off to paris and this is what I’m taking with

I’m writing this while Jet and I are sitting in the inner garden at Hotel Costes. Jet drinking a green tea and me a glass of grape juice. Sorry. The ladies from Detox Delight will have to turn their heads to the left. Or to the right. Just don’t read this article. It’s my second juice already. But hey, we’re in Paris and the party is for one day so we’re going for it. This was Jet’s 91st business trip to Paris. Guess what? I still had a few handy tips for her.

Don’t try to stuff everything in your handbag

Are you crazy, it’ll never fit. Your laptop, your charger (who has the answer to why your battery RUNS DOWN sooner  in a foreign country?), your make-up purse and of course some comfy shoes. Poor Jet pulled on her Lanvin boots so she could look fabulous for the day and thought that she just needed to stick it out. “If May can do it, then I must be able to”, she thought. Except I had a pair of ballerina’s in my suitcase. Everyone understands that you have a little suitcase with you and besides most places have a reception to store it for a while.

On top of that, it’s super handy to store your in-between shopping in. Stuff it in your case and your business trip image stays intact.

The cross-body bag

Preferably from the brand that you are visiting of course. We understand that you may not have all labels in your cupboard but perhaps your colleagues do or otherwise lease one from the amazing website called rewear.com. I advise a cross-body bag because a. it looks cool and b. it’s bag snatcher proof.

Cash money

I don’t know about you, but since you can pay by card everywhere, I almost never have cash with me anymore. When I go to a foreign country though, I always try to have at least a hundred euro (or dollars) in cash with me. You can’t always find a bank machine or pay by debit card in a taxi and it’s easier to give a small tip to people who have looked after your little suitcase with love and attention.

Screenshots

Fortunately you don’t need to print out your Thalys tickets anymore. Take a screenshot of the barcode and you’re done. Also handy to make screenshots of the mails containing your appointment details. So if you don’t have internet for a moment, you can still access your image and know where to go.

Extra charger

As already stated, my iPhone seems to have a leak when I travel, it runs down so quickly. I have a lovely little black box that chargers my phone twice. That keeps me going all day.

Good jacket and bag

Believe me, if you have a statement jacket and bag, you’ll get into all the good restaurants without reservation. They appreciate it in Paris. If you really cannot find a good place you could try pulling the final card out of your sleeve: “Nous avons reservé au nom de Von Furstenberg.” The French are sensitive to this type of thing. Jet is looking a little disapprovingly at me, but everything goes (maybe not everything) in love, war and during Paris Couture Week.