Fashion from the Streets of Italy

For years I have heard that various colors ‘is’ the ‘new’ black well it’s not going to happen in my humble opinion.  Black will always be the ‘new black’ cut a different way, adorned with something a little different (exposed zippers, reversed darts, hemlines that will rise or float, you get it, etc.) what will change is the accessory color. There is the color institute that determines the fashion colors each year for each season, evidently 2013 fall was orange, it is a good read if you get a chance.  My earlier posting from Paris was somewhat bemoaning the lack of color regardless of how beautifully styled or designed it seems fashionably overwhelming when you see it ‘en masse’.  It takes time to get from the store window to the street.

So what is going on with fashion in Italy?  First let me qualify that the parts of Italy that I have seen so far, Turin, Venice, Verona, little spots of Milan (much more Italy to see and post at a later date) Italians love black as well, however as you will see in the pictures they have a flair for the more colorful.  That being said the key to fashion remains boots, slender leg coverings, scarves…I think I forgot to say even for the Paris post….puff coats, slim cut, black almost always.

The two people walking away from the camera are male and female both with cross body bags and puff coats

This is an older gentleman, at least 60, in his purple jeans and Timberland lumberjack boots.  

One guy two ladies great cross body hand bags

The slender cuts prevail, just as they did in Paris.  I was so out of style with my straight leg cuts of pants that I had to break down and go buy slender tighter legged pants.  As the sales lady told me, “fuller cuts just make you look fuller.”  Well, that seems simple enough and certainly prevails in the fashion hearts of not only the signoras but also of the senors.  The rather amazing thing is that the slender cut is for all ages and sizes.  Always, always hosiery, mostly black, usually textured, patterned, opaque. 

Burnt velvet leggings, great boots, puff coat

Black textured hoisery the boots were very nice, I just wouldn't put them together

Camouflage with great boots, it was amazing the amount of camo

Perhaps you remember in an earlier post that in Paris it seemed Parisian’s were very aware of body appropriate attire and one never saw body parts that shouldn’t be seen or crotches that hung to ones knees.  Well, in my travels so far in Italy let us say kindly that the passion for slender fit with tunic or short skirts perhaps should not be worn by everyone. To be more blunt, there are thunder thighs in Italy.  Still no baggy crotches (multi grazie).  Athletic wear is ONLY worn when one is being athletic, in the area where we are staying is on the River Po and there is a large park where runners and cyclist abound. Segue…it is amazing to see cyclist hard at it while they struggle to get a puff of their cigarette, hmmmm?

Scarves are the primary accessory for all sexes and ages, even the little toddlers with pacifiers have cute little scarves wrapped stylishly around their little chubby necks.  Hubby and I capitulated to the scarf fashion and were really surprised how warm it keeps you, better than a hat and they don’t mess up your hair.  Pretty smart really and easy to get a splash of personality to your ensemble.  Also, on the days that it is really polluted you can use your scarf to filter the air.

Venice in December, cold, wet polluted.  We still had alot of fun.

There is a difference between the fashions you see in the store windows vs the fashion walking around everyday, just like everywhere else.  When one travels in the winter there is going to be a lot of coats, boots and scarves.  So window shopping was especially fun, some of the most innovative things were actually seen in Venice.  Black of course is dominate, the accessory color for this winter is orange, red and sometimes gold. The belts are very narrow.  The boots are simply beyond fancy and of course you don’t get this fancy without spending 100’s of euros.

These are my dream boots for me, the leather looks like kid suede the fur is fox.  

Four different colors of suede absolute stiletto heel.

Burnt Umber and heavy metal, well what else can you say?

Narrow belts, fingerless gloves, black hoisery...Venice

Loved the black dress with the heavy lace back

The picture doesn't do this one justice, the straps are different one is orange one is black,
orange lining slit up to holy moly

We didn't even cover food this time, but we will on the next post.  And of course what post can I make without saying something about the little fuzzy one.  In Paris she was very frightened of the pigeons it was the first time she had seen them.  She got over her fear in Venice and was amazed that they could fly until the attack by the chubby pigeons on our breakfast table in San Marco’s square.  The little fuzzy one was sitting on my lap as about 5 of them decided that we had eaten enough and now it was their turn.  No barking, just trying to sink inside my coat as the waiter shewed the food pirates away.  She always makes me smile, I think others thought that she should have gone into watch dog mode….that mode is not the nature of the fuzzy one.  She doesn't understand when others are not kind, especially chubby pirate pigeons.