How Smart Women Pack For Two Weeks in France

Marilyn Hellman gives advise on how a woman can pack fashionable wardrobe choices in one standard size suitcase for a 2 week trip to France or Italy. Marilyn speaks from experience on how to pack "light" while traveling, since she travels to France and Italy 4 times a year to buy for her charming store located in Naples, Florida.
Today we’d like to show you how to travel in France with this size luggage for two weeks. The first thing I start with is a dress. What's that going to mean? Well, you have to consider the events and activities you will attend. I made a couple of suggestions; this is kind of a formal dress
This is a really nice dress on the body and it's easy to work with when you're traveling, you can dress it up or dress it down very easily. We need to also look at colors. This is one of my favorite outfits as far as a dress. You can really dress it up, get some nice color, it has a lot of good detail but yet you can start removing detail depending on how casual you want to be. You can take the beads off and wear it with the scarf, for just a simple little dinner out. You can dress it up, again using the accessories to make one dress into three or four outfits for yourself.
Okay, let's talk separates; this is where everybody gets into trouble. So, we're going to put some numbers on these, you get to have three bottoms. I don't care if you have two skirts and one pant or two pants and one skirt or you have all three of one or all three of the other, whatever it is, the number is three. You can take a simple skirt if it's work-related, or you can be a little more flowy with the skirt if it's for a vacation or social event. For the pant, I would strongly suggest a medium-sized leg, because you want something that you can wear flats with and you can wear heels. Usually the most successful color for people is black but if you can fit it into your wardrobe, I certainly would do any color that you like
Let’s talk about tops. You get exactly five, and that includes a cover jacket. The first thing I like is some kind of a layering piece and a sleeveless piece that's a bright color. A lot of times your cover-ups are plain black or plain white, and the brighter color is really nice underneath. If they're skimpy like this one, you can have an extra one if you need it. This is a lace top and it's very pretty, it's just as comfortable with a long skirt as it is with a short skirt. It looks great with pants, you can dress this up or dress it down and you can always put a shawl on top of it. Now, the other one is some kind of a piece or knit top that has some type of a sleeve.You can always add jewelry to this to make it dressier.
You know, we're not getting out of here without me talking about a cotton blouse; I personally bring two or three with me because I happen to like them. I also wear that colorful layering piece a lot of times underneath.
I want to talk a little bit about this cover-up. The nice thing about a cashmere sweater is it can be dressy or it could be very casual. The next thing is shoes. You only can have three shoes, now you can have three in your luggage and one on your feet for travel, but ideally you should only have two pairs of shoes in your luggage. The reason I'm giving you the third pair is if you're going somewhere for a special event, you’ll need a dress shoe that's special for the outfit that you're bringing. Couple of suggestions I have on that one is; number one, we carry a lot of these, we dip them in different patterns.
This is a really great airy shoe; we do a small heel here, this is very, very comfortable. I can wear these on the plane, and I see them all over France. They wear them with pants, skirt, dresses, very comfortable in this shoe. The other one that's really nice, that I see a lot in Italy is the wedge – the wedge goes nicely with dresses, skirts and you can wear it with pants. Also another good alternative, multicolored shoes; this is the time you take these kinds of things because they'll go with a lot of outfits. If you have something like your little black dress and you have a necklace, you can put a shoe like this with it and you can dress it up very easily. So, these are the suggestions on the shoes.
There is no limitation on necklaces, earrings or bracelets – jewelry in general. You can use jewelry to create different looks for different out fits. Tailored earrings for work or for dinner, shorter necklaces with V-neck blouses.
It's only fitting we should end where we began; it’s with this piece of luggage, I assure you that you can put in all those pieces and the things we talked about and there will be plenty of room left over for all kinds of things, so if you have any questions give me a call at 239-206-4460, we'll be happy to show you how to do it.

[missmayflower]

A really smart woman only takes a small carry-on suitcase.  Then you can skip the lineup at the luggage carousel, walk easily over the cobblestones, and get on and off trains without help, walk to your B&B, saving taxi fares, or tipping the guy at the hotel to help with your bags.  I did five weeks all over Europe in the Fall like that.

[monicacastillo]

I love how throughout the video she accessorized her outfit at least 3 different ways! Great tips!

[barbara-louisawalker]

Iv traveled for 6 weeks with bag half that size all over Europe .I only ever take carry on because i hate waiting for the carosels.

[dixieb]

bonjour,
 i live in Paris, and find your advice very useful - also, it helps to pack a sun hat, for all the walking you will do in Paris. This may be more for summertime - a hat that folds flat inside the suitcase. I like it, because, i just stuff all the hair up in the hat, and it allows my neck to be cool. and you can pull down a few strands of hair, to look sexy

as for fall weather -- it rains in Paris - so some kind of rain jacket, or coat - that folds flat too . most Parisians have these tiny umbrellas in their bags, for rain. so it does not take up too much room, but is also handy.

please inform your fans, when you are coming to Paris, I would like to buy a ticket, on how to look stylish after 40.
bises 

[AuthenblissityMain]

thanks for the tips... trying to pack a little lighter for my next trip. :)

[MarieTessCuraRea]

Plenty of jewelry? The ones you're showing seem heavy, make sure they are light too if you got lots of jewelry, I tend to wear my heaviest jewelries! ( In Australia, we are only allowed 7 kilos of carry on luggage, this is for all airlines.)

[buggnita]

Hi Marilyn how much is that lovely dress you held up in the video.  Looks like it has a drawstring at the bottom? Thank you!!  Great tips!!

[deanne]

Excellent video. ..thanks...
I'm going to PARIS Next Week AND Dublin and Scotland
And London. ..I will take that advice☆☆☆

[rayanhatem]

Any help for packing for 2 months vacation ??

[disneyworlddreamer]

have you ever been to walt disney world in florida in august with an average daytime high of 92*F and a heat index of 105*F?
well thats where i typically vacation and let me tell you that 3 pairs of shorts and 5 shirts is not going to do it especially when i don't have time to do a wash.

[sherrycohen]

I have permanent damaged in a nerve in my leg and I have to wear a brace with sneakers. Do you have any suggestions on what type of grandmother footwear I can try if I want to wear a dress? I've got my son's bar mitzvah coming up. P.S. Don't cross your legs at the knee. That's how I damaged that nerve.

[carmsy]

I only came across this video by accident and you have some really useful tips and how to dress up or dress clothing down.

[robbd]

I adore this video. I'd love to visit your shop in the next two months. I'm narrowing down to a 20 piece wardrobe and I think your principles would work well for that too. It's time to clear my closet of the things I no longer wear and obtain some stylish and versatile pieces.

[karinasuar]

I'm going to France in the Autumn and this video fits me to a T.  Thanks Marilyn!

[gmtravis]

Please tell me the brand of the shoes. Thanks

[untamedlion]

My advice is, Take two suitcases, one full of youre stuff and one thats empty for all the things your gonna buy :)

[frontiermusings]

2 weeks? I could pack my husband's and my clothes for 2 weeks in that suitcase.

[TheElegantZoe]

3 bottoms, 5 tops, 3 shoes...maybe 4, unlimited accessories

[hyacinthmacaw]

Those clothes are more for fashion show not for traveling.

[onthehill]

Clothing seems too gaudy for travel attire.