Sisters Debbie and Robin A, along with their friend (and fellow Nuu-Muu aficionado) Robin G—and Robin G’s husband Tony—traveled to the Milan Olympics, each with five Nuu-Muu dresses, thoughtfully considered layers for cool weather, and a shared love of the Olympic spirit. We followed along through a few shared posts during their trip and are honored to share more behind-the-scenes details from their journey here.
The Dress that Started It All
Debbie met Robin G on a bike trip in Croatia in 2015. During a tour in Dubrovnik, she noticed Robin wearing a cute, colorful dress and found herself trying to read the label on the back—looking up Nuu-Muu that same evening. The next day, a simple “I really like your dress” turned into a lasting friendship.
The Milan Olympics Plan Hatched
The idea for Milan came together on a dinner cruise along the Seine at the end of the Paris Olympics (summer 2024). Although they all attended Paris, they hardly got to see one another. On that final night, cruising the Seine, they made a pinky promise: two years later, they’d attend the next Olympics in Italy together.
Their Olympic Experiences Included
Opening Ceremonies, Women’s Hockey (France vs. Sweden), Women’s Speed Skating (1000m finals), Men’s Hockey (Slovakia vs. Finland), and Team Figure Skating (including men’s singles and ice dance events). It was all thrilling, but memorable moments included:
- While they looked incredible in matching Sparkler Nuu-Muu dresses (under some layers), the Opening Ceremonies were surprisingly underwhelming - hard to get to and difficult to follow without the TV commentary many of us are used to. Plus, most of the athletes were walking in other locations.
- The Dutch fans creating a sea of orange (their national color) for the women’s 1000m speed skating event as they cheered on Jutta Leerdam and their team. The Dutch spirit was contagious, pulling everyone in.
- They also sat next to the parents of a UK skater, the mom clearly a bundle of nerves as her daughter prepared to compete. It was especially meaningful to share in the excitement and cheer her on during the race.
When not cheering on athletes, the crew also explored
The Duomo di Milano was a clear standout, with Robin G describing it as “amazing” and saying she cried upon walking inside. Nearby, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the world’s oldest still-operating shopping arcades, and Santa Maria delle Grazie (where Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper is housed) added to the city’s sense of history and atmosphere. A Navigli neighborhood food tour offered a lighter highlight, described as “super tasty” and filled with a “diverse and very fun!!” group.
Sporting Nuu-Muu Dresses at a Winter Olympics
For all of them, it was a story of thoughtful, well-planned layers—and packing surprisingly light for a winter trip. Robin A and Deb hail from California and planned for cold weather, whereas Robin G lives in Chicago and found the weather more springlike. But for all, it was a story of layers – light, medium, and heavy-weight leggings, a variety of boots, beanies, scarves - all chosen for changing conditions and versatility, with everything fitting into carry-on bags.
Advice for future Olympics travelers
With tickets already in hand for Los Angeles 2028, their strongest advice is to plan ahead but stay open to the full experience, not just a specific sport (unless your budget is boundless).
As Debbie shared: “no matter what you go see at the Olympics, it is such a thrill to be there. All of those athletes from all over the world who have worked so hard to get there… we’ve discovered you need to be more open to seeing anything. If you’re hoping for big ticket items… you’re either going to pay big bucks or be disappointed. Try badminton, try handball, try rugby sevens, try table tennis. It’s a great opportunity to learn about a new sport and support some athletes who might need a little extra cheering on! Whatever sport it is, it’s the OLYMPICS! It’s all a thrill for me.”
“Our host had let us know that the Olympic torch would be passing just blocks from the apartment, so once Deb and Robin were somewhat settled, we were off to see the torch.” — Robin G
Dressed in Sparkler and ready for Opening Ceremonies—Team USA energy all the way. “Opening Ceremonies are held in outdoor stadiums, so we knew we would be outside for 4–5 hours. So we dressed in our warmest clothes and headed out.” — Robin G.
“We had Opening Ceremonies on February 6. There wasn’t good signage and we had to walk all over to find our seats. Because it was the old stadium, there were long lines for snacks and restrooms. But it was thrilling to be there!” — Robin A.
The incredible Duomo di Milano—Italy’s largest church—took nearly six centuries to complete (begun in 1386, finished in the 1900s). "Our tickets included going up to the terraces, which are walkways around the top of the building and then even to the roof! It was so cool." — Robin G.
Built between 1865 and 1877, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is one of the most iconic and beautiful early shopping arcades in the world.
“Next was women’s speed skating, women’s 1000 meter finals. That was super exciting. 80% of the crowd was from the Netherlands. Super fans and super exciting.” — Robin A.
A trip to Castello Sforzesco allowed the group to find the Olympic flame, burning in the background under the Arco della Pace (Arch of Peace).
“Our last event was men’s hockey, Slovakia vs. Finland. This was at the brand new stadium they finished the week before the Olympics. It was beautiful but way out of town.” — Robin A.
“During our time in Milan, we did a few walking and food tours. We wanted to see the city in addition to the Olympics. We really enjoyed our time there.” — Robin A.