What To Wear On Holiday In Tuscany

It was the news that had filled a void in my heart; for the first time in five years I went on holiday, for the first time in my life I went on holiday with a friend and it was also the first time that I had been to Italy. This holiday would be a chance to hash out a bucket list of firsts and I was excited to feel the sun on my skin. I wanted to dance in the rain and drink wine outside, I wanted to feast on sumptuous cheeses and feel heady in the mystique of the Tuscan countryside and I wanted to float around in floral dresses, weaving through pom poms, tassels and embroidery as I disappeared into the magical surrealism of a holiday in Tuscany, where time seemed to stand still, and the nights were a distant memory. Spritz’s on the terrace and pasta in our tummies, the birds would chirp in protest at our delicious meals but we would smile and ignore them as each day brought a new adventure both aesthetically and physically. And while I would love to tell you about bathing in Chianti wine, a vibrant deep red and cooking classes at Borgo Casa Al Vento, this particular narrative revolves around style, where in contrast to the colourful murals that I so covet, I step into a holiday in Tuscany, where the trees are lush and green and swimming pools pop up unexpectedly. One day you could be exploring the miraculous qualities of a Tuscan Red, as you take a wine bath and the next you melt into the city, in your towering platforms, as you amble in your ludicrously high heels, wishing that you were sensible enough to bring a pair of flats with you whilst on holiday in Tuscany.

But what does all this lyrical nonsense have to do with knowing what you should wear when on holiday in Tuscany? Tuscany, like all locations is multi-faceted; you can take in the architectural and spiritual relics of Italian culture in Siena, declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, you can explore the countryside in Greve and Chianti which are home to rambling vineyards intertwined with juicy plump grapes, or you could go to the spa and experience a new ‘spa phenomenon’ where wine and chocolate baths are very much a thing in Tuscany, as you toast each others success. Knowing what to wear for each delicious Tuscan occasion is like picking which cheese to stuff your face with , so why not let trusted Mama Jasmine get you looking like a Tuscan Goddess worthy of going on holiday to Tuscany? From psychotropical bikini’s with moody floral print duster kimono’s paired with platforms to ‘city chic’ with floral bodysuits and denim mini skirts, when it comes to holidaying in the Italian countryside, noone is more eccentric of ‘extra’ than my alter ego Mama Jasmine. Question is, which look has you reaching for your wallet to jump on a plane to Tuscany the most?

What To Wear To A Farmhouse In The Countryside

Picture the scene; its a delightfully rustic farmhouse with miniature apartments, enveloped with quaint charm and grace, honey bees suckling at the trellis of vibrant flowers, while the mountain views stretch on for miles, past the empty vineyards, full in the summer. The air is still here, quieter than it would be in the city and the silence is like meditation, a balm to your thoughts. You waltz in, in red and white, pom poms jangling as they lay criss crossed on your gladiator sandals, juxtaposed with the pom pom crochet tassel playsuit that is jovially summery, a splatter of colour in the greyness of April’s showers. Because even in Italy, they are not immune to torrents of rain that appears without warning, soaking wet hair. So if the weather is wet, you are in the countryside but still want to retain that effervescent energy of the Tuscan countryside, what therefore should you wear? Something that has a relaxed silhouette like a playsuit, with added interest like embroidery, pom pom and tassels is very much attuned to the Nouveau Bohemia trend, circa 2013. Nouveau Bohemianism is so integral to how ‘Tuscan’s’ see fashion, because like their attitude to ‘slow living’ the boho chic trend, which is relaxed, will be ideal for dressing like locals. Unless you are extra like me and want to accessorize your look with a ‘flower crown’, but even that is part of the ‘flower child movement’ that Nouveau Bohemia stands for, so you are safe for now.

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What To Wear To Dinner At A Fancy Restaurant (In The Mountains)

You smell the food before you even enter the restaurant door , a delectable blend of buratta christened with walnuts and sundried tomatoes, while homemade bread, freshly baked lures you in like a seductress, hellbent on making you eat enough for 10 people. But this is a fancy restaurant, silver service, and the napkins are freshly plumped, waiting to catch your greedy mess as it dribbles down your chin. Wine slivers into your waiting cup, scarlet red, careful that it does not stain your pretty blue dress. And what a pretty blue dress it is; an embroidered blue dress christened with florals that match the vibrancy of the flowers in bloom, a pop of colour in the lush green vegetation that lies in wait outside. The shoes are matching of course, oriental bloom, with a pale blue jacket beaded with pearls in a patchwork of icy blue. The headdress completes the look, a blue and violet flower crown that was made for wearing on holiday in Tuscany. Elements of Orientalism and The Far East inspires your ‘what to wear to dinner at a fancy restaurant’  but it seems oddly at home in Italy, where the flowers beckon you with their magical stem hands.

The ‘floral embroidery trend’ is also very much relevant to Tuscan Fashion Trends; Italy’s very own ‘Valentino’ is an avid pioneer of the ‘floral maximalism trend’, with his ‘Fall’ 2018 catwalk inspired by a ‘summer garden’ featuring brightly colored, botanical-themed clothing and accessories. And while his collection’s summer garden theme mostly revolved around vibrant green and blue ruffled maxi dresses and floral mixi coats, there was also embroidered dresses with mesh detailing, although more delightfully flamboyant than the blue dress above, with green leaves weaving enticingly through duplicate blooms vying for your attention. And while a bodycon dress might not be entirely the most comfortable option for stomachs that bloat like mine, at the same time, a fancy restaurant calls for some rather fancy clobber don’t you think?

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What To Wear To The Spa

You step into the heated jacuzzi, giggling at the bubbles frothing in the water as you sink into ecstasy. Wine is poured nonchalantly into the water that laps it up like a dog’s tongue wagging with thirst, as you too sip on wine, a dry red that dances around in your mouth. For this is no ordinary spa but a ‘wine bath’, where you are bathed and scrubbed in ‘Aria Wine’ made from local Chianti grapes, a true Tuscan masterpiece that borders on the edge of desire. Your robe lies in a disheveled heap in the corner, as you sink into the Jacuzzi’s depths wearing a floral bloom bikini that is reminiscent of the ‘psychotropicalism’ trend, which Italy’s own Emilio Pucci is a huge advocate of, through her psychedelic meets tropical ‘resortwear collection’. Colours are bright with ‘digital blooms’ and kaleidoscopic prints in a delightful blend of colour that  would make any colourful mermaid like myself, the happiest fantasy character there could ever be. Greens and reds dance in symbiotic harmony, juxtaposition between flesh and muted floral brights, the contrast is beatific.

You wonder what it would be like to own an endless supply of psychotropical swimming costumes, that lay in wait in your ever expanding suitcase. Which poses the question; to know what to wear to the spa depends entirely on what you are comfortable with, whether it be a one piece, a sarong, nudity (although check the spa’s policies on getting naked) or a triangle bikini, choose something that represents you. Generally speaking though something that you can ‘swim in’ is general protocol for a spa visit, especially if it does have a swimming pool or other water based facilities.

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What To Wear To The City

Despite the rain that drowns you in a puddle of water, you nevertheless remain freshly optimistic, as you stretch out your legs, encased in forest green platforms, sweeping your floor length duster kimono behind you, in a display akin to a peacock and his plumage of feathers. A denim mini skirt and floral bodysuit finishes the look, as you clutch on to your khaki fedora, that threatens to blow away in the wind, passers by wandering as to why you are wearing sunglasses when it is raining outside. But you don’t care, you strut into  Piazza Del Campo, kimono fanning out like a magic carpet, as you smell homemade pizza luring you into its magical carb kingdom, topped up with generous helpings of Italian wine. And when your rumbling stomach has been sated you wander back outside in your stupendously high platforms, wishing that you had a ‘smaller pair of heels’ as you clumsily charge through the cobbled streets. There are churches pious and serene, large places of worship that radiate spirituality juxtaposed with the deliciously devilish ‘Museum of Torture’ akin to London Dungeon’s that delves into Siena’s more gruesome past. But knowing what to wear to a city is never easy, especially when Tuscan cities are known to straddle the ‘old and new world’ in one seamless narrative sequence. There are the churches where ‘mini skirts are frowned upon’ and then there is the more relaxed ‘liberalism of Tuscan fashion culture’, where silhouettes are more open to naughty debauchery, a riot fashion culture bubbling underground if you will.

So depending on what your city ‘itinerary involves’ in Tuscany, it really is up to you as to what you choose to wear. Since we are not religious and were not going into the churches, I chose a green floral satin bodysuit, paired with a denim mini skirt, green platforms, a kimono duster jacket and a khaki fedora, to buy into the magical world of ‘maximalist psychotropicalism’ which while mirrors the Emilio Pucci ‘Psychotropic’ movement to an extent , also favours a more ‘extra’ approach to the trend. For example a maximalist version of the psychotropic movement relates to ‘over-sized digital bloom prints’, clashing textures and colours, while still seamlessly bringing the outfit together in one co-ordinated look.

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What To Wear To The Airport

For the first time in five years you step aboard a plane, feeling all giddy inside as the plane takes off and leaves the ground, charging through the skies and delving into fluffy white clouds. You cross countries and cities, watching as time goes by, until a few hours later your ascension into Tuscany begins, and you leave England behind for one week only. It is almost midnight by the time you get to Florence airport, after your first flight was cancelled, so tired and sluggish, you head towards the car rental park, thankful that for once you were sensible and dressed in an outfit that you could be both ‘comfortable’ but also ‘stylish’ in without having to compromise your own personal sense of style. You pair pillarbox red heeled sandals with stonewashed distressed mom jeans, with ‘maybe baby’ written cheekily across each knee, with an equally cheeky red ‘boob’ slogan t-shirt tucked nonchalantly into said jeans. Red retro cat eye sunglasses lie midway on the nose, hair tucked back in a red beret and tassel earrings, followed by the piece de’ resistance’ that is a vinyl red duster trench coat, a welcome addition in Tuscany, whose weather forecast spelled rain and thunder for the majority of our hotel stay.

But that’s not to say that you cannot wear a dress or skirt for an airport flight, it just entirely depends on what you feel is the most comfortable attire for your ‘airport vacay’ and since Marie was also wearing jeans, I figured why shouldn’t we just be comfortable together. Oddly the look above is more ‘Parisian than ‘Italian’ with the beret and red accents, but with my love affair with red and being all ‘matchy matchy’ its safe to say that this Parisian with a cheeky modern twist aesthetic is integral to my version of ‘casual fashion wear’.

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What To Wear To The Swimming Pool Or Beach

Despite the rain that permeates our villa with cloudy grey, we venture into the villa’s grounds, exploring each breadth and width like the sun was favouring us with its warm , golden gaze. We take photos in our ‘beach and swimming pool’ looks, pretending that we are at the beach, swimming in the sea like mermaids and not watching a giant beetle float around in the empty swimming pool, where bits of debris have sunk to the bottom. I can imagine what it would be like here in the summer; the sky a cloudless deep blue, the pool filled with warm bodies, tanned and muscular. The trees would offer solace from the heat, a shaded shelter, while the children would splash each other with glee, as the grapes ripened, they were juicy and succulent. And though the beaches were so far away, they would be packed too, the Tuscan locals and the tourists mingling as one, as etched love letters in the sand and swam into the mermaid kingdom of the sea beyond. At the swimming pool you would throw on a kimono over your green co-ord, vibrant and colourful, with a wide brimmed hat and a pair of gladiator sandals. The look would scream summer with its fun floral retro 50’s print in contrast to the pom pom, ruffle peplum detailing , that intertwined delectably under your bust and just above your knees.

And at the beach you would wear the co-ord again, sans kimono, as you slowly unzipped the kimono to dive into the sea once more, a mermaid lost in a world of endless colour.

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What To Wear On A Date

Today you have a date with your friend, not a boy, as you eat until you can eat no more and drink wine like it was water on tap. You want to wear something elegant and sophisticated with a hint of sensuality, a simple red dress that radiates passion , with that peplum fishtail edging, that adds interest to the red bodycon dress. A simple bow is knotted casually in the middle of the dress, while the 90’s thin straps juxtaposed with wrap over bust detail is beautifully crafted, as the dress enevelops you like a glove, was it made just for you? And while my date night was with a good friend, Tuscany is such a romantic place to holiday in, that the secluded nature of the wild countryside with its quaint cobblestone restaurants and rustic rocky mountains, makes it a holiday that couples will remember. The deers and boars play in the nearby grassy meadows, a herd of bambi’s crossing the street directly next to you. But all dressed in red, with those rose gold accents, you are easy to spot so they flee dramatically into the night, until you arrive at your destination, rose heels clonking on the pavements, welcomed into the warm fireplace that waits within.

The aesthetic inspiration borders between 90’s minimalism with rose gold accents like the rose gold court shoes that encase your feet, matching the rose gold headband and matching teardrop earrings that dangle delightfully from your ears, while the simplicity of the dress itself has its roots in the late eighties, where Azzedine Alaia made bodycon and bandage dresses, although Herve Leger – who studied under Alaia- is  characterized with popularizing the ‘bodycon trend’ in the nineties. So naturally it is easy to see why 90’s trends are evident in  so many date night looks, especially in Tuscany, whose own fashion is famed for being ‘simplistic’ yet eyecatching, an agenda that someone as ‘extra’ as me has clearly not learned to master.

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Sidenote: Ikrush have some great party dresses that are perfect for ‘date nights’ in Tuscany!

Have You Ever Been In Tuscany Before? Which Outfit Would You Choose To Wear?

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