I was lucky to find 2 original pieces that are almost exactly the same except one is for summer and one is for winter.

On this trip to Italy I traveled down south to Puglia – the heel of Italy. Summer was still full on with temps in the low 30s and beautiful sunshine everyday I was there. The fabric of summer in Italy is linen and designers tend to use 100% linen opposed to blends. I found this navy blue dress in a little shop in Otranto. I loved that it is a column of pure linen and hangs so beautifully on my body. The scoop in the back adds drama and allure.

At the other end of country, in the north, in Udine, I found this great sweater dress – also navy blue. It’s from Stefanel. One of several companies in Northern Italy’s hotbed of casual wear. This dress is a heavy cotton blend and is a little more body conscious. It has a plunging V in the front so layering is a must.