Latest Fashion in Italy

I wonder if the "prefer dark colors" was due to the time of year Linda went? Both of my last two trips to Italy (including last summer) I was surprised at the colors that were worn. I thought I would be so chic in my black but I was boring and hot! Last summer in Sicily and Amalfi Coast it seemed like everyone was wearing white - they looked both cool and stylish. I know that it would not be practical for me to travel with white sundresses but still, I did feel a little dowdy.

And Jackie - there are many of us out there who do not just wear what is comfortable - and thank goodness or else everyone would walk around in pajamas! It is not that hard to look neat & presentable and still stay cool. Skirts are IMO, much cooler than pants. You can't wear shorts in churches anyway so why bring them? I wear the cami tops with shelf bra-very cool, very lightweight (you can take a bunch and still pack light) with a light cotton button shirt to wear over for churches and sun.

Also - I do prefer sandals to sneakers - again for coolness and they take up less room.

I'm with Lisa. Comfort! Comfort! Comfort!

I was just in Milan, Naples and Sorrento a month ago. The women seem to prefer dark colors. They all wear big sunglasses, good leather boots and leather jackets. They do wear slacks and the younger set wear designer jeans.

I fretted what to wear the first time to Europe, not wanting to look too American against those Chic Parisian's. Well, what a mistake. This trip to Italy its all about COMFORT (as in sneakers, shorts, etc.)and while I care, like you, what they are wearing it will in no way influence what I pack. They know us the minute they see us, or so I am told... I am glad you asked this question, and will enjoy reading the responses!!

How about the Boys?
Do men over 40 wear shorts in Rome?

Believe it or not comfort can be chic if you try hard enough. I will not travel looking like a slob!!!!!Nice sandals are fine though perhaps not practical in some places and if you are walking all day. Capri/Amalfi are summer resort places and you dress accordingly. Paris/London are not summer resorts!!I wear cropped pants but not in hot summer colrs as I would wear in the US--also 3/4 sleeve
t-shirts with boat necklines. A skirt is great in the heat and it should go with all your tops.

And David - about men and shorts. Depends on where you are and what you will be doing. You CANNOT wear shorts in churches in Italy - so if you are going to Rome, Venice, Florence you can leave the shorts at home.

Many people wore shorts when we were at Pompeii and also when we toured the greek ruins in Sicily. So if you are doing some active hiking (I would imagine the Cinque Terra is full of people in shorts) or visiting ruins you will be fine in shorts. And be aware that you may not think of something as a "church" when it is one and the shorts thing will get you again. Both my husband and I had to change in order to get in to see the abbey at Montecassino.

Looking smart and well dressed takes up no more luggage than looking as if you were pulled through a hedge backwards (as my mother would say). Look good and you will feel good.

I guess it depends on your age.
No, men over forty will NOT be wearing shorts in Rome. The women tend to wear things that are more fitted, dark wash jeans are always fine, along with a nice pair of Pumas, those kinds of sneakers that you aren't actually meant to run in. If you are coming in the summer, capris have been in for years, so those are fine too. Linen always looks nice, even if it wrinkles.
Sandals, well, OK, but don't expect to see Italians wearing those Teva type things, and whatever you do, do not wear socks underneath.
Women of a certain age favor dress shirts over t-shirts, and yes, the women DO wear jewelry, a lot of it actually, along with designer sunglasses and expensive (or imitation) designer bags.
I find you can be comfortable and still look nice, this is especially important in larger cities as opposed to being at the beach or hiking.

We just spent a month in Italy and whats going on all over Italy right now are bright gold or silver sneakers. Most are expensive but everyone is wearing them ( women from 15 to 60 )from high fashion Milan to Sorrento.

Greg

I always try to dress and look nice when I travel whether it's in the US or overseas. But I must say that since I joined this board, I have gotten myself into quite a fit worrying about what THEY are wearing in whatever country, instead of looking at what is comfortable and sensible. We are a family who tends to dress up to go out to dinner here (most people wear sweats and look very tacky), but we always have been well dressed people. When we travel though, I tend to look for comfortable "nice" clothing that could mix and match. To worry about what they are wearing so we could look like them is really quite silly in my opinion. I can't imagine trying to carry less clothes, but at the same time, trying to look British, Italian and French (three places we are travelling to).

No slobby dressing but we are visiting and sightseeing all day, these locals live there so they can wear all their nices clothes, shoes and jewellery. We can't :-(

Whether capris are in or not, I AM TAKING mine. We still wear them over here. I am not taking dark jeans because if it is hot, they will make me feel hotter, but I will take a pair that's medium in colour and a little lighter. I took black pants in July 2006 and almost passed out from the heatwave.

First of all, black is NEVER BORING, some of us can wear it and some of us cannot. I cannot wear yellow or orange, this does not mean there is anything wrong with those colors.
When you are a person who can wear black then it is chic and clean looking, I love it, and base my entire wardrobe arount it,, and it does not matter to me if the fashion police say yellow is in, being fashionalbe is more about wearing what suits you then just being a slave to trends.

White, is great, but not for the type of travel I do, I do take white on cruises, or say to Hawaii when I am staying put, or just dressing for dinner as days are at beach.

I always bring long pants, rarely jeans, they are too hot and too heavey and impossible to launder.
I love dresses and skirts and alread have two dresses and two skirts lined up for my July trip this year. They are just as easy to mix and match ( the skirts) as pants or shorts but they are cooler and look nice.

All I can say is AMEN to what Pat wrote!!! She is dead right. I wear black pants all the time summer and winter, home and abroad, but punctuate them with fuchsia, hot pink, lime green. burgundy etc.tops There is nothing you can't do with black and it never looks dirty!! And it always looks smart even if you have been wearing them for days!!!

To clarify my "black is boring" post from above. Many times, when someone asks what is in? what is fashionable? the answer is: wear black - it is always in. That certainly was the case for our most recent trip to France (late March). Everyone wore black, including me. It was great.

My comments about wearing black in Italy have specifically to do with THINKING that all black would be very "chic" in Italy. Yes, I was hoping to look somewhat European - go ahead and blast me for that. What I found, to my great surprise, was that the Italian women were wearing wonderful bright vivid colors during the 3 summer trips I have taken and last summer it was bright colors and tons of white. The first time I was wearing black and felt like I looked like a crow or a goth next to all these bright colors. Last summer I brought lighter colors and felt a little less conspicuous.

I was answering the OP questions about what was "in", not what is practical and I'll admit that my info is one year old.

Well all I can say is that my trip to Italy last June saw the women wearing skirts or capris. I had heard that "everyone" in Europe wears scarves, so I took one even though I don't wear scarves. In the three weeks I was there, I saw ONE woman wearing a scarf. Take what you are used to wearing and what is comfortable.

Well, in June in Italy it's most likely too hot to wear a scarf. If you had been there in the winter it probably would have been a different story.

Just back from a week in Sorrento, day-tripping from there...

Assuming you want to know what the local Italian gals are wearing...bling is big! But not overdone...a little on the shirt, a little on the pants, and then lots on the shoes! Gold and silver accents on the shoes on everyone, every age. Very fitted clothing, including denim (yes, Italians wear denim!). Big sunglasses. It was ~70 degrees and sunny every day I was there, saw no shorts on locals, unless they were sunbathing. Hope that helps!

You're right! Scarves in the summer would be so hot I could pass out just thinking about them! But in the winter, EVERYONE wears them. Including the men. I bought several the last time I was there. Adding them to my all black wardrobe dressed my outfits up and added some color. Also, I never try to look European - there's no chance I will and I'm happy to be seen as an American tourist. I wear black for practicality and to save laundry and add touches of color for variety. So much easier than trying to keep lighter colored things clean or match up outfits.

I made the mistake of trying to dress "comfortably" on my first trip outside of the US (Malaysia last summer). I ended up looking so atrocious it was all I could do not to buy a whole new wardrobe the day I got there! Fortunately, I had a two-month old baby with me, and people theren loved her soooo much that I think they forgave me! :)

My question is this: I can come up with nice pants or skirts, but doesn't it look dumpy to wear comfy sneakers with it? Footwear is the one thing I'm not willing to compromise, not when I'm walking this much. So, skirts with sneakers for 8-hr museum days, etc.? What do you think?

Emily: I wear shoes from Dansko's Golden Gate line for when I wear skirts and dressier pants. I like Dansko Lolita sandals (walked all over Europe, and some in India in those), and Dansko Meredith or Jocelyn shoes (walked a lot in New York and San Francisco in those).

In summer one should definately rethink dressing all in black.
This summer white is once again really in, along with bright colors. Think form fitting, not baggy and nothing pleated and you will be fine.

Bright colors ARE IN. The store windows in Rome are full of yellow, purple, and a mix of neutrals. Those seem to be the colors now! Accessories are ALWAYS important... but SHOES rule!!

Ciao,
Ron

I am a 52 year old woman, traveled with my 25 year old daughter(who loves "chic") just got back from a 2 week stint in Italy. We both noticed people who stood out like sore thumbs. The point is not that you look like a tourist, that may be inevitable, but not to look like a trashy/tacky/garish/disrespectful tourist.

This worked well for us, and we "blended" to the extent possible. 3-4 pairs lightweight slacks (gray, cocoa, khaki and black) Several lightweight t-shirts(no slogans or pix), one black dress, one pair sandals, one pair shoes. I wore the same pair of basic silver earrings for two weeks, my daughter dressed up her look with a couple cheap bracelets and a necklace. You can buy cheap Pashminas/shawls/scarves over there which dress up your look and are lightweight souvenirs.

Did laundry twice (plus undies in the sink)This was more than enough and we looked fine. Use common sense and respect the attitudes and dress of the countries which you visit. Have fun!