When I go away for a weekend I like to pack very lightly & if you think about it, there’s really no reason not to. For a full day of sightseeing & shopping I need to be comfortable then for evening I require a quick change to dress up. A weekend away is such precious & rare me time that I don’t want to waste a second of it trying to work out what to wear. By packing a capsule wardrobe it’s all taken care of before I’ve even left home. Although I must admit shoes have always been my weakness. Therefore I now limit myself strictly to just 3 pairs otherwise I end up with a suitcase full of only shoes! You know what I mean?
I think 3 pairs is perfect for a mini break, that’s one pair for walking in bad weather – boots or trainers. Another pair of comfortable shoes for warm weather – ballet flats or low heeled sandals & the third pair of shoes are high heels for the two evenings out.
So how many outfits does a 3 day city break require?
If you choose a dress as your hero it’ll easily convert from day to night. Therefore the answer to that ever tricky question is simply 3.
For day time, style the dress with a casual jacket or denim shirt that can be tied around your waist when you don’t need it. Pair this with the flat shoes & a light, practical shopping bag. This particular weekend in Paris the weather was predicted to be very warm so I knew I wouldn’t need a heavy coat or boots. I chose my new Marks & Spencers velvet trainers to wear on the one full day I had because I knew I’d be walking for many hours. You can see a different dress paired with these versatile sneakers here.
Later I ditched the shirt & switched to heels for my chic evening version of this dress. Obviously I did a super quick Make-up refresh & baby wiped my wiffy pits before I went back out the door to dinner… wink
In addition to the dress I packed a pair of jeans, a silk shirt & a fur gilet. Furthermore I threw in my leather biker jacket in case it turned chilly which it did on my journey home as a matter of fact.
Which particular dress to pack merely depends on the season
A heavy weight denim works well for Winter as does light cotton for Summer however in between seasons is problematic. Of course I always check the weather forecast yet there will inevitably be variables, an unusual heat wave or heavy showers, perhaps a cool snap? In any event I find silky fabrics work best for Autumn & Spring.
Alone they’re cool & breathe in the heat yet layered will provide excellent warmth & coverage. Naturally silky material is ideal for layering therefore as this weekend in Paris would be unusually warm I chose to take a long sleeved floral midi dress as my HERO.
This dress is perfect for three reasons – 1. The midi length 2. The dark floral print 3. It has long sleeves
My dream version is by Maje but I’ll wait for their sale to try & nab it then, in the meantime I’m happy with Dorothy Perkins at £45.
Although initially it wasn’t a great fit to be honest. Too much fabric under the bust made it puffy & a little unflattering, however I knew my very clever tailor could easily run it in (Thank you Sadie MWAH!) before I left for Paris.
As I’ve mentioned before, having a good tailor is the real secret to a hard working wardrobe. You’d be surprised how little it costs to alter clothing that would otherwise be dismissed or go unworn. Have a look at my Chloe denim skirt as an example of clothing that’s been given a new lease of life after a decade of wear.
Lisa aka The Sequinist & I had such a bloody brilliant time in Paris that I published a separate post all about it here!
See ya,
love Mx
Comments ( 42 )
Jacqui
Wow, how well you do this, I always end up taking a great big suitcase for a long weekend away! Seeing this post maybe I don’t need to! Great to see your blog and link up with you. Jacqui
http://www.mummabstylish.com
retrochicmama
Aw thanks so much Jacqui…I’ve been practicing since I was 19 so I should have it down pat by now 😉
Nice to see you back x
notdressedaslamb
WOWWWWW I let out an audible gasp when I saw this dress Michelle – I clicked through and I’m gutted it’s not available in my size!!! I couldn’t believe it was DP, the pattern is an absolute beauty, it suits your colouring so well. I cannot wait for your Paris posts – your IG Stories have been fab!!
Catherine x
http://notdressedaslamb.com
retrochicmama
Oh Noooo! That is such a bummer Catherine. I am as amazed at you that it’s DP although it’s worth noting that they do pull out the stops occasionally 😉
Thanks for following my STORIES I’m quite enjoying this addition to IG actually. It’s lovely having a peek behind the scenes of my favourite feeds – Like @notlamb
xxx
sequinist
What a thrill to see these lovely photos! They look truly amazing (and not just because I took them, haha). The dress is so fabulous, and the colours and print just sing against the beautiful blue doors. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. I adore this dress. xx
retrochicmama
And such a gifted photographer you are my friend! Of course you do realise I am now spoilt like a big time Blogger & must always have my personal photographer on hand?
Perhaps we should make Paris a monthly work weekend? 😉
Thank you for showing me your Paris – I have truly never enjoyed this city more xxx
chuky1958
The dress is beautiful! So becoming! And the velvet sneakers are gorgeous!
retrochicmama
Thank you so much!
Jess
Michelle,
We are quite like-minded when it comes to light packing. Hubby and I are soon off on a 6 day trip and I’m thinking what to pack. Great suggestions! Love the bright blue flowers and beautiful design on this dress, those velvet trainers are special! Sounds like you both had a great time!
Jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
retrochicmama
Finally someone else who packs light! Where are you of to Jess?
Yes we did have a lovely time thank you, the sunny weather helped xxx
Abby@midlifecrisisnut
WOW! I was going to say – gorgeous pictures as usual, but having seen in you in person, I can only state that they don’t do you justice at all! You looked smashing in that dress Michelle! And I had an amazing time catching up with you girls! Looking forward to that Paris post. Sending you lots of love! xx Abby
retrochicmama
Oh Abby you are such a flirt 😉
Yeah wasn’t it great to meet up? Next time we must drink more! Hahahaha
Btw – You are very tall like a model xxx
Abby@midlifecrisisnut
Absolutely, Michelle! As I always say: Nothing seals a friendship like getting ‘drunk’ together! BTW, I used to be a model (before I got all wrinkled and ugly 😉 But also, a university professor. Yep, we still have SO much to talk about. Hopefully we can catch up when I get to London one day. Missing you! xx
retrochicmama
See I knew it! You are NOT wrinkly or ugly woman, quite the contrary – A knockout in fact xxx
debdjd
Loving this blog. Beautiful photos. We have just returned from a 4 wk trip to the States and oh I wish i had packed lightly. I took way too many clothes and returned home with half of them unworn. I do normally try to travel lightly but 4 weeks and covering several seasons I faltered – big mistake as I could have easily taken a lot less.
Looking forward to folllowing this blog and getting some great ideas and tips.
retrochicmama
Oh dear that is annoying Deb…
I just popped over to your blog & I have to say the food looks A.MAZE.ING! Next time I will eat first 😉
xxx
Sarah
Fantastic dress and you look great!! And yes know exactly how hard itbis limiting shoes on a trip away! Sarah.
retrochicmama
Aha another addict! Sarah before I had kids I used to take a bag just for shoes – OMG how indulgent is that???
Teeheehee 😉
Samantha
I recently enjoyed a rare weekend away sans family, and was shocked at how easy it was to pack for one!! Like you, I chose a hero piece and worked my outfits around it. Wore my heaviest items, boots and leather jacket whilst travelling, and took my studded Lanvin flats for both day and night time. I tend to travel with a chic wrap, usually in black or deep red, to avoid having to pack a lightweight jacket. I agree that dresses are very versatile and can be worn with or without tights depending on the weather.
Thanks for your recent suggestions regarding sneakers, those pale pink Stan Smiths are on my list!
Great post again Michelle! Tre chic!
retrochicmama
Thank you Samantha, I’m picturing you looking tre chic yourself! How wonderful to have some time to just be gorgeous, no grubby hands on your lovely clothes etc. xxx
Nancy Baten
That is a beautiful dress! WhenevervI am in the UK I always visit a shop were they sell DP.
retrochicmama
Thank you Nancy. have you found a special DP dress? I think they have a few different designers which gives that large variety of styles they offer.
izabelsmeow
The crane is a symbol of eternal youth and great joy… could there be a better place to wear it than Paris?:) It is a gorgeous dress, so glad you have that tailor!
retrochicmama
Now that’s something I didn’t know! How wonderful, I love that – anything to do with eternal youth is good in my book, I’ll be wearing this more often.
Thank you IzabeL, Mxxx
thestylesplash
Beautiful dress! I was really surprised when I saw it was from DP! I love Paris, it’s my favourite city. I used to be truly dreadful at packing for holidays but I’ve got better over the years. Travelling with a child and having to make room for toys in the case requires a more focused approach!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
retrochicmama
Yep that’ll do it 😉
You know Emma I wouldn’t have said I “LOVED PARIS” before this particular trip. I have been a few times & yes it was impressive when I went the first time. Yet Italy has always been my one true love & Florence in particular, was where my heart belonged.
However being with a girlfriend who knows the back streets & tucked away restaurants really added something unique to my experience & ultimately made me fall in love, with Paris.
It’s lucky I have room for two loves in my life 😉
Mx
teacuptoria
I noticed these midi florals in Dorothy Perkins and really fancy one! The one you have reviewed is gorgeous. I also love the heels! I went to Paris last year for a few days and I think I photographed that teal door too! Hope you had a wonderful time, it’s such a magical city. Tor x
retrochicmama
Hi Tor,
Yes I think this style of floral dress will be around a while. Definitely worth adding it to the wardrobe. I wonder if it is the same door? Probably 😉
Mx
Mess and merlot
I can’t believe this is DP- I assumed it was designer! Such a good print, I love it but I’m 5’3 and midi always makes me look like a kid in their parent’s clothes 🙂 #brillblogposts
retrochicmama
Would you consider having it taken up? It really is a lovely dress especially for the price, & once you have it at the right length I’m certain you will love it!
Mx
Lady of Style
I loved following you and Lisa on Instagram, Michelle and hope we can all go together soon!
This dress is so beautiful and I bet you have many occasions to wear it and also style it differently. Love it!
xx
Annette | Lady of Style
retrochicmama
Thanks Annette, I really did wear it most of the weekend actually! I am also keen to take a trip with you my friend, I hope it is soon xxx
Juliana
Love the dress and the trainers. Have recently started following you on Insta and now enjoying your blog too. Keep it coming!
retrochicmama
HI Juliana! It’s lovely to hear that you found me through IG. I’m working really hard on my feed so thank you sincerely, for the encouragement xxx
No Fear of Fashion
You did so well!! I am reading this while being in Paris, following your footsteps. Only I brought a trunk haha. This dress of yours is awesome. It looks so beautiful. Especially with those cute high heeled sandals. Excellent.
Greetje
retrochicmama
Thank you Greetje, are you having the most wonderful time? I bet you look amazing Mx
Midlifechic
Looking lovely, I especially like it with the heels. Glad you both had so much fun xxx
retrochicmama
I prefer the heels too Nikki if I’m honest. Although that would mean I couldn’t have worn it during the day & as it was so hot, jeans were out of the question – The dress was cool & comfy!
Mx
Jess
Such a gorgeous dress! I love the colors! I am a fan of dresses for travel and have some that dont wrinkle. I agree with you on packing lightly as we know no one is going to say, I saw you wear that 2 days ago! Excellent ti[s and love the luscious burgundy trainers!
Thanks for linking up with turning heads tuesday
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Hope to see you next week!
retrochicmama
OMG I can’t believe I didn’t use that line in my post Jess!!!
Brilliant xxx
misspetaluma
I remember when I first saw that picture of you on Instagram. You look stunning. That dress is perfect on you and I love the mix of feminine florals and sporty collar. That beautiful blue Parisian door certainly make s a gorgeous backdrop. Yvadney x #BrilliantBlogPosts
retrochicmama
Aw that’s such an enormous compliment coming from a pro, thank you Yvadney. Yes it’s hard to take a bag photo in Paris isn’t it heehee
Thanks for popping by xM