The Positano look is one of the most recognisable in the world: relaxed, sun-washed, effortlessly elegant, all floaty linen and bright prints against whitewashed walls and bougainvillea. But dressing well here is not really about fashion; it is about the stairs. Positano is built on a near-vertical cliff, and almost everything you do involves climbing, so the single most important rule is to dress for the steps first and the photographs second. Do that, and the rest falls into place. Here is exactly what to pack and wear, from your shoes up.
Start With the Shoes
Shoes are the whole game in Positano. The lanes are steep, cobbled and endless, so leave the stiletto heels at home; they are miserable and genuinely unsafe on the worn stone and the steps. Bring flat sandals and comfortable leather slides for wandering, a pair of proper walking shoes or trainers if you plan to hike or explore, and a low wedge or block heel at most for the evening, which gives you a little height without risking your ankles. Espadrilles are perfect here. And pack water shoes if you have tender feet, because every beach in Positano is pebble, not sand.
Daytime: Coastal Chic and Easy Fabrics
For the day, think light, breathable and forgiving in the heat: linen dresses, flowing cotton sundresses, wide-leg trousers, breezy blouses, all in the pale and bright colours that suit the setting. A good swimsuit is essential, and just as important is a beautiful cover-up or kaftan, because you walk through the village to reach the beach and you will want to move easily from lane to lounger to lunch. Add a wide-brimmed hat, good sunglasses and a light straw or canvas bag, and you have the uniform. The look is polished but never fussy; nothing here should feel like hard work to wear.
Buy the Positano Look While You Are There
Half the fun is that Positano makes its own clothes. Moda Positano, the town’s tradition of light printed cotton and linen, fills the boutiques on Via dei Mulini and the lanes around it, from floaty dresses and embroidered kaftans to the famous handmade leather sandals fitted to your feet while you wait. Buying a piece and wearing it for the rest of the trip is one of the loveliest souvenirs there is, and it will look more at home here than anything you brought.
Evening: Elegant, but Relaxed
Positano dresses up for dinner without ever being stiff. For the smarter restaurants and the hotel terraces, a pretty dress or elegant separates for women and a linen shirt with tailored trousers for men is exactly right; jackets are rarely required, and the mood is refined rather than formal. Bring a light wrap or a linen jacket, because the sea breeze cools the evenings even in summer, and keep to flat or low shoes for the walk home up the hill. The trick to looking right in Positano at night is understatement: good fabric, simple lines, and comfort you do not have to think about.
A Note on the Church
If you plan to step inside the church of Santa Maria Assunta, or any church on the coast, dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women. A light scarf or a linen shirt thrown over a sundress does the job and is worth carrying anyway for the cool interiors and the evening breeze.
What to Wear by Season
In high summer, June to August, pack for real heat and strong sun: the lightest fabrics, plenty of swimwear, and serious sun protection. In the shoulder seasons, April to May and September to October, the days are warm but the evenings cool noticeably, so add a light jacket, a jumper and a wrap, and bring a compact rain layer in case of a shower. Winter is quiet and much cooler, and calls for proper layers and a warm coat, though many visitors skip it. Whenever you come, the layering piece for the evening breeze is the one thing people most often forget.
What Not to Bring
Leave behind the heavy suitcase, the stiletto heels, and anything that needs ironing or careful handling, because you will be carrying your bags up steps and living out of them in a village that prizes ease over effort. Overpacking is the classic Positano mistake; a light, well-edited case of natural fabrics and flat shoes will serve you far better than a large one full of options.
A Simple Positano Packing List
To keep it easy: two or three linen or cotton dresses, a pair of wide-leg trousers and a couple of light tops, one or two swimsuits, a proper cover-up or kaftan, flat sandals and comfortable walking shoes, one low wedge for evenings, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, a light wrap or jacket, sunscreen, a straw bag, and water shoes for the pebbles. Add a modest layer for churches, and you are set.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a dress code in Positano?
Not a formal one, but the style is relaxed coastal elegance: light linens and cottons by day, a pretty dress or smart separates by night. The real constraint is practical, comfortable flat shoes for the endless steps, and modest cover for church visits.
Can you wear heels in Positano?
Avoid stiletto heels; the cobbled, stepped lanes make them uncomfortable and unsafe. A low wedge or block heel is fine for the evening, but flats, sandals and espadrilles are what you will actually want to wear.
What should you wear to dinner in Positano?
Elegant but relaxed. A pretty dress or nice separates for women, a linen shirt and tailored trousers for men. Jackets are rarely needed. Bring a light wrap for the sea breeze and keep to flat or low shoes for the walk back up the hill.
What shoes should you pack for Positano?
Flat sandals and comfortable slides for wandering, proper walking shoes or trainers for hills and hikes, a low wedge at most for evenings, and water shoes for the pebble beaches. Skip the high heels entirely.
What is Moda Positano?
Moda Positano is the town’s own tradition of light, printed cotton and linen clothing and handmade leather sandals, sold in the boutiques along Via dei Mulini. Buying and wearing a piece is a lovely souvenir and looks perfectly at home here.
For the rest of your trip, see where to stay in Positano, the best beaches in Positano, and my complete guide to Positano for everything else.
