Thank you all, Italy was pure magic!!

WOW! Great to hear you had a good time. If you have any stories from the individual towns/museums/restaraunts you visited or packing insights, I'd love to hear those, too.

Valorie, on your next trip you might want to spend a week or so in one place. I did this in Tuscany last year -- rented an apartment in Cortona and hung there for a week - it was fantastic. Nothing like Tuscan hilltown life!

Let's see. I took too many clothes. Everyone warned about that and they were right. Italian women dress beautifully and I felt a bit underdressed and I'm sure I looked like a tourist, which I was. However, they have inspired me to dress nicer back home. I found the Italians to also be in very good condition, despite their wonderful food. The most pleasant surprise for me was Bologna. I loved it!! Very fashion forward. Very beautiful. Assisi was a bit of a turn off for me, too many tourist with the big double-decker tourist buses, but that's just me. Loved Tuscany, Cinque Terre and Lucca. It was a bit too much to do in twelve days and next time we will plan on spending more time in one place and doing day trips. Overall I loved it and left my heart there.

In November, I'm going to be in Milan for a few days. From what I heard, many locals there are bone thin. I'm not a huge person, but I'm not bone thin, so I may not fit in. Knowing how well they dress in Milan, I bought some beautiful silk clothes. Silk takes up little room, and I'll be wearing something nice. So I guess dressing nicely is the best I can do. I guess they have a lot of models there. I'll be in Venice too, and I'm so much looking forward to that! I'm glad you had a wonderful time in Italy! Last time I was there I went to Rome and Florence, and loved it!

I would like to add my thank you too.
I am all packed and I leave in the morning for 3 weeks in Italy.
I'm doing it all in a small carry-on bag (ala Rick Steves.)
The bag isn't even that full.
I'll report any good travel tips I discover.
Ciao

Marie I took a jersey knit wrap dress , it was great, never got wrinkly. Avoid cotton and rayon because they do wrinkle. I also took a small bottle of Downys Wrinkle Release and it works pretty good.
I always take one or two dresses and a few skirts to Europe, they are cooler in the summer then slacks and the right picks can take you from morning to night easily. You can mix and match skirts just as easily as pants or capris too.
I have only travelled in the summer,but what I have seen is many Europeon women do wear casual dresses, skirts and sundresses.

Valorie, I appreciate your comments about how you dressed. I too have been inspired by how Italian and Parisian women dress and when I travel there, I like to blend in and dress well also (as I do at home). I don't want to open the whole debate about dressing like a tourist again, we've heard all the pros and cons, but when you get over there and are amongst fabulous looking people, you want to look your best also -- and sometimes t-shirts, baggy shorts and track shoes just don't cut it. The men in Italy look fabulous too.

Valerie (and ladies)!

Please elaborate on both dressing well and packing light. I love dresses (rarely wear pants) but worry about how wrinkled they'd be all packed. Also, what fabrics pack well? It will be my 1st trip outside the US! Do women dress more modest/conservative? Accesorize a lot? What do you think makes their style?

Thanks!

Buon giorno again to all~

I'm not exactly sure I can describe how they dress, but it is beautiful. Not conservative and not really modest either. More the perfect in-between. Most Italian women wear dresses or skirts. They all look sexy and feminine but not trashy. They always wear heals or flats, but nice dressy flats. I never saw tennis shoes or sandles. Their clothes are beautiful and fit well. Everything excudes class. It doesn't seem like they wear much makeup, yet they are stunningly beautiful. Many wear their hair pulled back off their faces. Everything is classy yet looks effortless. They do wear a lot of scarfs around their necks. Silk scarves. I bought one while I was there and received another as a gift. The men are gorgeous too and very well dressed. One thing I noticed about Italy that I loved is everything is quality. The clothes, the shoes, the food, the flowers, the way they speak (beautiful), the goods in the shops, everything!! all very high quality. No plastic. No junk that will fall apart. They even serve your cappuccino or caffe on the beach or at the train station in ceramic cups and saucers, not styrofoam or paper. I cannot wait to return!! Everyone enjoy. If you're really concerned about dressing like the Italians I say pack only one or two outfits to get you there and then go shopping and buy your clothes there, if you can afford it. When you come home, you'll have the most beautiful clothes, a reminder of Italy in your closet and no one else will be wearing what your wearing :). Bon voyage e Ciao

BG you are so correct!! No jeans, baggy t-shirts and tennis shoes. I wore Ralph Lauren jeans, black leather mules, and a nice lace knit top in Bologna and felt underdressed.

Valorie - I agree totally with your observations about how men and women look in Italy, and how inspirational they are not only in their dress but the total quality of their lifestyle. This goes for Parisians as well (haven't been to any other cities in France), but they pretty much cannot be topped. You will have to check them out too!