Summer is officially in full swing, meaning there’s no shortage of reasons to get dressed. From summer soirées to nights out on the town, RTR members are booked and busy — and where there are fun plans, really great outfits usually aren’t far behind.
In that spirit, we’re taking a peek into the summer plans (and shipments!) of some of the best-dressed members of the RTR community to see what they’re up to, and how they’re getting dressed for it. This time, we’re traveling to Italy (!) with RTR member Grace Steinhauser (@gracesteinhauser) on her vacay through the Amalfi Coast and Tuscany — and spoiler alert, it’s the kind of trip dreams are made of.
What’s in Grace’s shipment:
RTR: Tell us all about your travels: where did you go and what made you choose your destination?
GS: Having visited over 20 countries before the age of 20, embracing different cultures through traveling is one of the biggest parts of what makes me who I am today.
It had been over 7 years since I traveled to Europe and my soul was aching for an opportunity to explore. When a friend of mine announced that she was finally able to have her dream wedding in Italy, I knew this was my chance.
As a proud American-Italian family, we had visited all the major cities in Italy: Rome, Venice, Milan to name a few, but there was one location that I had never explored. The Amalfi Coast, specifically Positano, was the perfect backdrop for the bulk of this girl’s trip: an ideal blend of restoration and stimulation offering a small-town feel, bursting with locals welcoming you with open arms and a limoncello shot, while also remaining large enough to discover new stores, restaurants, and experiences with every staircase you took.
The first half of our time in Italy was spent wandering the narrow, winding streets of Positano. From there, we satisfied our big city and countryside cravings by spending a day in Florence and closing out the trip for a wedding weekend in Tuscany. This Italian summer vacation was more fulfilling than I could have ever dreamed of – between the views, laughter over numerous bottles of vino, and pasta for every meal (I mean, my dog’s name is Rigatoni – how could I not?), my travel bug is happy but just getting started!
RTR: Describe the fashion vibe of where you traveled in 5 words or less.
GS: Effortless, vibrant, feminine, whimsical, elevated
RTR: What was your favorite day of vacay, and what was on the itinerary?
GS: If I had to choose, I would say our last full day in Positano. It started off with a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, followed by a beach day where I rented chairs on the rocks overlooking the ocean at the restaurant and bar club, La Scogliera. Our suntanned and salty walk home was reserved for shopping, where I bought souvenirs for loved ones and a linen set. Before heading back to get ready for a farewell dinner at Le Sirenuse, we stopped for a late lunch of spaghetti alle vongole and Aperol spritzes overlooking the scenery. All in all, a perfect day.
RTR: What was your favorite rental you took on your trip and where did you wear it?
GS: I would have to say that the sage, linen Maria Dress by Saunders Collective was my favorite rental. It is so effortlessly sophisticated and chic, while also remaining sexy, and I truly felt my best in it. I wore it during the wedding weekend in Tuscany for the “Light and Linen” themed night.
RTR: Spill the details on any of your favorite vacay packing hacks, tips and tricks!
GS: Rent EVERYTHING you can from Rent the Runway. I would say that 90% of the clothes I packed for this trip were from RTR. The amount that I spent on extra spots for rentals was less than what I would have spent if I’d purchased only a few looks for the trip. Not to mention the fact that when I got home, I had minimal laundry and no dry-cleaning errands run. I simply re-bagged and sent back all of my rentals, paying no mind to the spills of Sangiovese and drips of gelato.
Catch Grace’s full video over on @renttherunway: