How to Get Italian Summer Style in 5 Outfits

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

I’m taking a small break from Instagram. I’m the first to admit that I love the platform and it’s where I usually go to source outfit ideas, but suddenly it seems like everyone is recycling the same pieces and trends. So instead, I’ve found myself looking to images from past decades to find inspiration more and more.

In particular, I’m feeling inspired by photos from a ’90s Vogue editorial shot by Arthur Elgort. The snapshot-style photos of Claudia Schiffer throughout the city of Rome are, to me, iconic. And they still feel very relevant to wear right now. The one of Schiffer standing in St. Peter’s Square in head-to-toe yellow is actually the background on my computer at Who What Wear. So yeah, these images definitely speak to me. Now I’m taking the opportunity to see how I can create them in 2018. From pastel monochrome looks to unexpected volume, these are the five outfits ideas I’m borrowing from the ’90s that are perfect for the summer ahead whether in Italy or here at home.

Give peep-toe shoes another chance

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

I’ve sworn off of peep-toe shoes for a while now, but this outfit is making me rethink them. To me, trying styles with a square toe feels like a cool way to wear them again.

Stick with one color

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

I don’t generally stick with one color unless it’s black. But here’s proof that dressing in a fun head-to-toe monochrome look is a stylish statement.

Add some volume

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

The silhouette of this skirt is intimidating at first, but when it’s paired with a cool top, it becomes the perfect summer wedding guest outfit.

How to layer in the summer

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

To me, figuring out a way to layer in the summer can pose a challenge. Do I wear a leather jacket? A denim one? Here a coordinating coat or long jacket offers a cool alternative.

Get yourself a minidress

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(Image credit: Arthur Elgort/Conde Nast via Getty Images)

If you want to embrace throwback style, minidresses are as ’90s as it gets.

Now, 11 outfits that have defined 2018 travel style so far.

Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.