Confession time. I am usually an expert packer. Give me a trip to California, New York, or Paris, and I will hand you a perfectly curated carry-on with not one wasted inch. I take a strange amount of pride in it, actually.
So when I started planning for Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, I did what any self-respecting Bistro Chic girl does. I pictured the whole scene before I packed a single thing: flowy linen pants, a darling romper, a broad-brimmed hat, maybe a chic scarf knotted just so, à la Sophia Loren gliding along the coast. I packed for that woman. The problem? That woman has never stood on a Positano street in 90-degree heat with zero breeze and cobblestones underfoot.
I checked the weather before we left, of course. It promised 82 and sunny. What it delivered was closer to 90, dripping with humidity, the kind of heat that laughs at your outfit choices and does not care one bit how cute you look. Lesson learned. Let me save you the sweat and walk you through what worked, what didn’t, and what I’m packing differently next time.
What I Should Have Left at Home
Flowy pants. I brought several pairs, fully committed to the viral crepe wide-leg trend. But the second I imagined wearing them to an alfresco dinner in 85-degree heat, I nearly broke a sweat just from the thought. I tried them on once, stepped onto the balcony, and said, “Nope, absolutely not.” They never came back out.
Cotton t-shirts. You know the drill if you’ve ever worn 100% cotton in blazing sun. Crisp and fresh for approximately eleven minutes, then damp, clingy, and not cute for the rest of the day.
The all-white romper. I had big dreams for this one. Windswept ferry ride to Capri, romper billowing dramatically, main character energy. Instead I learned two things fast: public ferry restrooms are not designed for one-piece anything, and white fabric plus a boat plus a breeze equals a walking dirt magnet. Beautiful in theory, but not practical.
Wedge sandals. At 5’1”, I like a little heel height for most vacations. It’s an easy way to add polish and a few inches of leg. But Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast are basically one long, uneven cobblestone obstacle course. One evening walk to dinner told me everything I needed to know. My wedges spent the entire trip in my suitcase, judging me quietly.
What I Wore on Repeat
Sleeveless moisture-wicking tops. My MVP, hands down. I packed several racerback tanks from Athleta and reached for them daily. They paired beautifully with shorts or a skirt, kept sweat off my skin, and somehow still looked polished enough for a glass of Prosecco at golden hour.
Flowy shorts. Most of my shorts were standard cotton chinos, which got sweaty and wrinkled fast. But one lightweight, flowy pair from Ann Taylor, slightly longer than I’d normally wear, with a paper bag, wide-belted waist, became my daily uniform. Cool, breathable, and easy to dress up with sandals and a colorful tank.
Flowy dresses. A must for a summer trip to Italy. A few lightweight, breezy dresses kept me looking pulled together for dinner without a drop of extra effort or heat.
A white gauze button-down. I almost left this one home, and thank goodness I didn’t. A long sleeve shirt for a 90-degree trip felt counterintuitive, but it turned out to be one of the most versatile pieces I packed. It shielded my arms from the sun on long walks, kept me comfortable in the occasional air-conditioned restaurant, and paired effortlessly with everything from shorts to skirts. No wonder you see it on so many chic Italian women (and men). It just works.
My Real Talk Packing Tips for Hot Weather Travel
If you’re planning a trip to Italy’s southern coast, or really any hot, humid destination this summer, here’s what I’d tell a girlfriend over coffee:
• Check the “feels like” temperature, not just the forecast. Humidity will humble you and so will your photos. Pack for five to ten degrees hotter than what the app tells you.
• Fabric matters more than the trend. Moisture-wicking and linen-blend fabrics will always outperform cotton and crepe once real heat sets in, no matter how good it looks on Insta.
• Save the all-white looks for photos, not ferries. If you’re hopping between towns by boat, save the pristine white pieces for dinner and pack something more forgiving for transit days.
• Test your shoes on cobblestones before you go, if you can. If you can’t, prioritize a flat sandal with real grip. Your ankles will thank you.
• Pack one long sleeve, lightweight piece. It sounds wrong for summer, but a gauze or linen button-down is a sun shield, an AC backup, and a styling multitasker all in one.
Pack smart, stay cool, and save the wedges for a rooftop bar back home. Trust me on this one.
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