The Italian Nonna's Guide to Surviving Summer

Nightgowns, moka pots, and staying cool in style and spirit.

Mamma knows better, but nonna knows best.

I quickly became utterly enamored with the Italian nonna. She is sophisticated and witty, the beating heart of the family and the neighborhood, and without her, we are at a loss. And for some reason, her spirit becomes especially alive and radiant during the summer months. Or it's the rhythms of summer that she so eloquently embraces that made me curious in the first place.

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When the heat rolls in, Nonna makes the best caffè freddo. She secretly stashes the perfectly chilled coffee—brewed the night before in her moka pot—in a washed-out milk bottle, sweetened with copious amounts of sugar (though she'd never dare say how many spoonfuls she puts it), and offered to guests and passersby.

She moves in rhythm with the sun, venturing out only in the early morning market run or late evening as the heat slowly (very slowly) begins to break, when it’s time for a gelato in the piazza.

She prepares the best insalata di riso you’ve ever tasted—even though it’s nothing more than chilled rice mixed with jarred and canned delicacies. Somehow, no one else gets it quite right like she does.

She knows how to work the market—fruit, fish, clothes, you name it—as she’s always first in line to touch, smell, envision, and dissect her day’s worth of cooking to come. She takes her time, making her rounds as if it’s her first visit, gracefully weaving through the stalls with her eye on the prize (and sometimes the price). If you don’t believe me, check out this video that went viral last summer of Signora Anna.

Just as she knows how to pick the ripest tomatoes or the juiciest cocomero, Nonna also knows how to dress for the season, nonetheless with some added flair.

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The cotton nightgown

The cotton nightgown–meets–house dress–meets–just appropriate enough to run errands. The Italian summer heat is no joke, and a light, easy-breezy house dress is the only justifiable option with nonna’s stamp of approval (she owns one in every solid color and floral print).⁠

I just scored two gorgeous cotton ones with crochet strap detailing for €8 on Vinted which I will mostly like wear from bed to beach.

The house to street shoe

Silver Scholls Clogs // Jelly Ancient Greek Sandals // Robbin Blue Birkenstocks

Nonna loves a house shoe she can easily slip on and head out the door. Wear a delicate clog, a sandal with a cork footbed, or a supportive open-toe number with an ankle strap to embrace your inner nonna. The options above are inspired by her with a bit of youthful flair, though I have seen more nonne walk better in a wedge than I ever could.

Hand-fans

Extra Italian points when you speak with your fan instead of using your hands.

Cooling down meets simple elegance. Hand fans are a nonna essential, so much so that you’ll find at least one tucked inside her purse throughout the summer. The sight of them makes me smile from ear to ear—the little details that instantly remind you of the place you love to be.

Stock up on one, as they’re a game-changer in Italy during the summer.

Pin it back

In my next life I want to be Signora Gloria

The Italian nonna loves a hair clip or pin to keep her flyaways at bay. They are comfortable, colorful, and effortlessly chic without much hair pulling or breakage.

Hair accessories by UNDO Hairware Made in Italy

The breathable button-down

The collar is popped and the hunt is on.

It may seem counter intuitive to wear a 3/4 to full sleeve length in the midst of a heat wave, but they do protect our skin from the high UV rays. I do love a summer button down, and it is very Italian coded for women of all ages paired with a simple white short or matching breathable trouser or capri pant.

If you’re headed to Italy this summer and plan to keep your suitcase light, all you need are a few of these shirts and a pair of handy white t-shirts and tanks for simple and chic versatility.

GAP Linen Button-down // Massimo Dutti Linen Button-down // GAP Linen Button-down

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Further Reading

For more Italian weather-related content, I loved this read by

Elizabeth Djinis

of

Quotidian Vignettes

.

Why Italians' sensitivity to weather is actually the right way to live

If you’re visiting Rome this season and looking for ways to keep cool,

Laura Itzkowitz

of

The New Roman Times

shares her expert picks for top-tier gelato spots in the city.

A Very Subjective List of the Best Gelato Shops in Rome

How are you embracing your inner nonna this summer?

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