Last day here, which means that everything we’ve been wearing for the last month has somehow to squeeze back into our carry-ons. The Eagle Creek packing cubes we bought for this trip, at Sue’s recommendation, are a huge reassurance to me that this will work. I tend to get anxious about whether I’ll be able to zip the case up again, but the cubes do some solid compression and organization work.
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| I’ll be wearing this blazer again tomorrow, and the boyfriend jeans; always wear bulky items for the flight if possible. The blazer has been a great piece to have along as an extra layer here, as yesterday when I wore it over my grey J Crew sweatshirt and black J Brand jeans (which have been a stellar staple) |
I’m not sure how much, or whether, I’ll post this coming week, although I’ll certainly be Instagramming. Our son, daughter-in-law, and their baby girl are in Rome as well, staying with our daughter, son-in-love, and their little girl. Blogging might just have to wait….
But I thought before I pack up, I might share some photos of What I Wore to show you how well the “Seven Weeks, One Carry-On” project is going. Remember, we have a washing machine here, and the weather has been warm for most of our trip, although it’s been dipping down into the low teens, Celsius, lately, and we’ve had a few heavy rainfalls.
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| I know you’ve seen these pics in our Paris hotel room mirror before, but I’m trying to show multiple uses of a piece, as here with the JCrew graphic navy-white shirt (a cotton-silk blend as light as cotton lawn. |
Since we have a washing machine and the weather’s been such that clothes dry quickly, I’ve been able to wear white quite a bit. My Gap jeans, above and below (with a favourite black Vince sweater, tissue weight merino, worn with one of the three scarves I brought) and a white linen J Crew top, below, worn with a pair of floral khakis my daughter handed down to me when she had to edit her closet for her move to Rome. These pants (Joe Fresh, probably the least expensive pants I own) have been amazing for travel. Brilliant weight, enough give that I’ve cycled for hours in them, and they do not show dirt. Brilliant!
You’ve probably noticed another item that’s doing yeoman duty: my black Vince moccasins. I do sometimes wear the nude Vince pointed-toe d’Orsay flats for a dressier look, but we walk through the park daily, and the gravel paths are tough on shoes…
This navy J Crew (I know, I know, they seem to have become a mainstay for me lately) merino sweater, with a swingy silhouette, has been a really useful piece as well. Part of their Spring line year before last, it’s a good transitional weight, so if the temp isn’t going above 23 or 24, it’s not too hot, and it helps take the chill off on those days that don’t go above 19. Left, above, I wore it with my wild-card piece, a jean-cut skirt in a light cotton print. I haven’t worn this much the last year or two, and it may not come home with me, but it offered a bit of variety, and it might get another outing. Pairs okay with my white t-shirt and even better with the long-ish black Vince sweater.
We’ve even managed to get a little bit dressy for dinners or jazz nights. I also wore that gold lamé dress with my blazer and a scarf for the opera, same black ankle boots, nude sheer stockings. My navy Vince dress has also gone out for dinner, but was apparently too shy for a photo.
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| Another wild card, this (yes, J Crew) tank top plays well under my Bompard cardi to add some variety to a neutral capsule. It goes well under the blazer as well and is sharp with the white jeans |
Not sure yet what I’ll wear for this morning’s concert at the Grand Théâtre, but I’d better go sort that out soon!
As I say, I’m not sure when/if I’ll be blogging from Rome, but meanwhile, perhaps you’ll find something worth reading or looking at in these Bordeaux posts. I’m surprised how much I managed to write and photograph here (and I must warn you, I have posts galore to write and to polish up and to finish when I get back home)…… I will continue to read your comments and do my best to reply, but I know you’ll understand if I spend most of my time with family for the next week or so. Do follow along on Instagram–if you don’t want to add another platform to your Social Media roster, you can have a peek at my latest IG posts at the top of the column on the right.
Thanks for reading!
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You've done a great job with your travel wardrobe – and those packing cubes are just great! Have a lovely time in Rome, looking forward to some future posts about that. I'm not on Instagram, but will have a peek.
Thanks, Patricia. The heat and humidity are challenging my wardrobe a bit, but it's still working…
You've planned great and can be proud
Have fun in Rome! I'm sure you'll enjoy your family and the city and harvest a lot of great things and idea for future posts
Dottoressa
So many posts in my mental file of drafts, D…
All of your choices look France appropriate and comfortable for your activities. This time of year, the climate can vary a lot. I am going to purchase some packing cubes because Sue writes about them often and I really am hoping to do the British Isles by coach next year. We'll enjoy your posts whenever you have time.
We got the really thin, lightweight cubes, less structured than Sue's, I think. Either would be great for a coach tour with packing and repacking.
I am so impressed with your packing skills! You look great in every outfit posted. Have fun in Rome and look forward to your upcoming posts!
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing your outfits .. It appears your choice of clothes has worked really well for all your varying activities. I initially bought packing cubes to help organise clothes accessories etc but agree with you they're excellent at compressing clothes so it's possible to fit more into your case … 🙂
I'm sure you ll have a wonderful time in Rome … Please only blog if you want to not because you feel you should! Family time is precious and we ll all be here when you return home …. Looking forward to hearing from you!
Rosie
Thanks, Rosie. It is tough to squeeze blogging time out of a long family day. Back at the hotel I tend to collapse into sleep!
You look wonderful, Frances, and your hair is fantastic! Those Eagle Creek packing cubes have been life-changing for me. Packing for a trip, for some reason, is very difficult for me; my anxiety level skyrockets. And I'm not talking about long trips abroad, but only short weekend trips or visits to relatives. I discovered the packing cubes a few years ago when my son was about to go to Costa Rica for a week with his class. 8 pairs of boxer shorts in one of the long, narrow rectangles, 8 pairs of socks in another, 8 t-shirts in a square cube, etc. When I completed the cubes I was finished, knew what was there. The next year, I had to pack for what would have been a difficult trip, with both sons, including a wedding so both casual and dressy clothes. I added the large envelopes and the problem was solve.
Sorry to go on and on on this tangent, but those cubes have saved my life!
Have a wonderful time in Rome!
I don't think it's a tangent at all. Packing can be anxiety-ridden for many of us and techniques that work to minimize that anxiety are golden! Thanks for sharing.
I love the picture of you and Paul, so cute! Your wardrobe seems to be working brilliantly. I'm inspired by your use of white jeans, am considering for our early July trip next year. And I'm so glad to hear the packing cubes are working for you! I've absolutely come to rely on them.
Thanks, Sue. It was fun to wrangle him into the frame… My white jeans are looking a bit less white today, possibly one more wear out of them before they need a good bleaching, but I love the way they brighten up my travel wardrobe and I've worn them at least 6 days. Definitely worth the space…
Love the white jeans with the black sweater and the scarf. Also that J Crew graphic print shirt is a definite keeper. Your long skirt looks trés chic with the black sweater and scarf, and boots. And that two legged accessory behind you ain't half bad either:)
Enjoy the rest of your trip. Family reunion in Rome! How awesome is that?
He's not such a bad accessory at all, is he?
And yeah, pretty awesome!
Having a washing machine is everything; you can pack for four days (even three) if you can wash, and do not have plans that require business or formal wear- just sticking to casual with a dressy top or skirt. I also like a dryer if there is need for a fast turnaround but so many French homes do not have them- just racks. Happy travels to Rome.
We were spoiled with that washing machine! Mind you, I see a Laverie or Blanchisserie on almost every corner and I think I'd just drop clothes off if we ended up without facilities. (Might be worth it not to have to wait for he machine to go through its seemingly interminable cycle.)
I'm loving the wardrobe retrospective for this trip. It's always revealing to see what works well consistently and what was worth the splurge…and what may have not been worth its packing weight. I must check out those cubes also.
I love the retrospective. Such an inspiring montage of how to pack well. J Brand skinny jeans are such a staple that I can't imagine life without them, and you have me rethinking white jeans, although I will probably come back to the fact that I increasingly rarely wear black or white and am happier in the mid tones.
I know I'm late to this party but those are some great looks – travel or no. Impressive. And you look great in white (a colour that makes me appear to be actually dead).