My 6 essentials for a relaxing vacation in Milan – David’s checklist

1 - Travel bag - Almaré

Some people swear by all-leather bags. For my part, I really like cotton canvas bags with leather details.

This one comes from the Almaré brand that we tested here and which unfortunately no longer exists today.

It was made in Italy with quality materials . This is the bag that I have used every day for three years, and it has not failed me until now, with the exception of the shoulder strap which quickly broke and which I replaced with a vintage US army model unearthed at La Tranchée Militaire .

Its ecru color is certainly a little messy but its style is perfectly suited to summer. Its size, between a 24h and a 48h model, and its capacity between 20 and 25 liters, make it very practical.

2 - Cotton shirt - Cooke Street

My very first shirt!

Bought in the summer of 2019 at La Tranchée Militaire, I really like it: light, bright, well cut, with a beautiful marine print and pretty wooden buttons, it perfectly represents vacations, the beach, la dolce vita .

3 - Seersucker blazer - Good workmanship

The chic touch of my suitcase.

If you were wondering what a decidedly casual jacket looks like, this is one. In a beautiful stretch cotton seersucker with lots of shades , I love this jacket and I wear it all year round, even in winter sandwiched between a knit and a coat.

This jacket has the particularity of being completely unstructured: there is no padding on the shoulders, no iron-on or interfacing on the chest. It is flexible, soft and therefore light. She also has a slightly nonchalant side that suits the destination well.

4 - Jogpants - The Gigi

This visual from Yoox is unflattering, I agree.

Unearthed in the depths of Yoox and bought out of curiosity, I was won over by these pants as soon as I put them on.

Loose cut, amazing material and mid-high waist, it also has a nice, rather thick contrasting ecru drawstring that I really like.

Simple but very effective pants as I like them, it suits me perfectly given that I am not particularly well stocked with summer pants.

5 - Bermuda - Officine Générale

I take these elegant Bermuda shorts with me thanks to their high waist, deep front pleat, generous volume and sewn cuff at the bottom.

Behind this beautiful olive green colorway is a crisp, lightweight and handmade Japanese cotton poplin that is quite unique.

Officine Générale has I find a very relevant style statement on pants and Bermuda shorts : cuts, materials, colors, details, it's often very good.

6 - Canvas sneakers - Superga

A pair of shoes, because you really need one.

I could have selected my Moonstar sneakers but I prefer my Superga, which have already been used and which I can therefore mistreat without feeling too guilty.

We can't say that the quality is incredible, but they do the job, and I like their style, which reminds me of good old German Army Trainers .

Bonus #1 - Swim shorts - Orlebar Brown

By chance I selected the same shorts that Nicolò owns.

This one is however in a different version: it is long, stopping just above the knee, to better accommodate my height.

I'm all for shimmering colors and patterns on swim shorts, but I'm going very simple here with a classic navy blue.

I also appreciate the presence of clamping tabs on the sides.

Bonus #2 – Linen Napkin – Thank you

Linen napkins are a good idea , but when I see some that are 140x90cm, I ask myself: "how can you decently lie down on them?"

My choice therefore falls on this linen napkin from Merci, with more generous dimensions: 140x200cm.

It is available in many rather summery colors, but it is the camouflage green version that I have my heart set on, which best suits my tastes.