Mediterranean Fashionista

[slidergirl]

I was going to buy a pair of Olukai Pueo Perf slip-ons for my upcoming trip, but I fell right in-between sizes :( I would have been able to use them for work when I got home. But, not to be. Sad, I started wandering around in search of something to cheer me up and a pair of Sperry Topsiders caught my eye. Cotton-top in washed-out pink. There was a pair in wash-out purple, too. Perfect replacement for tennis shoes for my casual shoe!!! Best part for me was that the insole, while molded and supportive, is removable so I could put my custom footbed in there for extra support. If you're looking for something cute to wear in the daytime other than tennis shoes or sandals, check these out. The model is the Bahama washed canvas 2-eye boat shoe. Comes in 7 cool colors. And, the price point is good - $60 (give or take, depending on where you buy)…

With a pair of ankle-length jeans or boyfriend jeans/chinos or shorts or even the dreaded capris, they look pretty sharp and on-point fashion-wise.

[Yunric]

I like Sperry's. Will check it out.

 

I've got 7 dresses for night time and will switch them up for dinners with jewelry. I'm taking 3 sandals, and one fit flop, wearing my runners. Daytime I've picked up some cute tissue t-shirts from Joe fresh. Still working on daytime tour clothing.

 

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[kitty.panza]

I'm in Rome now. Been looking at "fashion" around the last 2 days. Women mostly in jeans or pants and tshirts with sweaters or jackets. Very few dresses, fewer skirts. Surprisingly, quite a few women wearing leggings. Virtually no shorts. Today in Vatican City, saw a few inappropriate sundresses on women trying to get into St. Peter's Bascilica - long enough, but no straps or sleeves. Weather is in the low-mid 70s day and 60s evening.

 

 

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[Danni3ll3]

I'm in Rome now. Been looking at "fashion" around the last 2 days. Women mostly in jeans or pants and tshirts with sweaters or jackets. Very few dresses, fewer skirts. Surprisingly, quite a few women wearing leggings. Virtually no shorts. Today in Vatican City, saw a few inappropriate sundresses on women trying to get into St. Peter's Bascilica - long enough, but no straps or sleeves. Weather is in the low-mid 70s day and 60s evening.

 

 

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Thank you, that is very helpful. I will keep my 4 pairs of Jeggings in my suitcase.

[slidergirl]

I've spent the last few days in Florence. Fashion here was, again, lots of jeans. If not jeans, then black leggings. Footwear was all lengths of boots or colored All Stars/tennis shoes. No dresses or maxis or skirts really during daytime and just a few at night. Oh, there were lots of scarves on women, men and kids. I bought myself 3 more!

Love that I can still read and post while on the train - my TIM service still works!

 

 

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[cruisemom42]

I've spent the last few days in Florence. Fashion here was, again, lots of jeans. If not jeans, then black leggings. Footwear was all lengths of boots or colored All Stars/tennis shoes. No dresses or maxis or skirts really during daytime and just a few at night. Oh, there were lots of scarves on women, men and kids. I bought myself 3 more!

Love that I can still read and post while on the train - my TIM service still works!

 

 

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Glad to see you're enjoying your trip. How's the weather been for you?

[cruise kitty]

I've spent the last few days in Florence. Fashion here was, again, lots of jeans. If not jeans, then black leggings. Footwear was all lengths of boots or colored All Stars/tennis shoes. No dresses or maxis or skirts really during daytime and just a few at night. Oh, there were lots of scarves on women, men and kids. I bought myself 3 more!

Love that I can still read and post while on the train - my TIM service still works!

 

 

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Hope you're having a great time! Jealous about your scarf purchases lol :)

[slidergirl]

I've had a great time. The weather has cooperated - mostly upper 60s/low 70s, only 1 real rainy day (in Florence) and one day with a few showers (in Rome) - otherwise mostly sunny. My one thing this trip was to visit St. Peter's Bascilica, with lots of just walking around and running into things. It's my style to not plan excessively. It was also a little bit of a foodie trip, with more restaurants that I found via the website for chowhounds, Katie Parla and Elizabeth Minchilli.

Got 2 days left...

 

 

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[slidergirl]

One thing about packing light: it keeps my purchases under control! I wear scarves at home, so I am always on the lookout for more. I broke the clasp on my watch in Florence. Fortunately, I saw a ToyWatch store on Via Tornabuoni and they had a watch I had been thinking about buying in stock in a cool pastel mint green color. I justified that buy because I always wear a watch and didn't want to be without one ;-)

 

 

 

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[slidergirl]

Slight update. It was warmer today in Rome, mid to upper 70s. Women still in jeans, but a few camisoles and tank tops came out. At my hotel, it was definitely

American women doing this. How do I know? I listened to them talking. I stuck to my Tshirt and blazer with my jeans and boots....

 

 

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[Danni3ll3]

A tee with a blazer and boots!?!? I would be boiling if I wore that when it is upper 70s. We are hitting 57f today and the shorts and tees are out. I am wearing a sweater since I am always cold but no jacket.

[ducklite]

Have to agree that once the temps hit 70 my riding boots are packed away and no way I'm wearing a blazer in the upper 70's. A light open knit linen sweater maybe, but nothing more. Jeans are bordering on too hot at that point, a light twill is more comfortable, takes less packing space, and is far more versatile in terms of dressing them up to smart casual for dinner.

[slidergirl]

Whatever. My blazer is just a jersey knit, like a heavy T. It wasn't in the upper 70s until yesterday. My Ts are actually a very lightweight material, built for travel. Those and the blazer were just fine. My jeans are also light, and despite what others say, pack in just as a small space as anything other than leggings. I wouldn't wear "riding boots"; I take my engineers which kind of mid-calf and not tight. I was perfectly happy and at a good temp the entire time.

 

 

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[Danni3ll3]

Whatever. My blazer is just a jersey knit, like a heavy T. It wasn't in the upper 70s until yesterday. My Ts are actually a very lightweight material, built for travel. Those and the blazer were just fine. My jeans are also light, and despite what others say, pack in just as a small space as anything other than leggings. I wouldn't wear "riding boots"; I take my engineers which kind of mid-calf and not tight. I was perfectly happy and at a good temp the entire time.

 

 

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I am glad it worked for you. I didn't mean to criticize, just wanted to state that being Canadian, we tend to be pretty immune to the cold and when it warms up, we tend to go to the shorts and spaghetti tops pretty quickly in the spring. It is funny though that in the fall, at the same temperature, we layer on the sweaters since our bodies have gotten used to the heat. It is all relative. =)

[slidergirl]

I am glad it worked for you. I didn't mean to criticize, just wanted to state that being Canadian, we tend to be pretty immune to the cold and when it warms up, we tend to go to the shorts and spaghetti tops pretty quickly in the spring. It is funny though that in the fall, at the same temperature, we layer on the sweaters since our bodies have gotten used to the heat. It is all relative. =)

 

I live up in the mountains at a ski resort town, so I am pretty much a cold-weather person. When I used to go to Arizona for a Christmas holiday, I'd be sitting on the back porch in shorts and a Tshirt and watch the golfers go by in toques and turtlenecks and jackets and long pants!

I was commenting on what I was seeing women wear the past 2 weeks while I was in Italy, and what I was wearing was right in line with everyone. I didn't hang out all day/night long in the tourist sections of the cities, but I saw what I thought was a good cross-section of people. The jeans and short-to-calf length boots were all over the place. I had brought with me the same clothes that the ladies in Rome and Florence were wearing. So, I felt right at home. I also had my Sperry Topsiders with me that I wore out a lot in the daytime if I had on my ankle-length jeans. The fact that some people thought my attire was not realistic FOR THEM and made it sound like I was off base was a tad off-putting. I was the one in Italy when I commented, not anyone else. Would I wear what I did if I had to go to Italy in the middle of the summer tourist season? No. But, it was perfect for Spring, which is when I was there…

[Danni3ll3]

Slidergirl, I realized that my comment might come across as critical so that is why I posted again. I do apologize for putting you off. That was not the intent.

[slidergirl]

Slidergirl, I realized that my comment might come across as critical so that is why I posted again. I do apologize for putting you off. That was not the intent.

 

that's Ok. I just don't like getting quacked at by some people who believe they are the authority and their "recommendations" are the only ones worthwhile. It's been getting ramped up again lately; unfortunate, since that kind of criticism and "my way or the highway" attitude had died down on this site for awhile.

[ducklite]

Didn't mean to offend and the snarky comment didn't go unnoticed. Just saying that I would be uncomfortable in boots and a blazer when it was I the upper 70's.

[cruzisme]

Europeans are very stylish so the ankle boots and jeans are in style.

Blazers are made from different fabrics ranging from wool to more casual sweater type fabric.

Scarves are very much 'in' and again fashionable.

I can usually spot Europeans from seeing what they wear but also how they carry it off.

We as Norh Americans tend to be more casual etc. JMO:)

[ladybird77]

I'm heading out to Italy/Croatia/Greece in just a few days. I appreciate all the suggestions in this thread and have crafted my wardrobe with some of the suggestions in mind.

 

My concern with living in Vegas and being accustom to the heat, is that at about 70 or below I feel really cold. So I'm taking a few lightweight sweater/blazers. I am also taking a couple of solid color maxi skirts, even though someone mentioned that people dont really wear them there.

[cruzisme]

Ladybird, have a wonderful trip!

Let us know what styles you see on your travels!

[ducklite]

Europeans are very stylish so the ankle boots and jeans are in style.

 

Blazers are made from different fabrics ranging from wool to more casual sweater type fabric.

 

Scarves are very much 'in' and again fashionable.

 

I can usually spot Europeans from seeing what they wear but also how they carry it off.

 

We as Norh Americans tend to be more casual etc. JMO:)

 

 

I think it also depends where in Eurooe and the season. We were in London for two weeks in March and over half the women we saw were in calf height or (more often) riding boots with either a skirt and tights, leggings, or jeans.

[Yunric]

We leave for Rome next week to board the Reflection on May 18.

 

I'm packing FitFlops and Skechers GOwalks for touring around.

 

For Istanbul, I will wear mid length yoga capris (nice fabric) with a nice tshirt, and carry a pashmina in my purse fro a head cover.

For Greece, I have decided on tshirt dresses, they are a super comfy jersey fabric that flows and looks nice.

I love scarves and remember buying a few in Florence last year- I look forward to adding to the collection in Rome!

[katsmom1]

I love these cotton knit skirts for Europe:

 

This first skirt is great for short women. I'm 5'1" and when folded over it comes to my knee. When I want to go into a European church or somewhere else that needs "below the knee coverage", I unfold the waist band so that I can pull the skirt down a bit, and the skirt falls a couple of inches below my knee.

 

http://www.hanes.com/hanes/women/womens-clothing/skirts---dresses/womens-hanes-foldover-skirt-25175

 

 

This second skirt is great for taller women or anyone who is looking for something that is convertible to a dress.

 

http://www.hanes.com/hanes/women/womens-clothing/skirts---dresses/womens-hanes-skirt-to-dress-25172?cm_vc=hanes_desktop_PDPZ1

 

One suggestion; don't pay full price. Hanes often has sales where all of their clothes are 20 or 30% off so you can get the skirts quite inexpensively.

[slidergirl]

We leave for Rome next week to board the Reflection on May 18.

 

I'm packing FitFlops and Skechers GOwalks for touring around.

 

For Istanbul, I will wear mid length yoga capris (nice fabric) with a nice tshirt, and carry a pashmina in my purse fro a head cover.

For Greece, I have decided on tshirt dresses, they are a super comfy jersey fabric that flows and looks nice.

I love scarves and remember buying a few in Florence last year- I look forward to adding to the collection in Rome!

 

You'll be fine. Are you taking a big long-sleeved shirt that you can use a a lightweight daytime jacket? In-style and go well with yoga pants and Tshirts. You can find examples of what I'm talking about at Jjill, Sahalie, Garnet Hill. It's what I'll use instead of a blazer or sweater when the weather gets warmer.

Just don't wear socks that show with the Sketchers; that was something I noticed on the women wearing athletic shoes in Rome and Florence. I hope it'll be warm enough for you to wear the FitFlops. My LBD is a black Tshirt dress - I can wear it for day or night. For the scarves - you won't find the hawkers out selling them in Rome like you do in Florence (unless I was totally blind this trip). I wasn't looking for them in Rome, but you might be able to find some cheap ones in the souvenir stores. Or, if you see one that calls to you in a store window, go for it!!!