So here’s a surprise for you – I went on holiday this past weekend! I know, I haven’t mentioned a SINGLE thing on the blog, despite the fact that it was a holiday that had been booked since November, and the fact that it was one I wasn’t really sure what to pack for and had countless wishlists and plans for items to take with me. The reason? It was a big surprise for my mum’s birthday! It was a big birthday (I’m not sure she’ll thank for me publishing the number on the internet, so let’s keep it quiet, shall we?) so my dad booked a long weekend away for the two of them plus me and my sister to Lake Garda in Italy.
And now we’re back, boooo! Okay, so I don’t really have the post holiday blues…yet! We had an absolutely lovely time – we took about a boat across the lake, we ate lots of pizza, pasta and ice cream, we visited the spa, we wandered around Roman ruins…and we were only there from Saturday evening to Wednesday afternoon.
As I said though, it was a tricky one to pack for. I’ve been to Italy a couple of times before, but it’s always been during the height of summer so really hot and sunny. This time, we were just entering spring and the mountain tops around the lake still had some snow on the tops. The weather was mostly warm, mostly sunny, but with a slight chill to the air and the occasional bit of rain and cloud. I knew this before we went, so my usual suitcase packed with hot weather clothing had to be cut down to warmish weather clothing, and actually I was pretty impressed with how I did.
So I decided to put together a mini wishlist/guide for what to wear in Italy in spring – a mix of what I actually wore along with things I’d love to wear if I’d have had more time there – in reality, I only had to dress for 3 days of Italian spring weather so lots of my planned outfits had to go down the drain!
These can all be mixed and matched, and you’ll see some of them making an appearance in some outfit photos I took over the next couple of weeks:
001: The White Trousers
So these white trousers from Esprit could have been a poor choice for me in Italy – my clumsiness, white trousers, pizza and pasta do not a good mix make. Luckily the evening I wore them, I was able to spread out my napkin enough that it caught all the dropped food…and it did help that I ordered a white pizza 😉 I find that the style in Italy is quite smart and sophisticated, and I feel white trousers fit the bill better than jeans, and white are more summery and stylish than black.
002: The Fitted Top
I can’t go anywhere without a trusty Collectif Dolores top! The fit is lovely so it goes with trousers and fitted or flared skirts depending on the look you’re going for, it has a retro spin and is available in various colours and prints. I took my gingham check one, but I love the dusky blue shade with polka dots for spring too.
003: The Stylish Accessory
My “stylish accessory” for Italy was actually an Erstwilder brooch, bought via Kitty Kat Accessories who sell Erstwilder and Lea Stein in the UK – I’m hoping to buy more via her soon, but watch out for that one on the blog soon! To be honest, the brooch is a little bit too “pin up” for Italy, but I made it work ;D I’d love a vintage watch like this one for next time for next time to fit in with the super stylish Europeans at Lake Garda.
004: The Bardot Top
Another Collectif piece: the Martina boat neck top. I love a good bardot neckline top, and the nautical stripes on this make it the perfect staple piece. It goes with all the bottoms on this list, bar the full skirt, so is super versatile and with the three quarter sleeves is warmer for chilly days too.
005: The Capri Pants
I debated backwards and forwards over buying these Hell Bunny capris before we left for Italy and didn’t do so in the end – oh, I wish I had! It was too cold to wear shorts, but too warm for full length trousers, so I was wishing for something in between a lot of the time.
006: The Casual Daytime Dress
Usually I’d go for something floatier and prettier than this, but I wanted simple, fairly warm and layerable, so this denim pinafore dress from New Look was perfect.
007: The Lightweight Top
On a brief shopping trip the week before Italy, I bought this top from Fat Face. Yes, it’s white and I’m clumsy, but it’s lightweight, breezy and goes with pretty much everything. It’s ideal for daytime casual and to be dressed up at night.
008: The Flat Sandals
These sandals are a kind of cross between the two pairs of shoes I took and wore everyday on holiday. A good pair of flat sandals will work for day and night.
009: The Full Skirt
The cherry blossom skirt is the perfect Spring skirt in my opinion, and I don’t get many chances to wear it! See here where I’ve worn it before. It’s a perfect night time piece for spring in Italy – a little bit fancy, still light and airy, but a longer length to look smarter and a tiny bit warmer.
010: The Classic Swimsuit
I bought this Panache Veronica Swimsuit at a factory sale nearly 2 years ago now and it’s still going strong as a staple swimwear piece. I find it tricky to find swimwear both to fit me and suit my style, but with a larger range of sizes, Panache often wins. I did take the red bikini version of this with me as well, and the two make a good combination for swimming, spas and sunbathing.
