13 Italian Wardrobe Staples to Add to Your Closet This Spring, According to a Travel Writer From Rome (2024)

Known for being home to some of the world’s most prestigious fashion houses —Gucci, Fendi, Valentino to start — Italy is undeniably a style capital. There’s no doubt that Italians know how to dress, and in a way that’s effortlessly, enviably chic.

As an Italian travel writer from Rome and the daughter of a former children’s fashion designer, I’ve come to learn that all you really need in your wardrobe are solid basics and a couple of well-picked standout pieces to elevate your look from forgettable to trendy. Even though I now live in Boston, most of my wardrobe is Italian, replenished, and nurtured on trips home to Rome. But it’s not so much the brands that matter when it comes to emulating the Italians’ way of dressing, but rather the ability to discern what makes a piece truly stylish – think hand-stitched velvet slippers, statement leather handbags, and cropped leather jackets.

With spring in full bloom, and the burdensome weight of winter clothes in our rearview, these are the 13 effortless Italian spring-time looks that I always bring with me when I travel — and wear when I stroll down the Eternal City’s ancient cobblestone streets.

Wide-Leg Palazzo Pants

High-waisted, flared palazzo pants tend to elongate the legs, lending vertically challenged people like myself the impression of being taller than they are. That’s why, aside from flared jeans, they’re the only kind of pants I purchase. These budget-friendly Caracilia palazzo pants from Amazon come in nine different colors, ranging from neutral to bold. They're especially versatile pants that can be dressed up or down — I pair them with almost any kind of shoe, including square-toed boots, velvet slippers, and white leather sneakers. And, because of their lounge-like appearance and unconstraining proportions, they’re also a ridiculously comfortable and stylish pair of pants to travel in.

Velvet Flats

One thing you will absolutely see many Italian women wearing in the spring, regardless of their age, is a pair of colorful friulane. These hand-stitched velvet slippers with a rubber sole date back to the 19th century in Venice. Once considered to be a poor man’s shoe, they’ve experienced a renaissance in recent years for their playful elegance that can add just the right amount of edge and color to any look.

I’ve worn them with jeans, dresses, and shorts, and they’re one of my favorite footwear, especially for when I travel. I have three pairs — a bright orange, a dark moss, and a vibrant light green – and am always looking for new colors to add to my collection. While mine were purchased in small boutiques across Italy, popular Italian brand ViBiVenezia ships to the United States, so you can invest in a pair, too. If you’re looking for a similar pair stateside that evokes the same look, try this velvet pair from ultra-comfy brand Birdies.

Leather Handbag

Italian leather is arguably among the best in the world, which is why many Italian women have at least one statement Italian leather handbag in their closets. And although I love my Italian leather just as much as the next person, I’ve recently started falling for Singaporean fashion house label Charles & Keith. They have a plethora of fun, dynamic handbags in various shapes, sizes, and colors that have caught my eye — none more so than the ​​Charles & Keith Geometric Top Handle Chain-Link Bag, a mini, dark moss-green geometric top handle gold chain link bag that I’ve been wearing everywhere since I was gifted it for Christmas.

Although small, this little bag can hold a surprising amount, likely due to its expandable sides. In mine I can fit my wallet, phone, keys, lip balm, Apple AirPods, and a small tube of hand cream, which is really all I need for a day out. As the handbag comes with a detachable, gold-accented adjustable strap, it can be worn cross-body style for a hands-free stroll around town, although I usually prefer to carry it by its curved, rigid top handle.

Belted Trench Coat

Early spring in Rome can be very wet, so it’s always important to have a belted trench coat on hand to keep you dry and stylish, even in the rain. It’s a classic Italian look worn often in the spring and is universally loved for its ability to be either elegant or casual.

Breathable and comfortable, a trench coat is one of my favorite spring staples. I particularly love a coat with a belt like this one from Via Spiga, as sometimes larger trenches can look like oversized trash bags on me. Having something to cinch around my waist helps to give me more of a shape and is overall a more flattering look.

Cat-Eye Sunglasses

When it’s not raining, spring in Rome is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Sunny, mild, and much less crowded, it’s a perfect opportunity to sit outside for lunch or to have a drink – which many Italians do while, naturally, wearing a pair of bold sunglasses.

Tortoise shell cat eye sunglasses have become increasingly popular lately, not just in Italy but all over for their timeless, elegant look. To me, they embody la dolce vita and have always conjured images of the Amalfi Coast in the 1960s. My pair was passed down to me by my mother, but for those looking to emulate this classic vibe, and perhaps cash in on the same Amalfi Coast dreams as me, this ultra-affordable copycat from Sojos on Amazon should do just the trick.

Casual Maxi Dress

Italians love a good maxi dress for the spring that can be accessorized with layered jewelry and paired with open or close-toed shoes, depending on spring’s notoriously finicky weather. While these dresses can range from neutral to colorful shades, I’m partial to a bright, bold print that I can pair with a leather jacket for an edgier look on cooler days.

This R. Vivimos Casual Bohemian Dress from Amazon is similar to many I’ve seen women in Rome rock in the spring, and with 23 different color and print variations it's sure to appeal to any preference. With nearly 4,000 five-star ratings and sizes ranging from small to extra large, the cherry on top might just be its affordable price tag.

Gold Hoop Earrings

I refuse to leave the house without a pair of gold earrings, usually hoops. I’ve had my ears pierced since I was only a few months old, so earrings have been my go-to fashion accessory since long before I could even speak or walk.

Gold hoops are a staple of any Italian woman’s closet. Small, medium, or large, chunky, delicate, or filigreed, you name it — we’ve either purchased them for ourselves, or had them gifted for our baptism, communion, or confirmation, which is admittedly where I’ve gotten most of my jewelry from. I've had most of my earrings since I was a child, but these Giacimy 14k Gold Plated medium-sized hoops on Amazon, which are available in various sizes and thicknesses, will help you accessorize just like an Italian woman.

Moto Jacket

If there’s one jacket that I’ll wear ad nauseam in the spring, it’s a cropped black leather jacket like this one from Bernardo. Sleek, edgy, and durable, it can literally be worn over any outfit. This exact versatility is why anyone should invest in a good quality leather jacket. I’ve had mine since 2016, and apart from some loving folds in the leather around the arms, it still gleams like it did on the day I bought it. I know that some may (understandably) balk at the price tag of a good leather jacket, so for those who aren’t quite ready to make that financial leap, there’s this budget-friendly Levi's faux leather version that has over 3,000 five-star ratings on Amazon. It’s available in a whopping 46 colors with sizes ranging from extra small to 3XL, so anyone can live out their leather jacket dreams.

Pointed Toe Lace Up Ballet Flats

There’s a saying in Italian: chi bella vuole apparire, qualche pena deve soffrire, meaning “she who wants to look good needs to suffer a bit.” But there’s no need to suffer wearing heels walking on the city’s uneven sampietrini, or cobblestones, when you have a pair of comfortable flats —my go-to footwear for the spring and early summer.

I particularly love ballet flats like this Meeshine Pointy Toe Lace Up Ballet Flat with a pointed toe that lace up the ankle, so much so that I have two pairs: one in black leather manipulated to look like snakeskin, and another in a soft, pewter-gray suede. I like to wear them with ankle-length jeans to show off the way the laces climb up my ankle and pair them with a printed blouse and leather jacket for an edgier look.

Bold Printed Blouse

A bold printed blouse is one of my favorite wardrobe staples for the spring, and I love to pair it with a cropped leather jacket on chillier days for a more layered look. Italian women tend to rock geometric-patterned blouses in their day-to-day wear, especially during the winter, spring, and fall, with colors and prints reflecting the season. In fact, many stores’ display cases in Rome often exhibit a rainbow of fun, bold-printed blouses for sale that (unfortunately for my wallet) always lure me in.

While I’ve recently been shopping from Spanish brand Surkana on trips home, I’ve found this Amazon alternative from Big Dart that offers a variety of unique printed long-sleeve blouses in sizes ranging from extra small to 2XL.

Blazer Jacket

Blazers and cardigan jackets are a classy versatile wardrobe staple that can be dressed up or down with a pair of sneakers and ballet flats, or heeled boots. I wear blazers often in the spring and usually purchase them in Rome from an Italian brand called White Mood that sells them in a variety of fun colors and bold prints. Although they don’t ship to the United States, Ann Taylor sells similar blazers that can also be worn in the fall and winter. But, if you want a more casual option at a budget-friendly price point, then there’s this version from Amazon that’s sold in 24 solid colors.

Square Toe Leather Bootie

A good heeled boot is a must for anyone’s closet, and you’ll often see women in Italy pair them with flared jeans or palazzo-style trousers for an effortlessly casual look. I’ve noticed that squared-toe leather boots have become popular in Italy in recent years, and these Vagabond Shoemakers Hedda Square Toe Leather Booties are very similar to the ones I purchased from a small boutique in Rome in 2020.

They’re my favorite boots for an edgier alternative to rounded or pointed toes. I like to wear mine with a longer jacket, like a trench coat, and high-waisted flare jeans to give the impression that I’m taller than my 5-foot-1 inches.

Two-Piece Matching Sweatsuit

Athleisure is still a relatively new concept in Italy, so when Italian women wear a matching sweatsuit set, it not only needs to be comfortable but also effortlessly stylish. I tend to purchase matching sets in neutral shades like black and gray, but I’ll occasionally venture into alternative styles and colors such as knitwear or forest green. I always wear my matching sets with a sleek pair of white leather sneakers and my black leather jacket to keep the outfit clean and fresh, even when I travel. I mostly purchase my matching sets from Oysho, but this traveler-loved Anrabess set from Amazon is a very close match to some of the ones I own – and, with over 1,500 five-star ratings, is one that I may need to consider investing in myself.

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.