The Elegance of European Style

Living in Italy these past few weeks has introduced me to a new way of dressing; and packing light for a weekend trip has taught me to work with fewer clothes than I would typically bring. I have also noticed how put together European woman look in their day-to-day lives. Even just a trip to the grocery store and you will spot women dressed to the nines. Here are a few tips I have picked up from fashions I’ve seen thus far that have inspired my style and made trips with a backpack much easier.

There's no such thing as too much black.

Black is definitely the most popular color to wear in Italy and it makes sense. You can wear it for practically any occasion and it matches anything. So when it doubt, wear black. When packing for a trip with limited space, your best bet is to throw in a pair of black pants and a blouse that can be mixed and matched with anything.

Be literal when you accessorize.

Accessorizing is a great way to dress up a look. A t-shirt and jeans can give off a completely different look when paired with sneakers and hoops or heels and pearls. But, it’s important to not overdo it. The most elegant accessorizing doesn't require a ton of pieces and effort. Coco Chanel once said to look in the mirror before you go, and take off one thing.

Leggings aren't pants.

Yes, I know this is a controversial one. And maybe I’ll feel different when I return to the U.S. next month, but as of now, I haven’t worn a pair of leggings, nor have I really desired to. I’ve noticed, Italian women really never wear them. Swapping leggings for slacks in an outfit is an easy way to upgrade your appearance. I have always been under the impression that dress pants are uncomfortable, but they have actually been quite pleasant to wear and can be way less constricting than jeans.

These tips have made such a difference in my dressing and packing this semester. I have fine tuned my style in ways that don’t require buying too much or over-stressing.