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How Italian women dress
Even if you are the least bit interested in fashion, you’ve probably heard that Italian women hold the trophy for being flawless in the industry. Italian women know how to play with colors, fabrics, and styles to look completely elegant.
Whether you are stuck at home (thanks Covid!) and just want to spice up your style or are planning how to dress on your future trip, Read on for all the tips on how to dress like an Italian woman.
There is a saying in Italy “La bella figura.” It literally means the beautiful figure.
In fact, they hold this saying so near and dear to their hearts, they want perfection when they go out in public. Italians (men and women) care a lot about their appearance.
It doesn’t matter if they are walking the dog, at the grocery store, or meeting friends for a dinner, they always look the part.
I think I’ve only ever seen Italian women not dressed up when they are exercising. That’s it.
It’s really not a nice thing to do to the tired American who just wants to run to the grocery store in her yoga pants, am I right?
The Italian fashion
So, how do they do it? They stick to a few basic principles that we will go over.
Take everything you know about fashion in America and throw it all out of the freaking window. To dress like an Italian, we have brand new rules!
Classic colors
In order to dress like an Italian woman, you want to stick to the classic colors. Black, brown, blue, white, cream, basically use the Earth tones.
At least in the North of Italy, near the fashion capital of the world, most women utilize these colors and sometimes toss in some colorful accessories. I hear in the South of Italy the colors get a bit brighter.
Packing classic colors when traveling to Italy will not only save space in your bags since you can mix and match a lot, but it will keep you from sticking out and looking like a tourist.
I’m used to super bright colors and I can assure you, wearing your lime green dress here will not do you any favors if you want to fit in!
Italian fashion cuts & styles
If you want to dress like an Italian, ditch the revealing outfits that show too much skin.
While Italian women can still play on a very sexy look, it is never too skimpy. They modestly dress and let the men use a little imagination.
With that being said, if you don’t want to get eye raped in the street (and I’m speaking from experience), take note.
If you wear a tight-fitting top, then the bottom is flowy and vice versa. If you show some skin, highlight just one area.
For example, if you wear an open back top, you wouldn’t see much skin from the front of the shirt and your legs would be covered.
If you show your legs (typically mid-thigh and usually even longer) you wouldn’t reveal cleavage.
While Italian women don’t show a lot of skin, they certainly show their creativity with details.
Often, you will see a shirt with see-through sleeves. Long, slim, pants that have a wide leg to show off how tall they are. Or a slimming belt to show off their flat stomach and curves.
Also, I’ve never met an Italian that doesn’t care about the quality. For me, I just want it to look cute and if it lasts a year, my style will probably change by then anyways allowing me to purchase something else that I like.
If you want to dress like an Italian woman, quality matters. They can tell the difference if you are wearing real leather (pelle vera) or not. They wear the best fabrics, always!
My husband always tries to convince me when buying something “but it will last forever!!!”
That’s why it costs so much money! I suppose that’s why sticking to classic colors makes it easier, I personally, can’t afford to not mix and match if I’m spending the money on quality materials.
Accessorizing
You know the saying “If the shoe fits, buy the matching handbag?”
Italian women buy the matching handbag (real leather, of course!), belt, necklace, bracelet, earrings, coat, gloves, socks, and lingerie, just to name a few!
It all matches perfectly. It is all ironed and wrinkle-free. They are flawless.
In addition, dressing like an Italian woman also means that your hair is not thrown up in a bun. It’s freshly washed and blow-dried to perfection.
Similarly, makeup is on. The only women I ever see without makeup, seriously have a perfect face with no imperfections. Italian women don’t usually do full glam but they have more of a natural beauty.
I’m not sure if the women all have good genes or if they are getting Botox like crazy, but I’ve met woman after woman that look 5-10+ years younger than they are. It’s. not. fair.
What to pack to dress like an Italian on your trip
Alright, now you know how to dress like an Italian woman but how do you pack your bags for vacation?
This is the spot between, I’m not Italian, but I don’t want to look like a tourist. Don’t worry, I’ve got you!
If the shoe fits!
Starting from the bottom up, Italian style shoes.
You want something comfortable yet fashionable. I definitely recommend flats during the day while walking around on cobblestone streets.
With the classic white tennis shoes, you can be comfy and stylish. They look good with casual clothes, or you can dress them up by wearing a skirt.
I also like ballerina slippers but my feet personally don’t tolerate them for an entire day of walking. Choose whatever works for you and your feet!
Depending on the weather, flat boots are my go-to when touring a beautiful Italian city for hours upon hours. They are still comfortable but keep me warm.
Lastly, high heels. You have to bring at least a pair of black heels or tan heels (or both!) depending on how much room you have in your suitcase. You will want to wear them when going out to eat at night so you don’t feel underdressed.
I recommend a chunky heel instead of a stiletto so you don’t get stuck in the cracks of cobblestones. Ouch!
The Italian women have somehow mastered this but you are on vacation. Let’s not ruin it with a twisted ankle!!
*Click on images to see prices.
Classy skirts/dresses/pants
Italian women often add a feminine touch with a nice length skirt or dress. It’s also my favorite choice when out exploring in the summer because it can get VERY hot and I enjoy that my clothes aren’t sticking to my skin.
An easy, breezy dress or skirt helps to keep my temperature down. It’s also a great option if it’s cold outside, all you have to do is add stockings underneath.
The women here wear the cutest stockings with polka dots, bows, and lace. The only pantyhose that are not popular here (I’ve been told they are for old women) are the nude color. Which is so funny to me because that’s the go-to color in America.
Even though I’m not as big of a fan of pants, they are rather popular. You will mostly see solid colors like black or white, but you will also see jeans. If you want to avoid looking like a tourist, stay away from too many rips and acid wash. Classic jeans are ok! Also, you don’t see leggings too often.
*Click on images to see prices.
Blouses & tops
Depending on the season will determine if you are wearing light, short sleeve tops or heavy, long-sleeved shirts/sweaters.
Never wear a t-shirt. I repeat, do not think you can wear a t-shirt and not look like a tourist. I’m pretty sure Italians don’t wear them.
Remember if it is cold, you can have the cutest clothes on underneath but if your coat isn’t fashionable, it ruins everything!
*Click on images to see prices.
Bling Bling! Time to accessorize!
Hats, yes please! Leather handbags, of course! Scarves, a must! These accessories will dress up your outfit and keep you feeling fancy.
Sheer scarves are a great accessory in the summer too as you must have your shoulders and legs covered to get into many churches and cathedrals that are sure to be on your sights to see.
This will allow you to stay cool for most of the day and when you get up to the beginning of the line to enter a religious establishment, you can quickly put your scarf over your shoulders like a shoal or even tie it around your legs to lengthen your shorts.
*Click on images to see prices.
My favorite Italian stores
While I’m still discovering my favorite shops in Italy, I wanted to share my current go-to’s with you.
Rinascimento is so far my all-time favorite. They are a bit pricy but they sell elegant and quality clothing. You can also wait for the sales as I do!! 🙂
Unfortunately, they only ship to the EU right now so if you are from somewhere else, you will have to add this to your list of places to visit when in Italy.
I also really love Dani. They offer some super trendy outfits but I do warn you, some of the pieces you will see, are only acceptable for teenagers in Italy.
They do offer to ship worldwide so you can purchase from wherever your happy shopping heart is right now!
Packing for your trip to Italy?
Now you know the best things to wear in Italy! Head over to my article on “how to pack your bags.” Even if you are packing just to visit and not move, it’s got great tips to make you feel like a pro-packer.
Also, click here to get your ultimate traveling checklist! I never pack my bags without it!
Whether you just want to spice up your style at home, or you want to know what to wear when visiting Italy, I hope you feel confident on your new wardrobe adventure. Ciao!
XOXOXO
