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What To Pack For Paris In Summer

What To Pack For Paris In Summer

Paris in the summer can be a mixed range of cool mornings in the early part of summer, unexpected rain showers, and longer days, knowing how to pack for Paris in summer will help you plan your trip and ensure the best time in the city of light.

There is never a bad time to visit Paris, yet visiting Paris in the summer has quite a different vibe compared to other times of the year. Summer is bustling with tourists and quite crowded, children are out of school, and locals have deserted the city for Provence and the French Riviera.

You want to make sure you are packing comfortable, lightweight, and stylish outfits to blend in with the well-dressed locals. Today, I am sharing a round-up of essential items to pack so you can enjoy the best of Paris in the summertime.

Weather In Paris During Summer

The months of June, July, and August are the hottest in the city of light, with temperatures ranging anywhere between the low 60s and high 70s. You can expect little rain, although you should always be prepared with an umbrella or rain jacket, just in case.

The weather in Paris is always unpredictable and the summer is no exception. You always want to check about 14 days before you go and even 5 days before you go. There have been times when I packed for one season and arrived in Paris to find a different season.

Also, keep in mind when traveling to Paris during the summer, a lot of apartments, VRBO, AirBnb are not equipped with air conditioners, like we are used to in the States. Most of the hotels will have AC, but just something to remember.

With the warmer weather in Paris in summer, comes longer days. The sunset isn’t until close to 10 PM as you get into July. This means more time to enjoy those beautiful Parisian summer days.

What Do Parisians Wear In Summer

As with any season, Parisians are well-dressed, wearing chic, classic, and timeless pieces during the summer months in Paris. Parisian women tend to stick with floral dresses, linen trousers and lightweight tops, and even a longer Bermuda short here and there.

Wear Neutral Colors

If you want to look like a local, stick with a neutral color palette. Parisians don’t necessarily wear bright colors or crazy patterns.

Instead stick with colors like navy (a Parisian favorite), black, white, beige, and even shades of camel. Parisians also don’t wear trends, so stick with classic pieces which will be easy to mix and match.

Packing a limited color palette will help to simplify your packing, especially if you’re packing in a carry-on.

Choose Comfortable Fabrics

Since the weather will be much warmer in the summer months you want to make sure you are wearing the appropriate fabrics.

Stick with linen and lightweight poplin or even silk. Don’t worry about the linen getting wrinkled, that’s how it’s supposed to look. You will have that effortless, Parisian vibe, we all admire.

Paris Summer Packing List

Graphic of clothing items to pack for Paris in summer.
  1. Everlane Oxford
  2. Boden Striped Top
  3. J.Crew Cashmere Tee
  4. Banana Republic Denim Jacket
  5. Boden Midi Dress
  6. MOTHER Flare Denim
  7. GAP Oxford Shirt
  8. J.Crew Trousers
  9. Cuyana Silk Cami
  10. MANGO Straw Tote
  11. VEJA Sneakers
  12. Banana Republic Linen Vest
  13. Cuyana Dress
  14. Banana Republic Linen Tank
  15. MANGO Linen Dress
  16. Banana Republic Crossbody
  17. Banana Republic Linen Trousers
  18. J.Crew Cashmere Sweater
  19. J.Crew Skinny Flare
  20. Madewell Sandals
  21. Tuckernuck Sandals

What To Pack For Paris In Summer

Tops

You will want to pack some lightweight, linen, cotton, and silk tops for Paris in summer. Also, a mix of good basics like t-shirts and camis to go under jackets, or wear by themselves.

Think about classic tops like button-downs and eyelets. A few of my favorite button-downs are by Everlane and Sézane. Love these eyelet tops from Sézane, J.Crew, and ba&sh Paris. All of these are tops you can wear for years and seasons to come.

Silk tops are a great option in summer as they help regulate your body temperature, just be aware they aren’t as sweat absorbent as cotton. Parisian women love to wear silk all year round, it’s elegant, chic, and classic.

Some of my favorite silk tops are from Sézane, Everlane, and Vince. You can wear your silk tops with jeans or trousers for a casual or dressed-up Parisian summer look.

If you are wanting to pack a few short sleeve tops, go with a striped one for the ultimate Parisian look. Or even a cashmere tee, which is a bit more elevated than a regular t-shirt.

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Bottoms

Jeans and trousers are your best option for packing for Paris in summer, to fit in like a local. Parisians tend to choose styles like wide-leg, flare, and straight-leg denim. You can opt for lighter shades of blue since it’s summer or go with a darker pair for an elevated look.

White jeans like these from J.Crew or those from MOTHER will also be in style and an option to pack.

One or two pairs of trousers will look stylish with T-shirts, a belt, sandals, and a market tote. You can also wear lightweight sweaters and button-downs with trousers. Some of my favorite trousers are from Reformation, J.Crew, and Everlane.

For lighter fabrics go with a pair of linen bottoms like these from Jenni Kayne or Mango or silk ones from Cuyana. You can wear the trousers with either sandals or sneakers.

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Dresses and skirts

Since the weather is on the warmer side, it’s always a good idea to pack several casual summer dresses for your daily outings. Parisians love to wear dresses and skirts in the summer with either polka dot or floral patterns.

Sézane has some beautiful dresses and skirts for the summer months like this polka dot, this floral dress, and this skirt.

Another way to dress like a Parisian is to wear a dress and belt the waist for a chic and elevated look.

This VINCE dress or J.Crew dress are both options to wear during the day with a denim jacket for a casual look and at night for a more dressed-up look with heels and a clutch.

Skip the super short dresses and instead go for a midi or knee length to look classic and timeless.

For linen options go with: this MANGO Dress, a nice white linen dress, or even this linen t-shirt dress.

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Shoes

The most important thing when it comes to packing for Paris in summer is what kind of shoes to take. Paris is a walking city so you want to make sure you are packing ones that you are comfortable with and you can walk miles around in.

Paris also has many cobblestone streets which are very old so you want to take this into consideration as well. You don’t want to be walking around Paris in stilettos or flip-flops, so leave them both at home.

If there’s one item you are going to invest in for your trip, make it a pair of comfortable shoes.

Sneakers are everywhere in Paris these days, try ones like New Balance, VEJA, Stan Smith, or even Converse, if they are comfortable for you. You can wear sneakers with jeans, trousers, even dresses.

Sandals are also a great option for the summer months. My favorite brands of sandals to wear in Paris are Sézane, VINCE, Everlane, and Madewell. You will see lots of Parisians wearing espadrilles during the summer months with skirts and dresses.

For evening shoes you can certainly take something a bit more dressy like a pair of slingbacks or heeled sandals. These Vaneli are a great Chanel dupe.

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Accessories

Some accessories to think about for the summer season would be lightweight scarves. Scarves are an easy way to instantly elevate a very basic outfit. I always pack a few scarves for Paris and then I also buy a few when I am there.

For sunny days, don’t forget a hat and sunglasses. If you want to look, Parisian, go for a cat eye, tortoiseshell, or one of my favorites.

Want to know which handbags to pack for Paris in summer? Go the French way with a market tote of course. I always pack my Longchamp, it’s lightweight, carries a lot, and I don’t worry if it gets dirty.

If you want to take along a crossbody, this is a great option as well as my favorite Milo from Sezane.

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OUTERWEAR

Depending on the month you are going in summer, you might want to consider packing a few light jacket options. Especially, if you are someone who gets chilly easily on the plane, in your hotel room, or even in restaurants.

Paris can still be a bit cool in June in the early mornings and late nights. A few options would be a lightweight cardigan, leather jacket, linen sweater, or even a denim jacket.

If you are concerned about the rain in Paris, maybe a light rain jacket would be a good option for you as well. One piece I never leave home without for Paris is a great wrap, which can be worn on the plane or used as a shawl for dinner.

You can also pack a trench coat if you’re going in June if you want to look very Parisian.

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2 Comments

  1. I’m a fairly new follower. I was reading your post on wearing navy blue and black together. I recently bought a navy blue sheath dress. I want to wear pantyhose with it to look more elegant. My heels are black and I thought sheer black pantyhose would look ok. Thoughts?

    1. Hi Joanna! Thank you for reading. I love navy and black together and I think your combination would be beautiful together!
      Have a great day,
      Noelani

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