Leather, leather everywhere, nor any drop to drink

November 7, 2012 11:35 AM

Where should I go shopping for boots, belts, and funky clothing generally in Italy (Florence or Rome)?

I'm ashamed to admit that I'm having trouble finding awesome boots (wide calf, ideally slouchy and chunky heel and knee-high) and belts while vacationing in Italy this week. I've come across lots of junk, but not so much really great stuff so far. Where should I look for those things, and for funky clothing (for a short, curvy woman) generally?

I'll be in Florence until Friday, and then I'm heading to Rome for the next week. Please tell me where to go shopping in between all the museum visits and gelato nommings and general wanderings!

As a preemptive thank-you, I'll point out that the yogurt nutella gelato at Gelateria la Carraiamore in Florence is AMAZING.

posted by 168 to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (4 answers total)

I found some really neat stuff for my then girlfriend / now wife in the little warren of shops behind the hotel we were staying at: The Hotel Teatro Di Pompeo. I have no idea what you'd call that neighborhood though.
posted by Oktober at 11:37 AM on November 7, 2012

Marina Rinaldi has wide-calf boots. They're on Via Panzani, not far from the Duomo.
posted by bedhead at 12:18 PM on November 7, 2012

Best answer: Well, a warning, there is a lot of schlock and junk in the Roman leather departments as well. There are a lot of very cool small boutiques though. This description of one area is nice because it's coded by landmark. The corso is definitely not your best bet, though there are some great shops in the Campus Martius area-- another warren of small roads and boutiques. You might also be interested in the shops in the San Lorenzo area (though be careful around Termini at night.) San Lorenzo is the hub of Italian university students (as opposed to American ones) and it's got a very different vibe than, say, the Spanish Steps. Monti is more upscale and easier to get to, but it does have some quirky shops.
posted by jetlagaddict at 12:57 PM on November 7, 2012

Response by poster: Follow-up for the benefit of future travelers: I found a pair of really awesome red ankle boots for 3 euros at a market in the San Lorenzo area in Rome. Win!

The best area I found for shopping in Rome otherwise was Via del Governo Vecchio, a street full of nifty vintage and funky clothing stores. Other than that, the markets in Rome were generally awesome and full of strange mounds of clothing and shoes and whatnot where I found a bunch of fun stuff.
posted by 168 at 4:04 AM on November 16, 2012