Everything I Wore on Capri

Returning to Capri was such a dream come true. We haven't been since our honeymoon (almost 10 years ago!) and the island was even better than I remembered. On the topic of vacation dressing, Capri was the dressiest of our three destinations which made people watching so much fun - especially around dinnertime. Grab a table in a piazza after the day trippers have gone home and enjoy watching the stylish crowd. 

I've been getting a couple questions about how I plan my outfits for trips like this (or if I have a stylist - ha!) and my magic formula (at least for Italy) has been wearing colorful dresses paired with elegant, neutral accessories. Each dress is easy to wear so I can feel comfortable whether I'm shopping, dining out, or climbing 1,000 stairs like we did on the day we visited Lo Scoglio Delle Sirene for lunch. (It was worth it!) Most of the dresses can be styled with either heels or flats, so I chose the footwear that made sense for our activities that day. Mostly I'm in flat sandals for the daytime and put on a fresh dress with heels for dinners out. 

Based on the (sometimes hilarious) comments on this packing reel travel footwear (and packing essentials) are hotly debated topics.  Many women seem to want to avoid heels on vacation and opt for sensible sneakers instead. While I have worn leather sneakers in cities (for example this outfit in Paris) in fall and winter I never wear gym style sneakers unless I'm at the gym. I don't find sneakers necessary (or very comfortable) for hot summertime destinations unless we're doing an actual hike or athletic activity. Sneakers are a modern invention and women have traversed the hills of Italy for thousands of years in leather sandals, so leather sandals are good enough for me.  If you need to wear sneakers for health reasons by all means please do, but the modern preference to be casual at all times and wear athletic apparel to maximize comfort in every situation regardless of formality feels a bit like women are giving up on beauty. 

On a practical level, I find putting an outfit together so I look my best when interacting with locals and other travelers is much appreciated by others (especially in Europe) and is very helpful if you would like to be treated well on your travels. For example, while many Americans find Parisians to be rude, I have not found that to be the case. Dress like you respect yourself and Parisians are much more likely to show you respect as well. Similarly, ensuring you are appropriately covered in very conservative cultures is another way to show respect and navigate new cultures with ease. I could write volumes on this, but simply put: when you travel, you are an ambassador for your country (whether you want to be or not!) and the way you dress and behave will lead others to create positive or negative impressions of your country - so please take care to leave a positive impression whenever possible!