderfull. It is a hydro bag with a pocket to carry a full-size water bottle. I brought a small 9-oz bottle that I refilled. Paris water is wonderful, and there are fountains throughout the city for refills.
The purse includes a phone pocket and a pocket to fit my passport, credit cards, Euros, and change. It has a thick strap that would be hard for anyone to slice, and is RFID protected. I also brought a chic Quince black European leather crossbody, but I never used it.
I also carried a water-resistant foldable tote bag while walking around Paris that held my umbrella, camera, tripod, over-ear headphones, and printed itinerary. I discovered it wasn’t as water-resistant as I thought, but it dried out fast.
My travel umbrella didn’t survive the trip. I left it in Paris, lucky thing. The wind pretty much destroyed it. Next time, I will bring a wind-resistant umbrella.
For travel to Paris, I wore my black pants, off-white T-shirt, navy blazer, cardigan, and Iambamboo merino wool compression socks, which I put on halfway because my legs needed them. They were super comfortable and not too tight. On the way back, I wore my navy pants, navy cashmere sweater, navy blazer cardigan, and compression socks.
My underwear was also important because I tend to leak a bit. But instead of wearing stinky pads, I discovered leak-proof underwear by Everdries. They are fantastic. Not only do I feel confident, but they are easy to rinse out and dry quickly. Perfect for travel. A bit expensive, but worth it!
The only thing I would do differently on travel days is to wear narrow instead of wide-leg pants on the airplane because I had to roll them up while using the bathroom.
All in all, I felt confident in what I was wearing in Paris. Parisian fashion is effortlessly elegant. My goal was to blend in rather than scream “I’m a tourist!” by wearing leggings, sweatpants, and heaven forbid, berets.
As a solo traveler over 70, blending in keeps you safe.
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Have you traveled to Paris or elsewhere in Europe? What were your go-to outfits or your packing mistakes? Leave a comment and let us know.
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