Fashion Woes-- Help!

               Today is all about fashion.

I've been packing already, so it's probably too late to ask for advice, but it's killing me. I set aside all of my practical clothes to start packing. I am thinking I should pack light like everyone says, but I am going for three months. Can I really wear the same four pair of pants for three months?

We'll be there through a season change, and we're traveling back up north to Edinburgh after being warm in the south of France. So I need to keep warm and cold options through the length of the trip.

So here's the fashion component. I am not going to pretend that I am fashionable. I try. I have a look-- mostly. But after putting clothes together for me and my kids for the trip, we basically look like a North Face ad. OK for San Fransisco, but Paris? Hmph. I am totally stumped.

Taylor is no help. He loves it when I dress like that. Some post college hippy fantasy he's still enjoying. I am a mom with a muffin top. I am trying to divert the eye with tasteful jewelry and boho scarves. I can't do both.

I pulled out my Danskos, which were going to be my alternative to my day hikers. To my surprise, Taylor says-- ooh no you are not wearing those in Europe (OK Danskos are from Europe, but I get it.). They are so comfy, but I don't really wear them "out."

Suddenly I started second guessing all of my fashion choices for the trip. I was going to bring my fleece and shell combo for a coat (below left), but now I'm worried that I'm going to look like a hiker lost in Paris. So I bought a cute coat (below right-- but as you can see, this coat looks a little ridiculous with the hiker shoes).

After scouring all of the old lady footwear stores at the mall (you know 'em), I bought a pair of cushy ballet flats to replace the Danskos-- see below.

Then- for some strange reason, I decided that vests are a great option for layering, even though I am only 44 (OK, soon to be 45). So I found a black and white sweater vest (left), but after the "cute" conversation with my husband, I thought maybe the cotton polka dot was cuter-- even though both came from the same old lady store after scouring the internet for hip sweater vests. I could feel the cougars in Cache mocking me as I went in there BTW!).



I started adding a couple of cuter tops to replace the long sleeved t-shirts I planned to use for layering.

Now I feel like I am packing two wardrobes and bringing too much stuff!

I plan to send a suitcase home with Taylor before going to Paris, London and Edinburgh, because that's when I need to pack the lightest, so something is going to have to go before I hit the big cities.

So what's it going to be hiker girl or stylish mom-- ? Either way, it's starting to sound like a fashion disaster!