Our Anniversary Vacation Recap: What I Packed and How I Wore It in Amsterdam and Paris

Each year, my husband, Barry, and I look forward to celebrating our wedding anniversary by taking a trip somewhere far away and exciting. After last year’s cruise to the Mediterranean, we decided to get back on dry land and spend time in two vibrant European cities, Amsterdam and Paris. While Barry and I are both longstanding fans of Paris, this was my first journey to Amsterdam, and I have to say, I loved spending time there! All in all, our trip was a whirlwind adventure full of history, art, shopping, and picturesque beauty that we will remember for years to come.

Packing for vacations and trips of all kinds can be stress-inducing for many, but with a little preparation, you can select the perfect variety of clothing appropriate for sightseeing, strolling, dining, socializing, and anything else on your agenda. The key here is to give yourself enough time to thoughtfully pack and plan out a few outfits in advance.

I gave myself plenty of time to plan out my packing list for this trip. I firmly believe that when you pack well, you have far less stress and worry once you’re living from a suitcase.

Here’s a brief summary of what I packed:

Clothing:

 For this trip, I decided on a navy and white color story, accented with colorful pops of red and orange. This is a classic combination that looks chic in any city or season. I wanted to focus on versatile pieces that I could mix up to create a variety of outfits and looks. For me, that translated to packing mostly lightweight shirts and pants, some outer layers for warmth, and two nice dresses.

I packed four pairs of pants: navy, black, navy patterned, and red, and on the plane, I wore a pair of dark denim jeans. Jeans are great for flying, because they tend not to wrinkle too much after hours of sitting and sleeping. For evenings, I packed two dresses—one black and one orange.

For my summery tops, I brought four lightweight t-shirts: white short-sleeved, white ¾-sleeved, navy/white stripe, and solid navy. I also included a black crepe top for evening wear. And just in case of rain or chilly weather, I packed a navy hooded raincoat. Finally, I included four scarves to mix and match with various outfits.

Shoes:

 Footwear can be a challenge when you’re traveling from a suitcase, but if you pack mostly lightweight and compact shoes, you should be able to get away with bringing several pairs. I kept my footwear simple, opting for mostly flat styles.

Specifically, I packed one black sandal, one navy ballet flat, one black kitten heel, and white bedroom slippers. On the plane, I wore the navy sneakers. Remember that it’s a good idea to pack your more compact shoes and wear your heaviest shoes when you fly.

Jewelry:

When traveling, a few key pieces of jewelry are all you need to create different looks and dress up your various looks. A statement necklace can add personality to a more neutral outfit, and a pair of dazzling earring plus a bold bracelet can help you transition your look from afternoon to evening. Just be realistic about how many pieces you will actually need to avoid overpacking—an assortment of versatile essentials should be adequate.

For necklaces, I brought a long silver chain with a crystal as well as an acrylic/gold necklace. I packed a small white cuff bracelet, a solid acrylic cuff, and a large gold cuff. I also wore a pearl silver ring. And because I love to mix up my look with earrings, I brought several pairs to choose from each day: silver hoops, white/crystal earrings, hematite crystal earrings, gold hoops, and crystal/gold earrings. Finally, I included a turquoise earring and bracelet set to add an unexpected pop of color.

Bags:

For handbags, I brought my Tumi crossbody bag, which I wore every day. A bag of this size with a long strap is perfect for carrying your phone, wallet, and other essentials while you take in a new city. I also brought my brown backpack for traveling and a small black bag for evening.

What I wish I had packed:

If I could repack my travel bags for this trip, I would have included two items. First, I would bring a lightweight jacket. It turns out that my wool Armani blazer was too warm to wear on the streets for this trip. Luckily, I had several ¾-sleeved tops as well as some lightweight scarves, so I was comfortable without it. The second item I would bring is a navy skort long enough to look appropriate on the streets of Paris and Amsterdam. A couple of days into the trip, Paris turned out to be quite hot, so a breezy skort would have been the perfect piece for a busy day in the city.

One last packing tip:

The moment we hit the road, we almost instantly recognize the pieces that should have been left behind. Here is my advice for anyone packing for a trip: After you have laid out everything you intend to bring, take a careful look with an editing eye. Are there any garments you can leave behind? Are you trying to pack impractical pieces that take up a lot of space just because you think you’ll find a place to wear them? Consider removing any items that you’re unsure about. You will want to leave a little extra space in your bags anyway, for souvenirs and treasures you find on your journey.

And now, let’s move on to Amsterdam and Paris and check out what I wore along the way!

Here I am on the day we arrived in Amsterdam, dressed in my “travel uniform.” When traveling, I’m a firm believer that it’s important to think critically about the pieces you wear on the way to your destination. You typically need an outfit that looks nice while still being comfortable enough to wear on a long flight. And be sure that you have a jacket on hand in case the plane gets chilly.

For this voyage, my travel uniform consisted of a navy cotton-cashmere sweater, dark wash jeans, my Armani blazer, and the crystal necklace on a gold chain that I wear often, as well as my glasses. During the flight, I also topped this look with my fabulous, large, navy printed Hermès scarf—a birthday gift from my dear friend Beth—which you will see pictured later on in this blog.

After arriving in Amsterdam, we met one of Barry’s colleagues for the afternoon. I wore my red pants with the navy/white striped t-shirt. I paired this look with my navy ballet flats, which I also wore to dinner that evening.

On our first full day in Amsterdam, we enjoyed a tour hosted by our lovely guide, Ingrid. I wore my navy/white striped shirt with navy jeans and navy ballet flats. Barry and I enjoyed gazing at the breathtaking canals that flow though the city while taking in the cobblestone streets and stunning architecture.

Later that day it became very hot, so I changed into navy ankle pants, a short-sleeved white cotton t-shirt, black sandals, and my long crystal necklace. We spent our afternoon exploring the Rijksmuseum, featuring art from the Dutch Golden Age.

The next morning, we toured the Anne Frank house in the Jordaan neighborhood. Later that afternoon, we visited the Van Gogh Museum. Here, I wore my red/white short-sleeved t-shirt with navy ankle pants and navy sneakers.  

In the evening I wore my black dress with my black/red printed scarf, and black heels. To accessorize my outfit, I added my white/crystal earrings, acrylic cuff, pearl ring, and carried my small black bag.

The following day we left Amsterdam and traveled to Paris. My travel uniform consisted of the Armani blazer, a white short-sleeved t-shirt, dark jeans, navy ballet flats, and my gold/crystal necklace. Once we arrived in Paris, we had lunch at an outdoor café that was close to our hotel.

On our first night in Paris, we had dinner at Loulou, the new restaurant at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. We dined outdoors and enjoyed a great view of the Eiffel Tower. I wore the orange dress with my turquoise bracelet and earrings, orange print pashmina, black sandals, and carried my black handbag. It was a beautiful evening, so we took a little walk around to take in the city.

The next morning, we did a little shopping at City Pharma, one of the most popular pharmacies in Paris, which sells French health and beauty favorites at great prices. (We got there plenty early to beat the crowds.) I started out wearing my navy/white striped t-shirt and dark jeans, but the day turned out to be a scorcher! So, I stopped by a salon for a midday blowout and changed back into my orange dress and navy ballet flats from the previous evening to keep cool. After that, we visited the Fondation Louis Vuitton, designed by Frank Gehry. When it was time for dinner, I changed into my black top, crystal necklace, acrylic cuff, and pearl ring.

Our next day in Paris was a fun day of shopping! I wore my navy/white patterned pants with a navy short-sleeved t-shirt and my ballet flats. I accessorized this look with my silver long chain necklace and a navy/white scarf. It turned out that I also needed my navy hooded raincoat that day because there were rain showers as we walked from the Left Bank to the Right Bank.

Our shopping excursion was a success! I found some great new treasures, including this new white shirt and a new necklace. Here, I’ve paired them with my dark-wash jeans and the gold bracelet and earrings that I packed.

The following day, our hotel graciously packed a picnic basket for us, and we went to Luxembourg Gardens to enjoy a delicious spread of cheese, fruit, and wine. Then we traveled to the historic Marais district for a guided tour. For this day of sightseeing, I wore my white short-sleeved top with navy ankle pants, my black/red printed scarf, crystal/gold necklace, gold cuff, raincoat, and my ever-present Tumi bag. Thankfully it warmed up later in the afternoon, so I could shed my raincoat and enjoy the sun.

That evening at dinner, I wore a second shirt that I bought the day before—a new print blouse—with the gold bracelet, ring, and earrings that I packed. Here I am enjoying a cold and refreshing Aperol Spritz while perusing the dinner menu.

On our final day in Paris, we visited the Yves Saint Laurent Museum. I wore my navy ballet flats with an orange/white striped shirt and pale grey pants that I bought several days earlier in Amsterdam.

Finally, for our last evening, we had dinner and drinks at the fabulous restaurant Carbón. I wore a white blouse, black pants, black heels, my black/red scarf, and carried my black handbag

On our final morning in Paris, I changed back into my travel uniform for our flight back to the States. While we both were happy to get back home, we thoroughly enjoyed celebrating our anniversary in the Netherlands and France.

If we are open to receiving them, travel offers us many priceless gifts that we can carry with us forever. It is a reminder of how big and broad the world is; it offers us a chance to explore other cultures and have new experiences; and it is a chance to live totally in the moment, free from the usual distractions and dramas of everyday life. I hope your summer adventures both near and far will offer you the same opportunities to explore, unwind, express yourself, and enjoy the beauty and wonder of the world!