Italy is a country known for being rich in culture, particularly when it comes to fashion. Italian fashion is distinct and ever so popular thanks to brands like Versace, Gucci, and Dolce & Gabbana shaping the way.
There are a few essential style rules to follow if you are looking to tap into this vast yet beautiful dressing and grooming way. Read on to discover five essential style rules for Italian fashion.
Five Italian Fashion Rules
1. Keep It Simple
You’ll rarely find people walking the city streets of Italy in bold and clashing colors. When it comes to Italian fashion, the trick is to dial it down. Although she may not have hailed from Italy, Coco Chanel had the right idea when she said, “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” Simplicity is key.
Altogether, simplicity is the centerpiece of Italian fashion and an unspoken rule you should not break. There is no need to layer when you’re trying to dress ‘Italian.’ Simply choose a stunning piece and let it shine.
For instance, you could go for a nice dress, classic footwear, and a lightweight coat to tie it all together. If you want to make a statement with intricate accessories, keep your eye on sales like the YSL women’s sale to find affordable designer pieces. Dressing like an Italian means that you’ll have to be on the lookout for luxury clothes, but sales make the prices friendlier.
2. Visit Your Tailor
In Italian fashion, the fit of the clothing is everything. Your clothes should flatter your body shape rather than drown you out.
This rule doesn’t just apply to female clothing – men need to have a tailor at hand because of certain specifications. For instance, let’s look at the trouser length. Getting ready-made trousers that sit just right is not as easy as you may think. Most men have to spend time liaising with their tailors before they hit that sweet spot. It’s all about ensuring that they sit at the right height in relation to their footwear.
3. Wear Neutral Tones
If bold and vibrant colors are your thing, that’s fine, but best believe that’s not Italian. You have to choose the right balance and stick to neutral colors which accentuate your best features.
If you are craving something bright and bold, then you should pour all that into your accessories. For instance, if you are sporting a black outfit, you can spice that up with some colorful jewelry, shoes, bags, ties, among many other pieces. Don’t think of it as boring. It simply exudes class and suaveness.
4. Casual Has To Take A New Meaning
If the aim is to dress Italian, then there are some articles of clothing you should not be caught dead in. Let’s start with Hawaiian shirts. These are an eyesore to fashion as a whole. Unless you are going for some sort of ironic retro look, then you should stay away from these.
Although Italian fashion designers often incorporate animal prints, they tend to avoid them unless designed by a well-known name. The same applies to tracksuit pants. They are the antithesis of what Italian fashion is all about, so leave them for inside the house. Sure, you can put them on in the gym or when you’re out for a run, but ensure that you limit it to just that. You can still dress casually without adding any of these to the list of clothes you wear frequently. Remember, smart casual is the new casual.
5. Wear Patterns With Caution
Stay away from patterns that do not flatter your body type. This isn’t a great thing to do when it comes to Italian fashion. For instance, horizontal lines will do you no favor if you don’t have a slender frame. What’s more, to create the illusion that you are taller and more slender, vertical lines are the way to go.
Tying with the theme of simplicity, pay close attention to the patterns you wear, and never team two different patterns together. The trick is to look sleek and elegant, not lairy.
Final Style Notes
As you can see, Italian fashion is all about neutral simplicity. Most Italian designers focus on mature capsule pieces rather than one-off bold items, making it easy to dress like an Italian every day.
Featured Photo by Maria Orlova from Pexels