I have returned home two days ago and still getting over a jet leg and adjustment back to normal life. The trip was a blast and we had so much fun. My mom who had a dream to visit Paris for over 40 years said that it did not match her image of this city from books and old movies but she enjoyed it anyway We had the best luck with the weather: when I planned this trip in December for end of March - beginning of April I I did not even dream that weather will resemble May! We came to find blooming lilac, chestnut trees and cherries - best gift ever!
Remember my agonizing over selecting a trench for this trip? Well, I listened to a bossy Angie and took my purple London Fog trench with a removable lining - and boy, was I happy I did! Even though some days were very warm we had a couple of cold and dump days when this trench was a godsend - as well as for all night walks. Thanks Angie!
Here are some pictures from the trip with my travel outfits:
pic 1 : last day turned to be gloomy and cold and my trench was a savior on my Montmartre walk. I wore black Martin skinnies with my Missoni tunic and grey oxfords twice during this trip with different scarves.
pic 2: The day when we walked Champs-Elysees was gloriously warm and sunny. I wore my new Anthropology denim shirt and bootcuts and took off the leather jacket. I also wore my flat oxfords with bootcuts here. I know, it is considered not very stylish to wear flat oxfords with bootcuts but I liked the look: they are quite pointed and looked like boots to me under these jeans.
pic 3: sunny but cold day at Versailles. I layered to the hilt with a t-neck, leather jacket and a trench.
pic 4: the first day was very warm and I wore my new polka dot dress with a denim jacket. My sister brought me a flower patterned scarf and I tried to do a pattern mix here
All in all I wore almost everything I took with me (with the exception of a short sleeve top). I guess I could have done with fewer clothes but I liked the variety. I wore my polka dot dress twice - with denim and leather jacket, black skinnies with \Missoni tunic and with a striped top, bootcuts with a denim shirt and black t-neck - both with leather jacket and Missoni tunic with leggings. And scarves! I wore scarves every single day. I took brown combat boots, flat grey oxfords and nude Fidjis and was very pleased with all of them: no feet troubles at all for 10-12 hour walking every day!
For travel I wore my Hue wide -waistband leggings with a polka dot dress one way and Missoni tunic on the way home. I am not going to travel in anything else but leggings and knit dress or tunic from now on: the most comfortable travel outfit ever!
I hope I did not look too much like a tourist: at least I was asked for directions in French twice
Of course I have a lot of impressions from Paris but I cannot list all of them here Here are some samples:
Bad:
1. the most confusing metro system I have ever seen! Some stations do not have clear signs so they are hard to find. One time we found a station, entered and discovered that it is a wrong direction for us. Imagine the frustration when you stand on the wrong platform, see the right track across but there is no way to get to it from here! You have to get out on the street and find another entrance to the opposite track - which does not have a sigh as well!
2. All parks have crushed to dust stone covered paths, which creates a lot of dust. All my my shoes require serious cleaning now and they did not look their best during the trip. Awful!
Good:
1. Best pastry ever! Enough said.
2. Cheese! Cheese! Cheese!
3. I love that men wear scarves and jackets with jeans (pic 6). It was really a feast for the eyes after baggy jeans and sweatshirts of Canadian men. Now I need to devise a strategy to get my hubby to wear scarves like this...
pic 5 - here is a gelato inspired outfit I really liked
pic 7 - I loved this coat even though I am not sure I would wear it but it is fun one for sure!
pic 8 - some men fashion from shop windows (love!)
I am not sure I saw a lot of Parisians but it looks like skinny jeans and trousers are he most popular there (sometimes I wished their tops were longer though). I also saw quite few dresses around which was nice. However I did not see many midi skirts on the streets and in the stores.
I did not do much shopping at all: it was hard to fit into our schedule. I tried some cool black and white polka dot skinny trousers but they were too small. I am really glad I don't live in France: I don't know how I would dress there if my size (US 10-12) is the biggest and sometimes I need to size up in trousers... I am definitely better off in North America size wise I did get some silk scarves in fun colors and patterns and looking forward to incorporate them into my spring and summer outfits.

I really have to finish this very long post - thank you for reading this novel.
Paris is great and exciting but it is nice to be back home!