What to Wear in Italy: How to Dress Like a Local

The Italian look drew on the prestige of fine handmade crafts, from leather goods to quality tailored garments, all crucial to developing luxury fashion around the globe.

It was conceived, in part, to showcase creatively constructed, well-made, and ready-to-wear clothing adopted for a western aesthetic, yet presented in a signature la dolce vita style. You embrace the unique perspectives and aesthetic of Italy’s world-defining fashion when enjoying a Milan vacation.

Women in Italy possess a strong desire for fashionable clothing, representing the importance of style. If you have any garments listed below in your wardrobe, be sure to put them on your packing list or keep your eyes peeled for them.

1. Robe coats
2. Booties
3. Statement earrings
4. Embellished heels
5. Miniskirts
6. Animal-print pieces
7. Flat-top sunglasses

Styling Tips

Simple eclectic styles with bold statements or neutral colors shape the nature of fashion in Italy and the occasion for which a person dresses. Jeans are often fitted and dressed up with a pair of heels or boots, and sunglasses become a statement unto themselves, with large frames adding a sense of glamor and mystery in any season.

Men in Italy adhere to the same fashion standards as women, adorning timeless garments like a classic overcoat in winter or a lightweight blazer in the warmer months. True fashion in Italy for men consists of simple but well-defined details accentuating personal style.

Ensure you pack the following items if you own them. If not, scan fashionable stores during your Italy trip for those you are missing.

1. Fitted shirts
2. Fitted trousers
3. Luxury watches
4. Loafers and brogues
5. Tailored blazers
6. Dark denim jeans
7. Accessories like scarves, fedoras, and necklaces

Styling Tips

Aside from the garments worn throughout the day, it’s the style with which Italians wear their clothes that helps make them symbols of the fashion world.

Easy rules for casual fashion in Italy consist of always tucking in your shirt, whether a half- or full-tuck. Leather belts help show your form and keep your pants in their proper place just above the hips. Tucking in the shirt also helps highlight the stylish belt you are wearing.

Tailored and fitted clothing is the ultimate, everlasting trend in Italian fashion, revealing the important attention to detail in the clothing and highlighting the dapper appeal of a properly-fitted jacket, shirt, or pants for men. Find more exciting ways to enjoy Italy’s fashion when discovering the luxury outlets during a Tuscany tour and vacation.

The techniques artisans use can be contemporary and modern or centuries-old, passed down through the generations, such as Tuscany’s hand-treated leather in treasured tanneries using methods dating back to the 13th century.

The techniques of the past have given way to new, sustainable ways of crafting garments, inspired by the approaches of famous artisans. They focus on projects such as women’s hats and handmade knitted sweaters, adding new technologies, different interpretations of style, and fascinating creativity to the long-irresistible traditions of Italian fashion and the extraordinary focus on Italian artisan arts and crafts.

No matter where you visit during your Italy vacation, each region has its own fashion customs in which you can participate.

The artisan ateliers keeping the ancient traditions of Italy alive continue to produce remarkable detail in trending garments within cities like Venice, Naples, and Genoa, the latter of which hosts Finollo, a producer of coveted shirts.

Naples contains the famous Marinella brand of ties, while also hosting cherished, bespoke suit-makers. Artisans are not only skilled craftspeople, but artists who are experienced in crafting unique pieces steered by passion, pride, and an unending commitment to beauty. Find more ideas on fashionable places to explore with our list of the best places to visit in Italy.

The artistry and history of making garments in Italy add immeasurable value to the prestige of Italian design that’s famous worldwide. It is easy to imagine an old woman stitching together your leather jacket by hand in one of Italy’s renowned medieval villages, juxtaposing the haute couture on display on the runways and within the galleries of Rome.

Cities like Florence embrace the remarkable history of artisan clothing with excellent leather and footwear industries, presented to the world each year during the Pitti Immagine. You may admire the nuances of the Italian aesthetic as you tour the country’s revered fashion cities.

As you travel from Florence to Rome, across the Italian countryside, and to commercial hubs in cities like Milan, you can delve into the rich fashion culture and heritage while browsing designer boutiques for iconic tailored garments.

Follow the fashion by packing your bags full of chic clothing for your trip to Italy, using our sample luxury Italy tours and vacations as a guide to planning your personalized experience. Discover more inspiration for your trip, with new ideas found in our Italy travel guide.