You have an upcoming trip to Italy and you want to dress to impress. Rather than stand out like yet another tourist, you want to blend in like one of the locals. Similar to assembling an intricate puzzle, figuring out what to wear in Italy is all about fitting the right pieces together.
Of course, that’s all easier said than done. Blending in with local Italians can be a bit challenging for a visitor who doesn’t have access to the same stores and styles as they do. Not to mention, you want to be comfortable while traveling in a new country!
The immediate thought usually lands on leggings and sneakers, but wearing these will label you a “tourist” from a mile away! If you want to avoid that, here’s a different approach to planning what to pack for a trip to Italy.
While you don’t have to perfectly mimic the trends popular in Italy, choosing clothes that are well-tailored and made with a high-quality fabric will go a long way.
8 Tips to Blend in Like a Local
When you take a hard look at your closet and try to align your clothes with what to wear in Italy, understand the difference between what you want to wear and what you actually will wear.
If you’re planning what to wear in Italy as a woman, here are the most important factors:
- Seasonality (winters are rainy and summers are extremely hot)
- Region (the north can be quite chilly)
- Nautical looks work well
- Dresses simplify the outfit
- Go for a pop of color
- Go for neutral colors
- Shop quality, natural fabrics
1. Dress according to the season
As it turns out, Italy is not all Mediterranean sunshine. The weather and temperatures can vary drastically depending on the time of year.
For a summer trip to Italy, a pair of linen pants is essential. Linen will quickly become your best friend against the intense Mediterranean heat. A nude or black pair of trousers will easily go with other tops you choose to bring and can be tucked into your bag for a quick beach trip.
The fall in Italy is a fantastic time in the country, and in my opinion, it is the best time to visit Italy. Your summer clothes will still be comfortable to wear during the day, and all you’ll need for the evenings is a sweater or light jacket.
When I went to Venice for Carnival (which happens in February), I was met with frigid, blistering wind and rain. That was when I discovered I would have to factor rain boots and wool coats into my Italy wardrobe.
2. Dress for the location
If you’re planning what to wear in Italy for the winter, the weather can be quite cold depending on your location. The Alpine north with have chilly winds and snow, so a wool jacket and weather-proof boots are essential. While it doesn’t rain as much in the south, the nighttime temperatures drop to bitterly cold.
The key to dressing for any season beyond the summer is to have a variety of layers. You’ll want to be able to put on and take off clothes depending on the time of day, keeping in mind that temperatures can change drastically.
Most Italians will tell you that it isn’t what you wear, but how you wear it. For example, a suit can only be great if it fits you well, and you feel confident wearing it. No matter how much an article of clothing costs or how trendy it is, you have to be proud to put it on.
3. Try a nautical look
If you’re planning a trip to Italy, chances are you’re staying somewhere close to the water. Most travelers journey to coastal spots like Positano and Cinque Terre, the famed cities built on cliff sides.
For a particularly hot day, travelers journey to nearby beaches, where they can pass the time under a colorful parasol. Italians love their beach days, so planning how to dress in Italy can be especially easy when you look to the ocean for inspiration.
The typical nautical colors, like light blue, pink, and red, will all go nicely with the ocean vibe.
4. Edgier and sportier looks in the north
Similar to the U.S., blending in requires you to know a bit about your surroundings. There are four types of climates in Italy. In the south, it tends to be balmy and dry, with extremely hot summers. In the north, it tends to be rainier and humid.
Even further up north, you’ll find the Italian Alps, the city of Bolzano, the Dolomites, and plenty of snow to go along with the landscape.
People who live in the Lombardy, Piemonte, and Venezia regions (i.e., the major cities like Milan, Turin, Genoa, Venice, and Verona) will typically sport an edgier look. You’ll often find dark wool fabric and lots of leather, a bit like the Northeast of the United States.
Lots of visitors attribute only warm and sunny weather to Italy, and then are shocked when they find monochrome wardrobes in Milan. That’s not to say the Milanese are afraid of color, but they typically tone it down more than people in the south.
5. Italians love a pop of color
Mediterranean style is all about light clothes that are comfortable to wear, but also represent the natural world. Countries like Greece and Italy are famous for Bougainvillea, a type of flower that blooms with bright fuchsia flowers all summer long.
People aren’t afraid of wearing color in the Mediterranean, so you’ll see big, airy skirts with lots of colorful fabric. A word to the wise: unless you absolutely love patterns and bright colors, it’s generally best not to mix too many of them. If you’re attempting to blend in with the Italians, going overboard with jubilant fabrics will do just the opposite.
Plan a mostly neutral outfit, but make it stand out with one bright accessory, either a bag or a pair of shoes. In Milan, you’ll often find one or two statement accessories on a person, with the rest of the outfit being neutral.
6. The dress reigns supreme
When planning what to wear in Italy as woman, no doubt, pack a dress or two. When lacking confidence, wear a dress. When feeling unfeminine, wear a dress. If the sky is blue, wear a dress.
Part of the reason you should pack dresses for your trip is the sheer practicality of them. It’s a whole outfit wrapped into one garment! So instead of having to plan a top and bottom, you just need to worry about one thing.
A comfortable maxi dress that you can wear with an assortment of accessories is also great. Consider one with breathable fabric and a solid primary color.
7. Bring the essentials
I used to be the kind of person who threw my favorite clothes into a suitcase without a plan for the actual outfit. As any traveler knows, there is almost always a significant difference between your favorite outfit and the outfit you actually end up wearing.
For example, I might have a stunning floral print top, but if I bring a bunch of clothes with contrasting colors or patterns, I might never wear that top.
My favorite travel hack is to list each travel day and the activities I have scheduled, then plan my outfit around that. Next, I’ll bring mostly neutral clothes that go with multiple other styles. It’s best to bring a neutral wardrobe and consider clothes that can be re-worn and restyled with different pieces in your luggage.
8. The Secret Of What to Wear in Italy Is in The Fabric
The best-kept secret for immediately elevating your look is to wear natural fabrics. Fabrics like linen, cotton, and silk will always look more expensive than their synthetic counterparts: polyester and acrylic.
Viscose is made from wood pulp and sits somewhere in the middle. Generally speaking, wearing a good-quality, natural fabric will make your clothes look better and may even be more comfortable. Linen is a naturally breathable fabric, which is perfect for summer travel.
Even if you spend the same amount of money on an outfit made of synthetic fabrics, it will likely look cheaper than the natural option. Also, natural fabrics are better for the environment. That’s what we call a win-win!
“A famous quote that is also excellent style and travel advice: less is more.”
How to Responsibly Choose What to Wear in Italy
Similar to the United States, Italians see a constant fluctuation of incoming and outgoing fashion trends. With the ever-constant influence of high fashion from Milan Fashion Week, Italians tend to be at the forefront of what to wear right now.
While finding clothing items that are currently in style appeals to a lot of travelers, there are some issues that come from chasing trends. Some guides for what to wear in Italy advise readers to shop for a bunch of stuff first, but this can be super frustrating. Imagine if you buy a whole wardrobe for an upcoming trip, only to find that the stuff you bought isn’t stylish in Italy, or even something you feel comfortable wearing!
What is fashionable here might not be there
If you travel a lot, you’ll find that trendy clothes in one country might not be fashionable in another. This will equate to a lot of unnecessary clothes that you’ll be forced to lug around on your adventures.
The other issue has to do with overconsumption and fast fashion. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is a primary contributor to climate change and is responsible for 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions.
More travelers are taking a responsible approach to shopping and preparing for travel, and this usually starts with buying clothes that are:
- Well-made: Better clothes mean fewer times you have to replace them
- Made of natural fibers: Clothes made from cotton, silk, and linen tend to be more eco-friendly
- Not overly trendy: Clothes that have a classic look tend to stay in style for longer
Buying Clothes in Italy
In reality, the question we should ask ourselves is not what to pack for Italy, but how much space we should have in our luggage! Italy is one of the fashion capitals of the world, and you are probably going to buy some new clothes while you’re there. Between excellent vintage and consignment shops and outdoor markets, all the way up to high-end fashion in Milan, you will definitely find clothing to love.
What Not to Wear in Italy
It has been said that tourists tend to fall on two extreme ends of the fashion spectrum: either overly dressed up or not dressed up enough. Italians can usually tell when someone is a tourist just by the clothes they wear. At first glance, it may seem that Italians have an astute sense of discernment between locals and visitors, but that isn’t exactly the case.
Skip the athleisure
Italians can usually point out a tourist if they’re wearing athleisure clothes. While this style is so common in the U.S., most Italians won’t wear leggings out in public. Leggings and a crop top, while they’re comfortable to wear, constitute an overly laid-back look.
On the other hand, some tourists go a little haywire when it comes to dressing up. Perhaps they bought new clothes, accessories, and jewelry for the trip and want to wear them all at once. Well, we’ve all been there.
Neutrals are key
If you’re someone who loves accessories, then try to combine one or two key pieces with a neutral outfit. For example, a classic black dress and a colorful bag. You could also try pairing well-tailored linen pants, a breathable shirt, and some light jewelry.
Less is more
When planning what to wear in Italy, wearing a lot of things doesn’t necessarily make for a stylish outfit. A famous quote that is also excellent advice: less is more. You will usually look more put together wearing fewer accessories and fewer patterns.
Can Italians Tell I’m a Tourist by What I Wear?
Generally, yes, Italians can tell a tourist just by the way they dress. This isn’t always a bad thing, because the clothes in style in your country might not be in style in Italy and it’s all just a matter of taste.
What Are the Typical Clothing Styles in Italy?
Italians tend to dress tastefully and with a balance between neutrals and vibrant colors. The biggest key to dressing like an Italian is to wear good-quality fabric.
What’s The Difference in Style Between Northern and Southern Italy?
There is a significant difference in style between the North and the South. Southern Italians tend to wear brighter colors, whereas the Milanese may wear dark colors.
The same can be said for the U.S. A study done by 1stDibs, an e-commerce platform, found that the fifth most popular search term on their website was “Y2K fashion” with the largest audience located in California. The style preferences vary immensely throughout the United States, and even more so on an international scale.
