Clothes in Italian: 257 Words and Phrases

As you know, Italy is home to one of the fashion capitals of the world—Milan—but make no mistake, there isn’t anywhere in the Boot where you won’t be jazzed by the capi di abbigliamento (clothing).

Italian vestiti (clothes) are so incredible that department stores and boutiques from around the globe send their buyers to see the latest fashions, gauge trends and, of course, buy amazing clothing!

Just another reason to learn some Italian clothing vocabulary and prepare yourself to converse like a true fashionista!

In this post, you’ll learn everything from essential Italian shopping and clothing vocabulary to tips for shopping in Italy.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Key Italian Phrases for Trying on Clothes

Would you like to try on some clothes while shopping in Italy? These words and phrases will make that a seamless affair!

Talking About Clothing in Italian

Italian Dress Codes

Italian Words for Clothing Colors, Patterns and Fabrics

Have you found the perfect clothing item or accessory—but you’d like a different color? No worries! Asking for colors and fabric choices in Italian is a breeze.

Important Italian Phrases for Purchasing Clothes

Now that you’ve tried some clothing on and found your perfect size and favorite color—you can get into the nitty-gritty of actually buying the clothes you want!

Purchasing capi di abbigliamento  (clothing) in Italy is a rewarding adventure.

Something to keep in mind is that some of the smaller clothing stalls, especially in flea markets and side-streets shops, don’t accept credit cards. They run on a strictly cash-only structure, so be prepared with cash or be ready to make a quick run to an ATM.

And if you need something for a child, ask for abbigliamento per bambini (children’s clothing) to see the latest kids’ fashions!

Shopping in Italian is a fantastic way to have an immersive Italian experience. You’ll get a feel for the culture, fashion and maybe even make some fast friendships.

Ladies First! Italian Clothes Vocabulary for Women

Words for Clothes in Italian for Men

Underwear and Sleepwear in Italian

Headwear and Accessories in Italian

Beachwear in Italian

Footwear in Italian

Some Tips for Shopping in Italy

Now that you know the essential phrases and vocabulary, you’re ready to go shopping in Italy!

Shopping in Italy is super fun! I’ll be honest—I’ve lost days just wandering the shops, vintage markets and clothing stalls. They’re home to some of my greatest Italian memories!

There are so many lovely items to look at, try on and appreciate. 

Rome, Milan and Venice are featured as Italian shopping hot spots, but, honestly, anywhere is a great spot. If you’re looking for designer clothing, then certainly consider the bigger cities, but if you’re checking out authentic everyday fashion, remember the small shops, vintage flea markets, boutiques and stalls.

Want that true Italian look? Then go for authentic, Italian-made goods.

Often, in small shops, the shopkeeper is also the seamstress, which sets you up for a very unique opportunity to discuss all things related to clothing in Italian with someone who’s a true expert. You’ll not only get to practice your Italian but also learn more about Italian fashion and culture!

With these Italian clothing words and phrases, you’ll be able to speak with confidence wherever you shop! To make sure you have the confidence you want to speak about fashion, you can prepare yourself by watching Italian videos that talk about fashion-related topics. You can also try searching for fashion-related words on FluentU to hear them used in context.

Let’s face it—shopping in Italy is a blast. It’s just a magical country with so much to offer and the friendliest citizens around—what’s not to love about browsing and buying under those conditions? I love shopping in the Boot—and I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t!

Shopping in Italy allows travelers to learn about the country, culture and styles—and get some really sweet conversational practice in with locals. And trust me, local Italians love to chat about clothing and fashion; food, too—but that’s a story for a different day.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And One More Thing...

If you're as busy as most of us, you don't always have time for lengthy language lessons. The solution? FluentU!

Learn Italian with funny commericals, documentary excerpts and web series, as you can see here:

FluentU helps you get comfortable with everyday Italian by combining all the benefits of complete immersion and native-level conversations with interactive subtitles. Tap on any word to instantly see an image, in-context definition, example sentences and other videos in which the word is used.

Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab, and review words and phrases with convenient audio clips under Vocab.

Once you've watched a video, you can use FluentU's quizzes to actively practice all the vocabulary in that video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

FluentU will even keep track of all the Italian words you’re learning, and give you extra practice with difficult words. Plus, it'll tell you exactly when it's time for review. Now that's a 100% personalized experience!

The best part? You can try FluentU for free with a trial.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)