Italian chic in the winter

[doitmyway]

Help me not stick out like a sore thumb.
Going on a trip to a couple of Italian cities this winter.
How do I combine warmth, comfort and a vague sense of style.

I normally wear Merrell walking shoes, a fleece hat and fugly jacket.

I have done Italy in summer but Italians do very monochrome chic and very classic with neutral navy blue/ beige and always immacutely put together. I would save any shoe budget and buy shoes there! Italian hosiery and socks are lovely too.
have a lovely time!

Thanks Luna.
Would monochrome work in winter? Jeans, jacket, boots and maybe a different coloured scarf? Do Italian women wear winter hats or just very expensive sunglasses?

I haven't visited in winter. Why don't you Pinterest Italian winter fashion.?
Italian clothes shop that liked was Manila Grace - not designer but high end like Reiss.
I would take warm jacket, skinny jeans and lots layers. Take a dress to go out at night.
Enjoy! Greta place to people watch

Pinterest is a great idea, thanks.
I think I remember lots of Italian women wearing Puffa type jackets but that was in the Alps.
Interesting that it's dressy at night.

Whenever I've been to Italy in the winter, the trend seems to have been skinny jeans tucked in to black leather knee high boots (often with a wedge heel - not my cup of tea at all!), with a fitted short (or hip length, but belted) quilted puffer jacket - mostly shiny. The vast majority of women were dressed this way each time.

Florence and Milan in the winter are mostly about navy/black skinnies, ankle or knee boots in quality leather, puffa-style coats (long and short) in dark shades, leather cross body bags and expensive sunglasses. My SIL is Italian and her entire wardrobe is tiny, but beautiful clothes that she wears endlessly. No bright colours, patterns or frills. I feel like a cockatoo next to her in my yellow skinny jeans, pink blouse and turquoise cardigan (but I teach Reception so am permitted to dress like an enthusiastic drunk at all times).

Black, black and more black!

Funny, I've just spent the whole summer in mainland Europe and started a thread a while back about the lack of decent clothes shops and the fact that Italians were very blingy dressers! Saw a remarkable amount of very high heels/wedges on cobbled streets.

Pugwalls, you've described exactly how my Italian teacher dresses!

Oh dear, I think I'm not going to nail Italian Chic as I'm a bit tubby.
I do have some bling sunglasses though.

Thanks though.

Where in Italy? Milan is totally different from, say, Bologna.

Basically Milan is the epicentre of dressy. The further away you get from Milan, the less high-fashion people tend to be, but they are still fairly chic in towns. Rural areas are not that different from the UK.

Walking shoes are fine but I would lose the fleece hat and fugly jacket if you want to blend in.

Yes yes to the down coats! Italians seem to feel the cold and wrap up in duvets from the autumn onwards (with obligatory sunglasses). My DH is Italian so I feel qualified to take the mick! Tourists always stick out as being underdressed for the "cold". Lots of Italians still wear fur too, not that I'm suggesting this!

I agree to stick with black and monochrome, large sunglasses, heels if you can bear tottering on cobbles in them like Italians or, if not, nice boots!

Rome and Piza.
Don't suppose a North Face would do
www.thenorthface.co.uk/shop/en-gb/tnf-gb/thermoball-full-zip-jacket-3brl?variationId=H2G or how about Crew?
www.crewclothing.co.uk/down-jacket-wha009-dknavy/

Either jacket is fine. The Crew one is more Italian in style. Italians are actually quite into their hiking gear, though, so North Face will not be out of place.

But, to blend in, you need to wear them with smart trousers/jeans or a skirt - not the scruffy jeans or shapeless walking trousers that I some people would wear in the UK

TBH though, Rome & Pisa are so full of tourists that pretty much anything goes.