Dressing Like an Italian: Fall's Ultimate Accessory

“Wear that scarf," he said, pointing to a blue cashmere scarf hanging on a peg. "It matches your eyes." Cassandra Clare, City of Lost Souls

Fall is definitely here and in Italy the cooler weather is synonymous with scarves.  They come in all shapes and colors, are made of different materials and you can buy one as cheap as five euro.    A scarf adds a drop of style and a pop of color to your outfit and Italians wear them best.

Now, there is another reason why Italians use these wonderful scarves and it's called the "colpo d'aria" meaning a blast of air/wind.  And wind my friends can be a dangerous thing in Italy, at least for Italians.  Don't get me started with a blast of air conditioned breeze, that is deadly!  It is believed that if cool air hits your neck, you will certainly get sick or worse.  Hence, as soon as the weather starts getting colder women, men, kids...everyone! wears a scarf called "sciarpa" (pronounced: sharpa) in Italian.

How to use one you may ask?  There is the monochrome look, where you tend to stay in the color palette of your outfit.  There is also the pop of color, where you use a colorful scarf to add detail to a more serious outfit (read this to learn where else you can add color to your outfit).

I had a few scarves when I arrived in Italy but I have to confess that my collection grew while living in Rome.  A simple google search will show you a million ways of wearing this fall's ultimate accessory.  Go to your drawers, I'm sure you'll find one, and play with it.  Have fun with your outfit, life is too short to be too serious.

Enjoy the fall weather, the color on the leaves and the beautiful scarves!!

Arrivederci for now,

Dressing Like an Italian: Winter Fashion

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Coco Chanel 

My time in Rome is coming to an end... unfortunately.  But I am taking advantage of the months I have ahead of me to enjoy this beautiful city as much as I can.  This week I took a day off my daily routine and went to the city center to sit, observe and take it all in.   I ended up at the Spanish Steps (near Piazza del Popolo), wondering how can a city be so beautiful.

As I was people watching, I noticed that the colder weather (mid 50s) is just another reason for Romans to dress-to-impress.  The "winter look" out on the streets it's pretty much a uniform around here, and here it goes, the Roman winter look demystified:

We'd all agreed with the fact that we lose body heat through our head and that it's a normal practice in cold weather countries to wear hats during the winter....but let me tell you, Romans take it to a whole new level.  Instead of taking about it, I'll share with you some images what I saw... 

#Fedoras, #beanies and #floppy-hats were all out in force.  If are ready to dig into the latest fashion trend, I suggest you buy a winter hat!  They are all in vogue.

People-watching is my second favorite pass time here in Rome, the first one being eating , of course (did you guess that one?).  And what a better spot to people-watch than sitting in the ancient Spanish Steps in the heart of Rome's fashion district.  A later post will concentrate on this magical spot.  Until then, enjoy the pictures and if you are in the northern hemisphere, wear a #hat to stay warm and look fabulous!

Arrivederci for now,