EVERYTHING I WORE IN ITALY
Dolomites, Lake Como & Milan!
If you follow me on IG, you will know that I recently traveled to Italy to celebrate a couple I adore & celebrate their nuptials. The wedding & events took place during 3 nights in Lake Como. Naturally, we added in another two stops to make the most of the trip, thus 3 nights in the Dolomites, and 2 in Milan were thrown into the mix.
Now, this meant that I was packing for mountains, boujee lake, and chic city vibes for a total of 8 full days. A challenge for sure but I made it work, and fit everything into one checked in 40 lb bag. While there may have to be another post that breaks down my packing science, this one will focus on what I wore during the trip in each region.
Before I get started, I want to express my thoughts on packing for trips these days. I feel very burnt out by having to buy an entire new wardrobe for trips, and/or events. I do enjoy dressing up, a good theme, and everything in-between, however, this year I have been focusing on doing so in a way that works for me without feeling like I just wasted a sh*t ton of money, to then sell it on Poshmark.
I am aiming to purchase items that can we be worn for a majority of trips, can be reworked, styled with others, mixed / matched, and so on. Obviously there will be moments where I feel there is a lack of a particular style or item I would need for said location, and let’s be real, no one REALLY wants to repeat a dress to an event where you will take 100 photos. But, where I can repeat (or rework), I will most certainly do so. With the exception of the event dresses, I pretty much wore everything that already has had play in my wardrobe, and/or has been purchased with this trip in mind & others to come. And lastly, I do like to pack and dress like my version of “a local”. I do search pinterest, and look up location tags to see the latest & greatest, which helps direct me in what exactly to pack. Of course, checking the weather regularly and committing to an itinerary also helps but this really narrows down the broad range of everything I should be packing.
DOLOMITES
The northern mountain region of Italy is called the DOLOMITES, and as it neighbors Austria, the vibe is very crisp and casual. I stuck to neutral colors and simple yet classic styles. As we had breakfast & dinner at the hotel, there wasn’t much to “dress up for” which is right up my alley.
This TOTEME DRESS paired with these timeless YSL MULES was a dinner look I will be repeating asap. I threw on this CARDIGAN time & time again with all of my looks this trip.
The activewear I packed was pretty simple. I opted for black so that I can rewear them throughout the trip. I went with this TOP & BOTTOM that I wear religiously; and just got this ONESIE that is like butter. Both looks were paired with these HIKING BOOTS that I swear by. I threw on this TOP to keep me somewhat warm when needed : )
Another dinner look was an off-white ensemble comprised of this TANK, PANT (much more practical version HERE), & KNIT (you can use code ‘LILYA15’ for a discount). While my favorite evening look was none other than this PERFECT TANK, SHORTS, BELT, combo that I felt was a nice end of summer look! I wore the YSL mules each night to make due / pack less!
& lastly, I wore the KHAITE “SICILY” dress in the floral print en route to Lake Como, however it is completely sold out everywhere. I did find THIS dress instead that is in stock, and honestly, a way more wearable option at that.
LAKE COMO
As this portion of the trip was filled with events, that was themed / had a dress code, my looks were definitely designed to fit as such. The dresses I invested in WILL remain in my wardrobe for the foreseeable future and WILL be cherished.
For the welcome party, I scoured the internet looking for THIS dress. I signed up for a back in stock notification and frantically purchased it upon waking up to an email at 3am. It is sold out, yet again, but I highly recommend signing up for those notifications - they work! I paired it with THESE heels that I have enlisted as my official event shoe. They are comfortable, sexy, and make your legs look extremely long. I did THESE earrings that I wear pretty often!
For the boat day, I knew I wanted to wear something white, linen, and comfortable as we would be out for the entire afternoon. I went with this TOP & MAXI SKIRT and it did not disappoint. I paired it with lace up sandals but really a mary-jane flat would have been very elegant here. Cannot forget these stunning EARRINGS & this cutie BAG!
*This was a great move in general, and I always suggest sets for anyone inquiring on what to pack. It allows for more wear, and acts as a back up option to pair with other things! (As we had an impromptu pool to lunch morning, I threw on the skirt, with a tank, and my bikini underneath - clutch!)
For the black-tie wedding, I went with this classic DRESS. This is a piece I will rewear without the neck scarf and it will feel new again. I did these YSL SLINGBACKS to add a little drama with the patent leather, but ideally would have loved a leather or satin pump here (did not want to buy another shoe). And finally, these EARRINGS tied the look together.
Finally, I wore the following pieces around the hotel for lunch (TOTEME TOP & PANT - bought this last year and have worn a handful of times already), at the pool (MISSONI BIKINI - always Missoni in Italy), and to shop (DOÊN TOP & SKIRT - a set I will wear for summers to come).
Bonita, everything and Anything you put on is Epic and chic love Your fashion style