I am happy today to be sharing my wardrobe highlights from my May trip to Italy. If you are anything like me packing for a trip to Europe is always a stressful experience. I never know exactly what to pack and I tend to overpack because we only do carry on’s. These questions always arise- What is the weather going to be like? What activities are we participating in? Will we be going to the beach? What if it gets too hot or cold? What shoes are the most comfortable and will they look good with a dress too? I think I drive my hubby crazy!
May trip to Italy and what I packed
I checked the weather and it was going to be somewhat cool, a day of rain, then some warmer temps when we would be at the beach. May is always a little fickle in Italy. You just never know what you are going to get. This time I packed multiple outerwear items.
I wore my mid thigh raincoat on the plane as it was the most bulkiest item. It was snowing the day we left Salt Lake. The raincoat was needed one maybe two nights as it was chilly but otherwise I didn’t really need it.
You know how much I love denim jackets and I packed two! One white and one blue denim. They were perfect to wear during the day and at night.
A lightweight hoodie sweatshirt also came in handy and I wore it under my white denim jacket. I also packed one lightweight black cardigan sweater that I could layer if needed.
Isn’t this dining alfresco experience something you would totally expect when in Italy?
What pants to pack for Italy in may
Since I knew we would be trucking through our palazzo and it is a major construction zone. I made sure to pack my raw edge blue jeans. They were perfect because it is drafty in the palazzo right now with all the scaffolding.
White denim cropped jeans, green cropped pants, blue skinny pants, black athletic pants and peach flowy pants
Really truth be told I packed too many pairs of pants. .
I bought a this pair of flowy pants at one of the open air markets.
A girl has to have options right?
Dresses or skirts
I packed my favorite spring dress and wore it once to a nice dinner with my white jean jacket and sandals. It was perfect and steamed up quickly with no wrinkles. I never ended up wearing the skirt but I probably could have one of the days with sneakers.
Tops and t-shirts for Italy in May
For tops I packed light-weight tops that would allow for layering if needed but could also be comfortable all on their own. Two floral tops in blues and greens that go with all of my pants,
One gold peasant top and one white linen v-neck top. I am not a huge t-shirt wearer but this trip I packed 4. A black and white striped t-shirt that I did not end up wearing, a white Paris t-shirt, plain white t-shirt, black t-shirt and one work out t-shirt.
My tip is to pack multiple tops and t-shirts that can work with all your pants and jackets.
What kind of shoes to pack for a May trip to Italy?
This is always tricky because of different things we do on our trips! Everything from nice dinners to biking, beach time and walking all over cobblestone streets. Water shoes are a must because when we bike by the Adriatic sea we often get off the bike and walk down the rocky edge to the water. On beach days they are great for rocky beaches whereas flip flops would not be enough comfort or stability. Plus they are great just for walking down the streets of places like Roseto Beach.
Walking 6 miles most days on uneven cobblestone streets calls for good supportive sneakers, I brought 3 pairs. I know I am crazy but one pair is white leather with a thicker sole and looks great with dresses as well as with cropped pants.
Blue New Balance fresh foam sneakers because they not only look cute but are extremely comfortable. Another pair of more athletic white sneakers that are also very comfy and look good with everything. Truth be told I could have kept that pair at home. One pair of fancier flats and a wedge sandal.
Beach wear
I brought my blue linen tunic top that I bought on one of our trips to Capri. It is perfect to wear as a beach cover up or as a long jacket over a white t-shirt and white pants. For me I need a coverup to function not only as a coverup but modest enough to wear out and about after the beach when there is no time to change.
Two bathing suits were plenty for me. I brought a peach colored one and a bright blue. They are the same style with a deep v and ruffles. You can buy them on Amazon here. They are my favorites and I have bought them 3 times now.
Mini backpack and leaving it on the plane!
Crossbody mini backpack is a must because it has a thick strap and lots of zipper pockets front and back. Just don’t leave it on the plane! After we flew from Salt Lake to Paris, we got off the plane and went through Immigration I realized we left it on the plane.
My hubby had put it up in the overhead storage way to the back of our luggage. Because I was also using a crossbody straw bag I didn’t even realize I didn’t have my crossbody back pack. We tried to get security to allow us to go back to the gate to get my backpack. No luck. They said once you get to your next gate tell them and they will bring it to you. If you are not familiar with Charles Degal airport in France let me tell you it is Gigantic! We were on a transfer bus for an hour! I was sure I would never see my backpack with my wallet, cash and credit cards again!
Well we finally got to our gate and explained our situation. Delta is awesome! They found the backpack but….they could not bring it to us before we boarded our flight to Rome! Remember I said the airport is gigantic and it would take too long to get to us. So they said they would hold it until we luckily would fly back through 16 days later. In my mind I thought oh there is no stinkin way I will see it again and if I do, all my money and credit cards will be gone. Well let me tell you DELTA is seriously amazing! When we flew back through they had my backpack with everything in it at the gate!!
That my friends is a travel miracle! Ta Ta For Now but I will be back with more of our Italy trip.
Emma Peach says
I’m so glad you got your backpack back! I love those pants you bought at the market and the pretty maxi dress. It looks like a wonderful trip! Thanks for linking!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Karins Kottage says
Yes it was a total miracle that I got my backpack back! I leave next week for Italy again…heres hoping I don’t leave anything on the plane this time!
Joanne says
So glad you got your bag back! I always struggling wit packing for a trip especially if I know we’re going to be active and yet I also want nice things for dinner and then the varying temps and things. I’ve come to realize no matter what I will have things to wear each day but I will always wish I had packed (or not packed!) 1-3 items anyway.