Clothes in 1st Week of June? (London & Paris) ~ 1st time Europe
Anyone have any ideas as to best attire (male~casual) for the first week of June in London and Paris? Never been to Europe so have no idea if I am on the right track. I am 51 y.o., my wife and I are one-bagging it and I have purchased the light and quik-dry "combo" pants (zip to shorts). They are not as fashionable as I typically desire but she's ok with them and they seem practical and go well with the Columbia shirts which double as both long and short (roll up) sleeve. Anyway.. comfort and minimal packing space are of paramount importance but I just don't want to look too, well.. goofy :-/. Plan is to wear the pants and shirt with a quik-dry tee layered in and zip to shorts if it's warm enough. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Jack
__, FL US 5/3/08
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Jack! please do not wear shorts in London and Paris. these are 2 of the greatest, most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Check the weather forecast, but I seriously doubt that it will be warm enough to wear shorts, and they will be inappropriate, and to put it your way "goofy" -- particularly at your age. You can be comfortable and not stick out like a sore thumb -- wear khakhais or a nice pair of jeans with your shirts... you will look fine.
You may have some really great weather. More likely it will still rain some.
I just put together a visual packing list. It might not be exactly what you would wear but it might give you some ideas.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=1440268
I think you can copy this link on the address line above and it will take you there.
I think your clothes sound fine, but ,as others have said, I doubt it will be warm enough to zip pants into shorts, and shorts are well, ok, but really not suitable for Paris and London, but hey if there is a freak heat wave at least those pants give you the option right? Do bring one pair of non zip off pants for dinners out. I think you will be fine. Paris and London being cities are really not " beach wear " cities, and most Europeons consider shorts beach wear, BUT, this is all fairly immaterial as I doubt the weather will be warm enough for it to be a real issue.
Have fun and don't worry too much.
Jack, Eli posted this and I found this to be very helpful
http://www.parisescapes.com/index.html
Michelle, I feel so famous now, LOL
We are leaving on the 18th for England, then the 26th for Rome, and 2nd June for France.
I am checking the weather and it seems to be warming up so we're getting a bit confused.
No shorts, but is anyone packing long sleeves or jackets for that time?
Always take a long sleeve shirt/fleece? to put over your short sleeve shirts. It does get cool in the evenings. I also take a turtleneck for the same reason. You should always have a waterproof jacket so if you are caught in a rain shower you will be warm AND dry.
Hello Jack. I do not see any problem with the clothes that you mentioned. I recommend : do not wear short pants in London or Paris. And, I think a tourist does not need to bring short pants to England or France in the first week of June. I would bring a cotton jacket and a wool sweater : early mornings in London could have very chilly air.
Eli, we're going around the same time frame, but not going as far south as Rome. I'm not even bringing shorts this trip. 2 short sleeves and 3 long sleeves. I always look at average temps. Of course it can vary, but in England it rarely gets what we would consider "hot".
The most- used item for me when I was in France last June (albeit the middle of the month) was a waterproof windbreaker, with a hood and lots of pockets, of the sort that smushes into a little bag. I threw it in at the last minute and it saved me, during a week of unseasonably cool and rainy weather. I also used it when it wasn't raining as a jacket. Hopefully your weather will be beautiful and you won't need it! I would also put a thin thermal or silk top to go under your Columbia shirts- with that underneath and the jacket on top you could avoid a bulkier fleece. Tell your wife my other favorite was a big pashmina shawl. It was very lightweight and provided extra warmth- it's also wonderful on the plane rides as a blanket. I wore it sometimes over a tank top later in the trip when the weather was warmer, too, in the evenings- tres chic!
Paris is one of my favorite cities, I have been there many times. I just returned from my latest trip last month. Here's my input. Shorts are not appropraite in Paris. Think downtown San Francisco or Manhattan.Only the most gauche tourist wears shorts.Khaki pants like Dockers are cool and comfortable. Even jeans are ok if not shabby or too trendy.A pair of dockers in a dark color can double for dinner slacks. My husband and I take one carry on each.Ladies can wear the same khaki type pants or more tailored looking jeans, if it's very hot, maybe a sundress with a cover up for arms in churches and airconditioned museums. But no shorts, please, and no safari/hiking pants.(Of course you may see teens/20's in sorts and tank tops when the weather is hot.) Your shirt idea sounds fine. I think the French people are very civilized and genteel, and so helpful and kind to all us bumbeling tourists. You will have a great experience. But read Rick Steve's.I don't leave home without him.!!
Let me be the dissenting voice here- WEAR WHAT YOU FIND COMFORTABLE! You have saved your own hard-earned money for this trip, so why should you subject yourself to others' opinion about what you wear? Although many on this forum write about "not looking like a tourist", take my advice as someone who has lived in Europe for long stretches of time, and is engaged to someone who has lived almost her entire life in Europe: your identity as a tourist is obvious no matter what you wear. And that's OK, as London and Paris are both filled with tourists. Just relax and enjoy these incredible cities. Provided you don't walk into a church wearing a wife-beater and flip-flops, nobody but the most snobby, self-appointed fashionistas will judge you by what you wear. Why should you subject yourself to the opinions of such people? Its YOUR vacation and YOUR MONEY, and I say, wear what you find practical.
I think the zip off pants to shorts is brilliant for Britain, but not for wearing in public. The British are notorious for their complete inability to have uniform temperatures indoors. You could be in one room and be roasting, and ZIP, shorts, then move to the next room and be freezing, and ZIP, pants. The changing weather outdoors in England is nothing compared to the changing weather indoors.
Hi, Jack,
My husband and I spent two weeks in London in June '07. The one thing I would say to pack would be something to keep you warm. It did get chilly most days. It was more gray than sunny and I did not bring enough "warmth." My husband mostly wore the pants that zip off, but he never wore them as shorts. Have a blast. We did. :)
I concur with Tom (and find the opinion of others quite humorous). You are not going to affect others' views of Americans by wearing shorts in very warm weather. Your government has done that for you already, so no piling on! Zip-off plants are a nice compromise when it gets hot; built-up metros can be hellish in summer, and the lack of a/c will wilt even a lifelong Texan. Yes, the big cities are very fashion-conscious and long pants are the order of the day, but out in the country and on hot days, don't hesitate to wear shorts. Play it conservative (khaki is nice) and your money will still be accepted everywhere.