They say all roads lead to Rome, but for me, they lead straight to Puglia.

Italy is quite literally my home away from home. Being first-generation American on my father’s side, my roots aren't just in my DNA, they’re in an apartment in Brindisi. I’ve spent nearly every summer of my life there, and if I’ve learned one thing from Italian women, it’s how to look incredible, yet effortless.

Women wear linen dresses to buy tomatoes. They throw on gold jewelry and a beautiful sandal to walk to get espresso. At night, the passeggiata is more than just a casual stroll. Hair is done. Lipstick is on. Nobody is wearing leggings and a college sweatshirt to dinner.

Italian women do not believe in saving the good outfit for later. Looking chic is one of life’s simple joys, to be appreciated on a daily basis.

That is why packing for Italy is a pleasure.

Months before I leave, I start building my European summer wardrobe. I think about what I will wear in Lecce wandering through the cobblestone streets in the afternoon heat, what I will wear for dinner by the water in Brindisi, and what I will want to throw on when someone invites me for a quick drink that turns into an all-night outing.

If you are planning a trip to Italy this summer, especially southern Italy, here is my advice: pack pieces that feel polished, feminine, and easy.

The best outfits for Italy are:

-Dresses that move and breathe

-Linen, cotton, and lightweight knits

-A beautiful sandal

-A woven or leather bag

-Gold jewelry

-Something white, it creates a glamorous contrast with that tan you’re sure to get

What should you leave at home? Bulky sneakers, athleisure, anything too fussy, and anything you only wear because it is comfortable. In Italy, the most comfortable thing in the world is somehow still a gorgeous dress.

These are the pieces I’m packing for this summer.

The Lecce Look

The Cara Cara Kori Mini Dress in Lockwood Flora Egret is exactly what I want to wear for a hot afternoon wandering through Lecce.

Lecce is all honey-colored stone, tiny side streets, dramatic old churches, and people who somehow manage to look elegant even when it’s 90 degrees outside. This dress works because it feels romantic without trying too hard. The floral print has that breezy Mediterranean summer feeling. And the silhouette is polished enough that you could wear it to lunch, shopping, or a late aperitivo and never feel underdressed.

I would pair it with leather sandals, gold hoops, and a basket bag.

Dinner at La Nassa

For dinner at La Nassa with family and friends, I want something with a little more architectural drama. The Simkhai Nattie Bubble Mini Dress in White Multi is the piece that I’m already planning an entire night around.

Dinner in Italy continues later than you think it will. It might start with some seafood and a glass of wine, but suddenly it’s midnight and you’re ordering another bottle.

This dress has enough structure to look elevated and feminine, but it still feels light and effortless for a summer night by the water. The fitted bodice and a subtle dropwaist, make for a flattering fit, while the mini length and bubble hem keep it current and playful. It is one of those rare dresses that looks equally good sitting outside at dinner, walking along the marina afterward, or showing up in every single photo from the trip.

If you are looking for the kind of dress to wear in Italy that feels charming yet modern, and a little bit glamorous, this is it.

The BFF Power Move

Finally, there’s the Delfi Gaia Knit Dress in Ivory.

I am bringing this dress for one reason, and one reason only, to make my best friend Gina jealous.

Every woman has that one friend where there is just enough love and just enough competition to make getting dressed a little more fun. Gina and I have been doing this dance for years. Sometimes, inspiring a little bit of playful envy is exactly the right finish for an outfit.

The ponte-knit is flattering, the ivory color is beautiful with a tan, and it achieves that polished, Italian ease through structured draping and strategic cutouts. It feels expensive, relaxed, and just a little dangerous.

In other words: exactly what I want to wear in Puglia.

There is a reason Italian style is endlessly inspiring. It is not because Italian women have more clothes than the rest of us. They just know how to make every outfit feel intentional.

They dress for the espresso run. They dress for the market. They dress for dinner, for a walk, for seeing and being seen. In Italy, looking good is a public service. 

Even if you’re not traveling to Italy this summer, every woman has the right to live out her Sofia Loren dreams.

Shop my favorite European summer dresses and vacation-ready looks at Bleu Clothing, or stop by the boutique in Los Angeles and let us help you build your own Italian wardrobe.

Ciao,

Gabrielle Zuccaro
Owner, Bleu Clothing