What do I wear in Paris??

Some of you may already be wondering what kind of clothes people wear in Paris. I found some websites that will be helpful in helping you decide. I can tell you from my own experience in traveling at the exact same time of year on multiple trips that it will be about 50 degrees, plus or minus ten degrees in early mornings and at night. This is about what our average winter temperatures are here.

So what do people wear in Paris, the fashion capital of the world? They wear mostly black pants and shoes, definitely a snazzy wool coat, scarves are a MUST (male and female) and layers of clothes underneat the coat. You can pull off jeans one or two days but won't be welcomed with fondness into a restaurant in the evening time in jeans so plan carefully. If wearing jeans, your best bet is to really choose your snazziest shoes, hip shirt and nice wool pea coat and scarff so you don't look frumpy at all. Shoes will be your most important decision. If you want to offend Parisians and scream "I am an American tourist!" then be sure and pack your baseball hats and tennis shoes. Parisians are quick to judge so I wouldn't advise any such thing and you won't be allowed inside most establishments with the hat. As your tour leader, I will likely tell you to not pack one. Shoes that make EXCELLENT choices are sketcher type shoes (winter varieties) that lace up, are comfy like tennis shoes but aren't tennis shoes. Also, your feet will get cold so wearing a shoe that requires socks, is a good choice. In an effort to keep your feet from aching, I'd recommend at least 2 pairs of shoes, three will be optimal if you have room in your bag. Two casuals you can swap out and one a little dressier but still sensibly comfortable. For everyone over 30 going on the trip, I'd recommend a good pair of Merrell's or Clarks to get you going without foot pain. I personally will be taking three pairs of shoes, one sketcher, one merrell and one clarks.

Coat tip: Buy your coat at a resale shop right before we go. You are likely to only spend a few bucks (under 20) for a good wool coat and then you can leave it in your hotel room when we return to make room for your souvenirs. This is what I do and it worked GREAT!

Clothes: If you need to pick up some clothes for this trip, wait until our winter is over and they are all on the sale racks before we leave in March. There is no need to break the bank for your clothing.

In case you want a second opinion, I have posted some helpful links here to see what people in Paris are wearing.

http://www.myparistrips.com/what-to-wear-in-Paris-France.html

http://www.journeywoman.com/girltalk/paris/paris_packing.html

Here's a great picture of what to expect when we pass people on the streets there.
http://www.wagner.edu/departments/languages/sites/wagner.edu.departments.languages/files/images/Madrid%20255.jpg

It's a must! Travel Guide.

All you Paris travelers need to download**, pick up or check out (library book) a Paris travel guide and start learning a little about where we are going, what we are seeing, the food we'll eat, the history of the city, etc. There are all sorts of fascinating facts about any city but Paris is a historically significant city that is also alive and well with modern goings on. The best way to get a quick view of the city and to get your excitement factor way up is to grab one of these books. There are many different varieties to pick up at the store. Frommers is probably the safest bet, followed by Rick Steve's travel guides. I personally love the Eyewitness brand travel guides. The Eyewitness guides come in a more comprehensive book like Frommers and Steve's but they also have a "top ten" guide to all the major cities in the world. These are great for quick reference and for carrying about while there visiting. If budget is of no concern I would consider this trio to be all that you'll need to be well informed:

Rick Steve's or Frommers big guide
Plus...an Eyewitness "Top Ten Paris" guide
Plus... a pocket reference of common french terms for anyone that is not in the French class. YOU WILL NEED TO KNOW SOME French. If nothing else, you need to know some key phrases to ask questions "where is the bathroom?" exchange expected pleasantries "Hello/goodbye Ma'am!, please and thank you." And some simple statements "check please!"

And remember, don't forget places like "half price books" if you want to own your own copy and using the library isn't going to work for you.

**I recommend having an actual book to take with you as you travel, as technology is sketchy while on tour. 
Bon Jour!