At the Outlet Mall

La Reggia Outlet Mall in Caserta
This is a large designer outlet mall north of Napoli about 20 km. It is easy to get to off the A1 Autostrade going north and has lots of parking. Yea! Across the highway is the Campania Mall which will be the next shopping trip.

A couple of interesting things about shopping in here. There were lots of sales people and most were very willing to help. It seems like in the US the last few years stores have cut back there staff so far, even when you are in Nordstroms, Macy's and other high end stores, you still have to look to find someone to help you. Not so in this mall.

Also, here the stores are smaller, and the merchandize on display is really just that. Don't expect to find a full range of sizes on the rack. If your see something you like, ask for your size and they will go in back to get it. This includes sale merchandise as well as regular merchandise.

I went with two girlfriends and we actually found a few great deals. I bought a purse, my friend bought a purse and a dress. So, not bad! We stopped for a "coffee" at 12:30 and had a couple snacks then, and later had a nice long lunch Italian style about 3pm.

Sizes
Size 42 (about a size 8 US) is not a 42, even in Italy! Some things are marked with US/UK/IT/EURO sizes, some are not. But in any case it is like everywhere, it depends on the cut, the style, the garment manufacturer, etc.  My two friends are both tall and slender and can wear many different styles successfully. Both of them had to try on several different sizes to find one that fits, and even then, the cuts were not the same. It almost seems like the designer outlet clothes had a wider range of size variation than standard off the rack clothes in a mid price range. Go figure!

Designer labels
Gucci, Prada, Escada, Feragamo, etc., lots of designer shops at this mall and most of the clothes are very trendy. These are definitely marketed to the younger, fashionable set. For me, of course, none of this will work even if they had my size. It is interesting to see what the trends are and to be able to step back from that and truly evaluate what has a nice cut and good design, vs. what is just plain weird so that it stands out from the crowd.

Unfortunately this season is full of just weird stuff. There are 3 24 hr. fashion stations on TV here that air the latest designer showings from London, Paris, Milan, NYC, and all over. I have not seen much this season that impresses me; it seems like the designers are desperate to find the next big wave of clothing design and they haven't hit it yet.

Fabrics in Italy
The fabrics I am finding here are lovely. The wools are really fine, soft, and beautiful colors and weaves. Also the linens and silks are great with natural fibers still being the predominant trend this year. I can't wait to get my design center organized and going so I can start having some fun with the beautiful fabrics and trims. There are little stores here that specialize in trims -- laces, buttons, fringe -- you name it. Go with a specific thing in mind, though, because it is overwhelming!