I Just Came Back From a Week in Italy—5 Late-Spring Trends I Saw Every Chic Woman Wearing

I'm mastering the look thanks to these Nordstrom picks.

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collage of fashion week attendees wearing spring 2026 trends
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I recently spent a week traipsing around Italy (Rome and Naples, to be specific) and I came home with a lot more than sunburnt shoulders. When I wasn't looking at centuries-old landmarks, my eyes were fixed on all of the chicly-dressed locals. Italian It girls gave me plenty of fresh inspiration for my spring wardrobe, and now that I'm back home in New York City, I'm putting it into practice by shopping the late-spring trends I spotted at Nordstrom.

One thing I noticed about Italian women is that they know how to dress well without trying too hard. The local fashion trends felt both of-the-moment and timeless. For instance, plenty of Italians opted for a layerable trench coat and a pair of cigarette jeans (a major contrast to the baggy pants and funnel jackets on my packing list).

I've come back from my European vacation with a newfound appreciation of Italian fashion—and an urge to shop. Ahead, I've tracked down the biggest spring trends I spotted abroad at Nordstrom, from silk scarves to high-vamp flats. After this shopping spree, I'm one step closer to living la dolce vita.

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Cigarette Jeans

fashion week attendee wears chore jacket, sunglasses, jeans, and loafers

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Over the last few months, I've noticed denim has been trending toward a slimmer silhouette. That fact has never been more apparent than when I was in Italy. When they wore denim, Italian women opted for a cigarette jean, complete with a slender profile and straight fit from the knee to ankle. The effect was undeniably polished and put-together.

Trench Coats

fashion week attendee wears trench coat and black flats

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Considering Italy's moderate weather (it barely broke 72 degrees while I was visiting), a trench coat is just the right fit for the transitional season. I saw plenty of classic long options, and just as many cropped ones, proving the coat trend has global reach.

Silk Scarves

fashion week attendee wearing scarf, sunglasses, white jeans

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Tied around necks, shoulders, heads, and waistlines, silky scarves were just about everywhere I turned in Italy. With their endless styling potential, it's easy to understand their mass appeal. I especially loved seeing head scarves, so I'm trying out the trend at home with silhouettes of all colors, shapes, and sizes.

High-Vamp Flats

fashion week attendee wearing printed coat, white handbag, and white ballet flats

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Spoiler alert: sneakers aren't as trendy in Europe as they are in the U.S. While chunky running sneakers were the go-to for tourists, I rarely saw locals in them. Instead, they preferred the just-as-cozy, yet more elegant high-vamp flat. The glove-like silhouette offers a minimalist style and plenty of comfort for navigating Italy's maze-like streets. The styles I spotted most were sleek, with baby heels and neutral shades.

White Maxi Skirts

fashion week attendee wears navy jacket, white skirt, and black shoes

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

When the stylish women I saw weren't in cigarette jeans, they were in long white skirts. Sure, a white skirt outfit is nothing new, but the way the locals styled them sure was. I saw white skirts teamed with cropped trench jackets and sweaters, along with socks and loafers. Italian women also didn't shy away from tying their scarves and knits around the waist of their skirts for an extra layer.

Brooke Knappenberger
Brooke Knappenberger
Associate Commerce Editor

Brooke Knappenberger is the Associate Commerce Editor at Marie Claire, where she specializes in crafting shopping stories—from sales content to buying guides that span every vertical on the site. She also oversees holiday coverage with an emphasis on gifting guides as well as Power Pick, our monthly column on the items that power the lives of MC’s editors. She also tackled shopping content as Marie Claire's Editorial Fellow prior to her role as Associate Commerce Editor.

She has over three years of experience writing on fashion, beauty, and entertainment and her work has appeared on Looper, NickiSwift, The Sun US, and Vox Magazine of Columbia, Missouri. Brooke obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism with an emphasis on Magazine Editing and has a minor in Textile and Apparel Management.