Andrea's It List: 10 fashion staples I packed to conquer Paris Fashion Week

Handy must haves

Andrea Thompson
(Image credit: Andrea Thompson)

The past month has been a bit of a whirlwind as I've made my way through various fashion weeks from London to Milan and finally Paris. It's meant considerable outfit changes, plus a lot of back-to-back travelling, so packing outfits has been a particular challenge.

The key is having a handful of strong looks that can take you day to night when days typically start with a breakfast meeting or presentation, followed by all day shows and then onto late night dinners or parties. It means when I’m planning, I need to be super organised and plan every one of my outfits in advance (we barely have time for loo and lunch breaks so changing outfits midway through the day is out of the question).

For me, it’s all about reliable layers and basics that I can rotate and mix up with a handful of good statement pieces and stand out accessories (read shoes, bags and necklaces!) to make an impact. Here are a few of my favourites.

SHOP MY TOP PICKS

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK

Arket Jacket

(Image credit: Arket)

It's official. The colour red is having a moment. The red fashion trend is in fact, getting bigger, bolder, and better for Spring/Summer 2025. From chic red jackets to statement tights, there were pops of the colour everywhere over fashion month, a welcome break from the grey skies and relentless rain.

Over on Marie Claire, our contributing fashion editor Penny Goldstone has scoured the internet for the best pieces around, which she's rounded up with some great styling tips. Shop the full guide including this chic cropped knitted jacket now.

A montage of images of Andrea Thompson, Marie Claire's Editor in Chief and the words 'Andrea's It-List' to advertise her new column

(Image credit: Future)
Editor in Chief

Andrea Thompson is Editor in Chief at Marie Claire UK and was named by We are the City as one of the UKs top 50 trailblazers for her work championing gender equality.

Andrea has worked as a senior journalist for a range of publications over her 20 year career including The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, Channel 4, Glamour and Grazia. At Marie Claire UK, Andrea oversees content, strategy and campaigns across fashion, beauty and the brand's purpose pillars. Her weekly newsletter and column Andreas It List showcases her curated edit of the very best in fashion and beauty. Andrea is a keen advocate of women's empowerment, sustainability and diversity and is a regular speaker at events on these themes. She sits on the committee of the British Society of Magazine Editors where she acts as Vice Chair and looks after Diversity and Inclusion and regularly mentors young women from under represented communities trying to break into the media industry. Follow her on instagram at @andreacanwrite