Milan is 50 miles south of tha alps can get quite

chilly at night particularly up in the lakes around

Streas.org sweater and jacket london fog mainly for nights

and cold rain with fronts.

Happy Travels...

Thanks quo-- I'll have 3 nights near end in Milan and prior 3 days in Ravenna. Sound like dressing warmly is the idea one way or the other.

That should be 7 days in Ravenna.

I can highly recommend the Scottevest trench coat - I have it in black and it's super practical and I get so many compliments when I wear it. Love,love,love it and wish I had more chances to wear it.
The hot pink Q-zip is great too. Actually, there's a bunch of great stuff on the site www.scottevest.com and they have sales every week - I think you like them on facebook or sign up for the newsletter and they send you the info on the weekly sale. I want to try the men's travel boxers (even though I am not a man)for just lounging around in. Anyway, good luck and have a great trip. Oh yeah, go and see Alfie Boe in Les Miserable in London. It is beyond words good.

Thanks timi; won't make it to London this trip unfortunately.

Would you recommend the trench over the essential jacket for travel?

Please post after you return and tell us what Scottevest item you bought and how you liked it. I wrote an article about traveling with only a carry on to Italy for 15 days (see www.AnniesNuggets.com and scroll to "Help for a Heavy Burden") and many people were interested in ways to travel light.

Love your blog, anneby -- right now I am agonizing between getting the Scottevest jacket, the lighter weight one, and a quilted black jacket that is slightly more stylish (perhaps), mostly because I will be in Milan for a few days and am intimidated by the stylish Milanese!! I think the vest would be too much under the light jacket so I really should choose. Either way I am carrying on.

Also, I will be in Ravenna for a week, then Milan 3 days, so not as much hustling about with train travel etc., so I am less in need of the Scottevest than usual. However, I am using miles so have several flights both going and coming back (though not on the highly restrictive budget carriers), so the vest or a jacket would be helpful there and on several train rides.

Late to the party but for future reference I will recommend the scottevest trench coat. I bought it in black and love it. I don't like to carry a purse and the coat has pockets for everything, it looks good, fits well and dresses up nicely with a scarf.

Thanks for the tip pdx -- does the trench have a spot for an Ipad or tablet, do you know?

Actually, it does. Have you been to the website? Very helpful descriptions, pictures and even videos. http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Womens-Trench.shtml

If you can wait a bit you can watch for a sale as timi mentions above, usually 20% off. Shipping is only $5.

Yes, will be watching for the sale -- & will take another look at the site, thanks!

Pdx alerted us all to the sale and I got the women's trench, in black, for $90 and free shipping. Will report back how it works out.

Looking forward to your "review" of the trench. Before our trip to Italy this year, I found the Scottevest vests in a travel store. It looked great on my husband, and he loved it, but it just didn't have enough style for me. Very casual looking. But wonderful pockets! I'm wondering about getting the trench for rainy San Francisco weather.

I like the look of the Scottevest trench coat and also the Magellan Voyager jacket. I came here to see whether anyone has tried either and was pleased to discover that the trench is a favourite. Does anyone have the Magellan jacket?

Is the trench more like a jacket than a coat?

How is the sizing? I read somewhere that you should choose a size larger with Scottevest and wonder whether this is true and whether it's the same with Magellan?

I can take my time and wait for a sale, as advised.

I got the trench in black. I like it -- am taking it on a trip in November so will let you know -- it definitely has deeeeep pockets in front! I think it will be perfect for northern Italy in November.

As to sizing, I am around a 10, but I got the large as I prefer roomy to tight and can cinch the waist with the belt.

Thanks, annw! That gives me a much better idea of sizing for the Scottevest trench. I would choose black too.

You really got a great deal - I've only seen 20% reductions on anything so far but assume there are special sales from time to time as well as the daily 20% off sales.

I notice that Magellan sells through Amazon as well.

I think so too, moolyn -- had to grab it! Will report back on the weather aspect, but I think it will work out great.

I've bought a few things over the years from Magellan/TravelSmith -- TS often on the slightly expensive side and their sizing doesn't always work for me, but certain items do work. The other purchse I'm bringing (TS) is their travel umbrella -- extraordinarily light.

Update from Emiglia-Romagna and Ravenna -- the Scottevest trench (I have black) is working great. Puffy jackets do seem to be in vogue but so are "carcoat" length jackets which is what this trench is. Generally with layers underneath -- top, sweater when it's especially cold-the trench is working great. I kick myself that I forgot my wool scarf, but otherwise this works great. The large inner pocket permits me to bring Ipad everywhere if I need it.

Thanks, Ann, for reporting back. I think it's great that you're giving us a real-time review.

I would love to be giving a on the road review from Italy! I'm sure you're enjoying yourself but I'll say it anyway...enjoy your trip!

News on the Scottevest front: they are NOW (now we are back!) coming out with a Scottevest version of the puffy jacket! It's called a puffer jacket. I might have considered it for this trip, but the trench (with sweater under and neck scarf) was probably more versatile and certainly the price was right.

Thanks pdx; it was a good, though brief, trip! (Brief trip report in Europe).

Just bought my husband a Scottevest for Christmas. We were in northern Italy in late September, and it was too hot to wear anything but a vest. He brought along a lightweight jacket -- he never travels with a trenchcoat -- and could put the vest under it for more warmth. I would recommend the one with the zip off sleeves. We have never seen many people in Europe except for in the winter walking around in trenchcoats. I myself wear a hip length hooded jacket too, not one of my trenchcoats.