Looking Fabulous after 40, in Paris!

Lucky me, (JoJami) was off to Paris for Mother’s Day and just got back!

Paris is one of my all time favorite cities and I have not been back in a few years so I was super excited to see what women over 40 were wearing these days!

Here we are…my mother in her new Cop Copine jacket and me in my orange, BCBG  jacket that I bought last month (see post)…This jacket ended up being my everyday go to piece.

Even though it was May, it can still be cold there, so everyone was usually bundled up the entire time and layering and throwing on a scarf for warmth and style!

We found a charming and colorful scarf shop called Mandalas, and picked up a few there! (JoBee has her new scarf on!)

One morning, I stopped these two Fashionista’s for a quick photo shoot.

Ended up they were from Seattle, WA on a girlfriends trip to shop vintage. (The gal on the left was on a quest to find a wedding dress, Marilyn, on the right is a jewelry desinger!).

Gals on the street! These two gals were looking stylish for being past 40 and 50! I was so surprised to find out that they were not French but Americans!They were sporting the all black look,that is so prevalent over there!
Vintage Prada I saw shiny metallic shoes, handbags and tops, all over the place…on the young and not so young!
Talent and Style: Chunky statement jewelry! Bigger is better on the streets of Paris. This is Marilyn’s own design, from her wholesale company, MB Beads!
Sequins go from day to evening: It is hard to see in this photo, but under her lightweight ruffled jacket,she had on a gorgeous black sequin top that she had layered with a black long sleeved t shirt. It was one of their vintage finds…
Leggings and low heels: How FAB are these little low heeled shoes with her leggings!
Dark skinny jeans and comfy flats: Paris Hilton flats look perfectly great on her with her skinny dark jeans and sparkle top!
The best accessory is always a pooch!: I could not believe all the women running around in high heels… This wonderful, Age-mazing gal came into the restaurant with her Burberry trench, oversised handbag, high heeled black pumps, large sunglasses, leggings and a dog! She had just had her hair done at a local salon, it was short and very sassy! JUST LOVE the entire look!
Even the food is dressed up! The women were lined up in all the pastry shops.How they stay so thin is a mystery to me! This yummy cake was topped with sweet, wild forest strawberries.

What to wear in Europe

There’s still a few weeks left of summer, so if you are traveling to Europe and wondering what to wear we have a suggestion for you.

Make your life easy and just pack dresses!

When I was in France this summer with my husband and three children traveling around Provence, and then up to Paris for a few days, I found dresses were the perfect travel wear.

It was far too hot to wear pants,and shorts would have felt wrong, so I opted for dresses which took up hardly any space in my suitcase, made me feel feminine and were cool and comfy.

For a twelve day trip I packed 8 dresses:  7 casual, 1 slightly dressier. (You could get away with 5-6, but I like to have a few extras to choose from depending on my mood that day.)

During the day I wore these cute sundresses with flat gold or black sandals and a carried a large black tote (to carry souvenirs I was buying along the way!).  At night I added jewelry, scarves and small heels for a dressier look.

Now, we were on a family sightseeing trip. We were driving through the lavender fields and visiting the the quaint French countryside towns in Provence. In Paris we were doing the typical tourist things – The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower,Versailles, Le Concierge, the Seine River Cruise etc.

It was not a romantic couple’s vacation where we were slipping off to fancy Parisian restaurants and night clubs. If so, I would have packed differently and brought some dressier date night things.

But for this kind of day tripping, my summer dress wardrobe worked beautifully.  What a relief to open my suitcase, slip on my dress of the day and walk out the door.

If you’re looking for a cute summer dress, Nordstrom’s and Saks carries all of these favourite brands!

What to wear in Paris if you are over 40?

(Isn’t this a gorgeous picture of Paris? -Photo credit Destination360 Eiffel Tower)

Many friends jetting off to Paris this summer and wondering what wear.  We came across some great advice we totally agree with…. be fashionable but remember choose timeless pieces. Scroll down in this article to find great tips specifically for 40 and 50+.

Also, Before you hop on the plane pick up copy of  Chic in Paris a wonderful guidebook by Paris personal shopper Susan Tabak tells you the best places to shop in Paris. Eva Longoria even chose this book as one of her gifts for her bridesmaids!