By Francesca Claybrook
Ciao a tutti! I just got home from Italy (the land of style itself), and I thought I’d share some of the popular trends I saw there with everyone here – some are similar to things we’ve already seen, while some are still on their way. Andiamo!
Two popular shoe styles in Italy this summer are wedges and foldover sandals. Foldover sandals (for lack of a better word – is there an official name I don’t know about for these styles?) look like this, and can be paired with shorts or dresses for a comfortable, casual look. I also saw tons of shoes with much higher shafts like these in the stores as well, although not as many on people – probably because Italy was suffering through an intense heat wave and people didn’t want to cover up that much of their legs! Wedges were very popular among the Italian ladies; I bought some very similar to these in Rome. Espadrilles were also common.
In terms of clothes, one of the more popular items I saw are pants that cinch at the ankle, similar to harem pants. Think these from Juicy or these from Free People but, if you’re feeling more daring, try these from Theory. The best part is, they’re comfy! As far as colors go, I saw a lot of muted blues, grays, and purples in the stores, although fall clothes are right around the corner – for that, I think a softer version of biker chic could be big.
And now, a trend for your man: skinny ties have hit Europe and Hollywood, and now they’re poised to make it big here. Make sure to get him a skinny tie (and please, ladies, make sure he also has a well-cut slim fit suit.) For dress shirts, check out Camicissima – their shirts are fantastic, and the deals are pretty amazing too. (My husband might have gone a little crazy in one of their stores – luckily, his birthday is coming up!) So far, their only US store is in New York City, but the “Shop Online” section of their website is under construction, so maybe other buyers will be able to purchase there soon.