The Edit | What to Pack for a Week In Italy

Being able to travel again is something I'll never take for granted. Taking our family to the Amalfi Coast recently was such a great time - restorative, relaxing and full of beautiful scenery and great food.

As I'm pretty much allergic to baggage carousels, over the years I've got packing for travel in hand luggage down to a fine art. And as I always look for inspiration with my own capsule vacation wardrobe, I also like to share outfit ideas from my own edit.

If you need some inspiration, you can also take a look at my Italian Style Diaries series from our pre-lockdown trip to Tuscany, and my Staycation Edit from last year's break in Norfolk, UK.

Look One - The Travel Outfit

White bodysuit | Zara

Patterned silk trousers | Bella Luxx 

Grey cashmere bomber jacket | Pure Collection

Khaki lightweight packable puffer jacket | Uniqlo

White canvas trainers | Veja

'Le Pliage Club' backpack | Longchamp

It all starts with what you wear to travel! Finding an outfit for the airport has to be about practicality and comfort first and foremost - but that doesn't mean you have to leave your sense of style at the departure gates. 

The main issues are that you're going to be sat down for a long time, and you're going to be dealing with different temperatures. So layering, going for natural fabrics and choosing things without seams, straps and buckles works well as a starting point. 

I adore silk trousers for travel because they're light and easy to wear. Pairing some with a plain bodysuit, a cashmere bomber, a lightweight packable jacket and simple canvas trainers was a formula that really worked.

Look Two - The Linen Trouser

Black bodysuit | Zara

'Weekend' khaki linen drawstring trousers | Zara

Black and white stripe espadrilles | Toms

Ant embroidered cotton scarf | Paul Smith

Monogram band straw hat | HA Designs

'Le Pliage Club' backpack | Longchamp

On our first full day in Italy, we took a day trip to the ruins of Pompeii. It was an absolutely fascinating excursion - made even more sobering by looking up at Vesuvius in front of us. 

I knew it could easily get very hot on the plains there, so I chose something light but covered. Another bodysuit - this time in black - with some khaki linen trousers, a broad brimmed hat and a light, floaty cotton scarf I could drape around my shoulders to keep the rays away when needed.

Look Three - The Shirt Dress

Long sleeved white shirt dress | In The Style

Quilted flatbed sandals | Chanel

'Havana' flat top tortoiseshell mirrored sunglasses | YSL

'Le Pliage' straw tote bag | Longchamp 

Our next trip was into Sorrento. We absolutely fell in love with this gorgeous coastal city with it's elegant gardens and fascinating ceramics shops. 

A highlight of the trip was discovering pistachio cornetti in the cafes and shopping for a beautiful little lemon patterned sundress for Romilly. 

The romantic look of a floaty white shirt dress felt right, especially when anchored with chunky 'dad sandals'.

Look Four - The Wrap Skirt

Nude bodysuit | Zara

Geometric patterned wrap midi skirt | Zara

Quilted flatbed sandals | Chanel

'Havana' flat top tortoiseshell mirrored sunglasses | YSL

'Snapshot' bag | Marc Jacobs

Gold link and pearl collar necklace | Luna

This was the day we went into Naples. I'm not going to lie, that place has to be my least favourite of any Italian city I've visited! Perhaps we somehow managed to miss the 'nice part', but it was extremely dirty, smelly and choked with traffic. 

The one highlight was that we had the most incredible pizza! I was glad to get back to the coastal village of Nerano where we were staying though!

Look Five -The Linen Dress

Black linen midi dress with cut outs | Zara

Clear sandals with gold studs | ASOS Design

'Snapshot' bag in French Grey | Marc Jacobs

Layered lariat necklace | Stella & Dot 

After all those trips, we had a day taking it easy back at the villa. It backed onto a private little pebbly cove called 'La Perla' where the kids loved splashing in the clear sea and watching the boats and yachts sail past. We also took full advantage of the pool! 

We went out for dinner at a waterside restaurant that did the most delicious mortadella and pistachio pizza! And of course the amalfi lemon granita for pudding was next level good. I dressed up a little bit with a classic LBD and popped on some red lipstick but it was a really casual take with flat sandals and my hair all wavy from the sea water!

Look Six - The Patterned Sundress

Patterned silk sundress | Madewell 

Black and white stripe espadrilles | Toms

'Le Pliage' straw tote bag | Longchamp

Monogram band straw hat | HA Designs

The next day, we took a trip to Positano. This picture postcard location is somewhere that's been on my bucket list for a while. 

As we drove the winding oceanside roads, there were so many truly stunning views along the way where we just had to pull over to drink it all in. 

A very simple silk sundress paired with a broad brimmed hat and espadrilles was the ideal outfit.

Look Seven - The Co-Ords

Cream blue patterned linen frill pocket shorts and cream blue patterned linen tie front top | George

Clear sandals with gold studs | ASOS Design

Monogram band straw hat | HA Designs 

'Havana' flat top tortoiseshell mirrored sunglasses | YSL

'Le Pliage Club' backpack | Longchamp 

The last look I chose - and that I actually rewore another day as it was so easy to wear - was a patterned linen co-ord with wide shorts and a frilled, front tie top that could also be worn off the shoulder. 

This was such an easy, breezy look to slip on over a swimming costume for fun at the little beach behind our villa - loose, flowing and very comfortable.

I also love that the two pieces can be reworn separately throughout the summer to come. The linen fabric and detailed cut make this look so much more expensive than it was.

This set was such a vibe - I cannot believe it's supermarket fashion!

And that's my style story for a week on the Italian coast. What are you packing this year?