Considering that Paris is generally accepted as the style capital of the world, I feel the need to step up my game for our upcoming trip! Plus, my friend Lisa just posted about her packing plans for Rome, so I wanted to get in on the action :) My goal is not to be mistaken for a Parisienne (I am proud to be an American, after all), but I like to dress for my destination and so our trip is a great excuse to dip a toe into the ex-pat life and get a little fancy. I’ve been doing my homework, and here is what I have learned about blending in in the City of Light:

— yes to scarves
— no to denim
— stick to simple palettes (namely BLACK)
— wear cobblestone-friendly flats

Lots of folks also recommend packing light, in just a carry-on if possible, since we will likely be wheeling/carrying our suitcases on and off public transportation, along said cobblestone streets, and up the stairs of our flat.

According to Wikipedia, the average Paris June high is 73, and the low is 57. With that in mind, here are a few pieces I either own and am packing, or hope to purchase in the next few months!

Striped shirt | A French classic! I just bought this one and love its heavier weight.
Chambray tunic | Lightweight, chic, and simple. I just bought this, too, and am excited to wear it belted with leggings. Cuter in person :)
Patterned shirt | Love the graphic pattern of this shirt and its silky feel!
White button-down shirt | Crisp and classic! This one from Loft has great reviews.
Black leggings | Perfect for layering.
Red lipstick | I just got the Nars stick in Cruella as my Sephora birthday gift and it’s the perfect bold red! Great for dressing up basic outfits and looking put together.
Navy shift dress | Mine is a few years old, and can be dressed up with jewelry or down with Toms. Comfortable enough for walking around all day.
White jeans | More Paris-appropriate than denim jeans! Mine are from J. Crew Factory last year.
Black ponte pants | A step up from leggings. Mine are here.
Neutral ballet flats | I have these and they are comfortable – about as good as I can get in terms of a comfort/fashion ratio.
Leather booties | This is about as high a heel as I like to go! The reviews say these are very comfortable; I’m hoping that’s so.
Toms | The only type of shoe (aside from sneakers) that I’ve been comfortable walking all day in. Not the MOST stylish, but I’m hoping everything else can carry them! :)

Not pictured: scarves and accessories! I actually don’t own that much jewelry, but I always admire the pieces others wear! My issue is that my wardrobe budget is not really big enough to buy a wide variety of pieces, so I end up buying nothing. To help with this, I just signed up for Rocksbox, a subscription service which gives you unlimited access to rent from a rotating collection of designer jewelry. I have my fingers crossed I’ll have some perfect pieces on loan in June! If you’d like to try Rocksbox for one month free (and why wouldn’t you??), you can sign up with my code – emilythomasxoxo.

Anyone have any other Paris packing tips? What are your most comfortable (and stylish) city walking shoes? I’m all ears!

P.S. Packing inspiration for Provence and the Cote d’Azur are in the pipeline!

We finished up our Christmas shopping for one side of the family this weekend, and so far have been pretty good about not buying things for ourselves in the process. Still, there are a few things I’m wishing for this year, and I thought I’d share them, as it’s become a bit of a tradition!

A. We bought a king size bed and new sheets a month or so ago, but are still using an old blanket. I’d love to upgrade to this quilt!
B. I’ve only ever asked someone what jeans she was wearing once, and these were the answer. These might be at the top of my list this year.
C. We cook at home six nights out of seven. These three cookbooks come highly recommended by friends and look like they’d keep us busy!
D. I bought these pumps for my sister as a birthday gift, then borrowed them, and now I want my own pair.
E. Still haven’t replaced my Toms – hoping someone else will do it for me! :)
F. Love the cognac color of these classic flats
G. Sigh – I know this scarf is sold out, but maybe they’ll restock it? It’s back in stock!! The J.Crew fairies read my blog! :)

What’s on the top of your wish list this year?

I’ve had a pair of gold chevron Toms for a few years, and they have sadly seen better days. Since that pattern isn’t available anymore, I’ve been considering a few different replacement options – the coral stripes, ash denim herringbone, and navy polka dot linen. I’d like something that’s interesting, but neutral enough to wear with most outfits. The gold chevron was perfect in that way!

I’m also open to a different kind of shoe, if it fills the need my Toms currently do: slip-on, more support than a ballet flat, and fairly slim in profile. I can spend hours walking around a city in my Toms and still feel okay at the end of the day. Any suggestions I don’t know about? Or, which Toms pattern would you choose from these three?

My junior year of college, I bought a canvas tote bag printed with pomegranates from a company called Ann Judge. (Sadly, I don’t think they exist anymore!) For the last six years, I’ve used it to carry my things to and from school and then work every day (including my laptop and planner). It’s been thrown in cars, toted to the beach, and tucked under countless airplane seats. If we were doing a cost-per-wear analysis on this piece, it would be in the pennies. Naturally, it’s showing its age, but I love it so much that it never occurred to me to replace it until I noticed that the previously threadbare corners had become holes.

Since that’s actually a problem, I’ve been reluctantly looking into a replacement. Reluctantly, that is, until I found Cuyana. I don’t think there’s ever been a company that has so immediately and completely resonated with me, and I know that many of y’all will feel the same way. From their website:

We believe in both beauty and intentional buying. We love the joy of finding treasures and the pride of spending wisely. Cuyana means “to love” in Quechua, a language of the Andean regions of South America, and every piece we design is imbued with our love for quality, timelessness, and beauty. We want to love every item in our closets. We want to revel in the tactile beauty of the world’s finest materials and marvel at consummate craftsmanship. We believe in style, not fashion; in quality, not quantity. We celebrate fewer, better things and strive to live a life of inspired simplicity.

WOW! Isn’t that amazing? I just love it so, so much, and feel like it applies to so much more than just clothes or accessories.

If you’re interested, here’s a little video from their site that explains their mission in more detail:

The Cuyana Story from Cuyana on Vimeo.

Cuyana is based in San Francisco, but they travel around the world to find and match the best craftsmen and materials (the same ones luxury brands use!) with each product. Because they’ve consolidated their production in one country and sell directly to consumers, they can offer pieces at a much lower cost.

I was not surprised to see that Jamie, someone I consider to have perfectly classic style and excellent taste, carries a Cuyana tote. (That’s her husband’s overnight bag, which I also love!)

I found this gal while Googling, and she looks pretty stylish, too!

I’m pretty set on the tote in caramel, but I’d love your opinion on two details:

— Tall or short? I think the tall is more similar to the shape of my current bag, but I like the look of the short.
— Foil stamping? Since I don’t particularly love my initials (EAT, yikes) or monogram (ETA), I’m considering “T” or “EM.”

What do you think?

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