What to Wear in Portofino
For the woman on the little harbor
What to wear in Portofino, from the pastel harbor to sunset dinner. Five packable looks built for compliments and confidence. Free US shipping over $500.
A small pastel harbor with very big style. Here is how to dress for every part of it, so you arrive looking like you belong and leave being remembered.
Portofino is tiny, glamorous, and photographed constantly. Think fluid kaftans and print dresses in colors that hold their own against the pastel houses. Bring flat sandals for the piazzetta, one good cover-up for the boat, and one dinner look that turns heads on the water.
The Mahawa
The Mahawa print was made for the woman who arrives unhurried, stays a little longer, and is remembered by the whole room. It carries the same energy Portofino has always had. Sandals for the walk, a kaftan that moves in the breeze, a scarf for the boat. Nothing fussy. Everything intentional. Wear the Mahawa Goddess Kaftan over your swimsuit for a day on the harbor, then again with sandals for dinner on the piazzetta. One suitcase, many entrances.
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The Piazzetta
The famous little square, the pastel buildings stacked up the hill, the boats bobbing three feet from your table. A goddess kaftan reads as confident and unbothered. The whole harbor is soft pastel, so a rich print stands out instead of blending in.
Shop it: Goddess Kaftans
Our pick: Sandra Goddess Kaftan. Fluid, striking, made for exactly this kind of entrance. Sandra Goddess Kaftan
San Fruttuoso
Half the town is a yacht, and the best afternoon you can have is a boat to San Fruttuoso, the little bay you can only reach by sea. This is a cover-up day. A kaftan goes on wet, goes on dry, and photographs beautifully against the water.
Shop it: Kaftans Main
Our pick: Karmyn Goddess Kaftan. Karmyn Goddess Kaftan
Harbor Shopping and Lunch
The shops wrap around the harbor, small and beautiful, and lunch is a long one. A shirt dress is the workhorse that never looks like one โ polished enough for the nicer tables, easy enough for the cobblestones.
Shop it: Dresses Main
Our pick: Riviera Shirt Dress. Easy, striking, made to be remembered. Riviera Shirt Dress
Castello Brown
The old fort with the best view in town, past gardens and lemon trees, with the whole bay laid out below. A fluid kaftan flows on the walk up and falls beautifully the second you pose against that view.
Shop it: New Arrivals
Our pick: Senegalese Goddess Kaftan. Senegalese Goddess Kaftan
Sunset Dinner
The sun drops behind the hills, the harbor lights come on, and dinner in Portofino turns into the kind of night you tell people about. Go for your strongest print and your most confident silhouette.
Shop it: Best Sellers
โYou are not competing with other women. You are competing with the view.โ
Why Sai Sankoh for Portofino
The Portofino Packing List
For a long weekend, this covers everything.
Three Formulas That Always Work
โI got stopped by at least 20 people commenting how stunning the outfit was. It was a show stopper for sure. I felt like all eyes were on me.โ
Portofino taught me something years ago. In a place that beautiful, you are not competing with other women. You are competing with the view. So I dress to hold my own in it, not to disappear into it. You deserve to feel beautiful on your vacation. You deserve the compliments. Go be unforgettable. โ Sai
Moment 2: Boat Day
Portofino belongs to the water. Half the town is a yacht, and the best afternoon you can have is a boat to San Fruttuoso, the little bay you can only reach by sea, with its abbey tucked right against the beach. You will climb on and off the boat, sit in the sun, swim if you are brave, and end up somewhere with a spritz in your hand.
This is a cover-up day. You want one piece that works over swimwear, survives salt air, dries fast, and still looks like you planned it. A kaftan is the answer. It goes on wet, it goes on dry, it photographs beautifully against the water, and it never once looks like you gave up.
Bring a scarf. On a fast boat it keeps your hair out of the wind, and on the beach it becomes a wrap. Small item, big payoff.
Shop it: Kaftans Main
Our pick: The Karmyn Goddess Kaftan throws on over anything and still looks like the plan all along. Karmyn Goddess Kaftan
Scarves to pair: Scarfs
Moment 3: Harbor Shopping and Lunch
The mornings in Portofino are for wandering. The shops wrap around the harbor, small and beautiful, and lunch is a long one, the kind that starts at one and finishes when it finishes. You will be sitting at the water. You will be walking the hill. You want one outfit that carries you through all of it without a costume change.
A shirt dress is the workhorse that never looks like one. It is polished enough for the nicer tables, easy enough for the cobblestones, and it takes a compliment gracefully when the woman at the next table asks where it is from. That question happens more than you think in Portofino. Be ready with a good answer.
Belt it if you want more shape, leave it loose if you want more ease. Flat sandals again. A structured little bag so your hands are free for the shopping.
Shop it: Dresses Main
Our pick: The Riviera Shirt Dress was practically named for this. Easy, striking, made to be remembered. Riviera Shirt Dress
Moment 4: Hillside Views
Above the harbor sits Castello Brown, the old fort with the best view in town. The walk up is short and worth it, past gardens and lemon trees, and the payoff is the whole bay laid out below you with the boats like toys. Keep going and the paths lead you toward Santa Margherita, the larger, softer town next door where the locals actually live and the seafront is made for a slow evening stroll.
Dress for a little movement here. You are climbing, walking, standing at railings for photos you will keep forever. You want a piece that flatters while you move and looks unforgettable when you stop. A fluid kaftan does both. It flows on the walk up and falls beautifully the second you pose against that view.
Comfortable flat sandals, a crossbody so your hands stay free for the camera, and your best sunglasses for the light coming off the water.
Shop it: New Arrivals
Our pick: The Senegalese Goddess Kaftan moves with you on the climb and stops traffic at the top. Senegalese Goddess Kaftan
Moment 5: Sunset Dinner
This is the one. The sun drops behind the hills, the harbor lights come on, and dinner in Portofino turns into the kind of night you tell people about. The tables sit right at the water, the yachts are lit up beside you, and every woman there is dressed to be seen. This is not the night to blend in. This is the night to be the one they remember.
Go for your strongest print and your most confident silhouette. A statement kaftan or a bold dress reads beautifully in the golden light and even better once the lanterns come on. You want the piece that makes someone stop mid-sentence when you walk in. That is the whole point of dressing for Portofino, and this is the moment it pays off.
Add your real jewelry. A heeled sandal if the cobblestones allow, a refined flat if they do not. One clutch. Let the outfit do the talking, because it will.
Shop it: Best Sellers
Our pick: Start with the pieces other women already stopped to ask about. Best Sellers
Frequently Asked
What should I wear in Portofino?
Fluid kaftans and print dresses in strong colors, flat leather sandals for the cobblestones, one scarf, and one confident dinner look.
Is Portofino formal or casual?
Both, in the same day. Mornings and boat days are relaxed. Dinner by the harbor is where people dress up.
What shoes should I bring to Portofino?
Flats you can walk on cobblestones in, all day. Save one heeled sandal for a dinner where the streets allow it.
Can I wear a kaftan in Portofino?
Yes, and it may be the smartest thing you pack. A kaftan covers the boat, a long harbor lunch, and a sunset walk, all from one suitcase.
What colors work best in Portofino?
Rich prints and bold color. The whole harbor is soft pastel, so a strong piece stands out instead of blending in.
What do I wear on a boat day?
A kaftan over swimwear, a scarf for the wind and the beach, and flat sandals you can climb on and off the boat in.
How many outfits do I need for a weekend in Portofino?
Fewer than you think. Two kaftans, one shirt dress, and one statement piece will carry a long weekend.
Where do I start shopping for Portofino?
The Mahawa collection has the whole trip in one place.
