European summer dressing is less about a specific outfit than a specific restraint. Fewer pieces, better fabric, nothing that looks like it is trying. These are the pieces we would take for that trip, made in limited runs and sized XXS to XXL.
The uniform
A slip dress, a linen-feel trouser, a close knit top, one good sandal, one bag. That is a week. Everything goes with everything, so getting dressed takes no thought at all, which is the point of a holiday.
Why it reads as expensive
Colour discipline. Cream, black, stone, one deep tone. When everything sits in the same family, cheap fabric is the only thing that gives you away, so put the money in the dress and keep the rest plain.
Dressing for stone and heat
Old towns are hot, bright and full of uneven floors. Flat sandals, something that covers the shoulders for churches, and a dress that does not cling after an hour of walking. Open backs and halters help more than sleeveless does.
What not to pack
Anything you have to iron. Anything with a complicated closure. Anything you would be nervous spilling on. You will reach for the easy pieces every day and resent carrying the rest.
