France!!!

It's that time! I've been waiting and planning and now it's almost here, in one week and one day, or next Friday, I'm off on my first trip to France! Woo hoo! And now it's time for my favorite part of planning for vacation - packing! My previous trips were all to places where I'd be at the beach all the time, very active/adventurous vacations that required rough clothes, or at one place the whole time, like resorts or cruises, so I wouldn't have to carry my stuff around all the time. But this vacation is different. I'll be in one of the most fashionable countries in the world, traveling from place to place every day. Bringing a big suit case will be really inconvenient, and I will be site seeing and walking around all day long. And of course going out and partying at night. So I need a wardrobe that will be comfortable, France-worthy stylish, can easily go from day to night, and can fit into one small suitcase! This is not going to be easy.

But after looking at some packing lists designed for backpackers (http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/womenpacking.htm, http://www.backpackeurope.com/packing/tips.html, http://www.reidsguides.com/t_pa/t_pa_packing_list.html), I think I have a good start:

1. two pairs of jeans - fitted grey and blue jeans
2. leggings
3. a few long sleeved t-shits that I can layer or wear separately
4. two or 3 sweaters
5. two dresses that won't wrinkle, one of them black so I can layer it with the t-shirts and legging during the day or wear out at night.
6. flat boots, sneakers, and maybe if I have room, a pair of black heels
7. and of course all the accessories and toiletries and small necessary stuff like a hat and tons of scarves.

I'm sure I'll rework this list a thousand times and change it all completely when I actually start packing next week, but I'm excited just thinking about it, and I think I'm of to a pretty good start!