In recent years, I’ve been travelling abroad in the fall instead of summer. I love this time of year when the weather is cooler, and I can watch the foliage in some of the places. This year we travelled to the Amalfi coast in the south of Italy for eight days. It was our first family trip since Covid-19, and I’ve been very excited about it.
I wanted to use the opportunity to share my travel capsule for this vacation, giving you some Italian-style tips as well. After sharing Parisian style tips and my Paris travel capsule last year, this year, we’ll explore together a wardrobe inspired by France’s beautiful neighbour – Italy.
How to Dress Like an Italian
I’ve always been fascinated by the Italian style, and I love being inspired by the dress code in the country I visit. Italian women have an elegant and feminine dressing style, which I’d love to incorporate into my travel capsule.
Here are my main tips for dressing like a ‘true’ Italian. Most of them are taken from one of my favorite slow fashion bloggers, Alyssa Beltempo’s YouTube channel –
- According to La Gazzetta Italiana, Italians’ sense of style is driven by the idea of ‘La Bella Figura.‘ ‘Bella’ means ‘Proper,’ and ‘Figura’ means ‘Decorum.’ It means dressing well to make an impression. They explain that ‘La Bella Figura’ is not only about appearance. It’s also about dignity, hospitality, and politeness.
- Similar to French women, Italian women make sure they wear clothes that suit them and their bodies. This means adjusting their clothes when needed at the sewist.
- Another element that Italian women invest in is choosing well-fit and well-made undergarments. Wearing lingerie that flatters your body can significantly affect how your clothes will fit you.
- Italian style has a lot of drama and flair. One of the ways Italian women create this look is by adding a statement or elevated piece to an everyday look. This can be, for example, a well-made blazer or an accessory. Italian women aren’t afraid to play with colors and prints, creating a more dramatic look.
- Investing in quality accessories – Specifically, Footwear, bags, and sunglasses. These are the accessories Italian women invest in the most. They can be a statement or more elegant, timeless pieces. Your accessories don’t have to have a designer label but rather be of fine quality that can elevate even the most basic look.
How to Plan a Capsule Wardrobe For an Eight-Day Trip?
This capsule had some transformations from its first version. When I started planning it, it was September, and I was wearing my summer wardrobe. The weather was getting cooler as the weeks passed, and autumn gave its first signals in my closet. I’ve decided to drop some items, like my swimsuit, out of the capsule and replace some summer items with more transitional ones.
After deciding on the items, I’ve planned the outfits I’ll wear. I tried to ensure each item would be worn at least twice (including my accessories). I’ve also checked that the items are versatile enough for changing weather and easy to create a day-to-night look. I used Canva to play with the capsule and try out different looks.
Items in my Travel Capsule
Choosing items that fit warmer and cooler days was quite challenging. Since it was a trip to a coastal area, I wanted to keep the summer outfits for the warmer days and also be prepared for colder, rainy weather. That’s why you’ll find in this capsule slides alongside Chelsea boots.
Outerwear
- Trench coat
- Wool blazer
Knitwear
- Beige cardigan
Tops
- White button-up shirt
- White tank top
- White crew neck t-shirt
- Striped crew neck t-shirt
- Black sleeveless turtleneck top
Bottoms
- Straight-leg denim
- Olive green cotton trousers
- Beige wide-leg denim
- Brown polka dot midi skirt
Dress
- Camel sleeveless ribbed dress
Shoes
- Birkenstock slides
- Brown Chelsea boots
- White sneakers
Accessory-wise, I took two bags in different sizes. One for the day and one for the evening. I also took my straw hat, a crochet hat, and two belts – brown and black.
Shop the Capsule (Adlinks)
Outfit combinations
I wore most of the outfits I’d planned in the capsule. I’ve made some slight changes due to the weather and our travel destination on a particular day. Overall, planning my outfits has been helpful and saved time in the mornings.
As you can see in my graphics, I wore some items only once. This includes my black sleeveless turtleneck or black blazer. Other items I wore more than twice, like my white button-up shirt and beige cardigan. These were useful layering pieces, and I wore them often. Although I had planned some evening looks, I ended up not wearing them. On the nights we went out, I usually wore a day outfit and elevated it with accessories like a necklace or a bag.
Rethinking this capsule, I could probably skip the sleeveless turtleneck top and the blazer, replacing them with other items I’ve packed. Next trip, I’ll try to pack even smarter. Overall, I enjoyed this capsule and was very pleased with it. I wanted to include some Italian-style elements in it, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Still, I feel that this capsule mostly remained classic, using feminine and elevating pieces such as the midi skirt, sleeveless dress, straw hat, and sunglasses.
I hope it will provide you with some ideas and inspiration for your next travel in the fall 🙂
Enjoy!
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