The Magic of Abruzzo Blog
"We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us." Anonymous
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People tell me they love the way Italian men dress. I’m going to try to tell you how I see men’s fashion from an Italian man’s perspective and will give some tips on how to dress like an Italian.
Since I was a child I knew that the clothes I wore needed to be chosen carefully. So I would look at store windows and magazines to learn how others combined fabrics and colors. As a teenager, I wore the newest trends but now I stick with the time-honored styles. I buy the highest quality that I can afford and hope it will last for many years (as long as I keep my weight steady, I should be fine). A man doesn’t need to have a huge wardrobe, he just needs the right clothes. They need to be classic and well-thought-out. Not like you just woke up and threw anything on. Italian men pride themselves on their appearance and on the attention to detail. They watch fashion trends to see what’s new. They think about what colors look good with their complexion and which styles go well with their body. Keep it simple but chic. Italian men almost always wear a jacket and elegant trousers that are usually tailored so that it fits you like a glove. I never wear anything baggy. Our clothes are meant to show the shape of our body. A jacket is good in summer or winter. Linen jackets are such a major part of Italian style. Rolled up sleeves bring a casual look to the jacket. Italians normally wear slim-fit trousers and always have the hem of my pants tailored because they are never the right length when you buy them! I like them to just touch the top of my shoes. Some men like them even a bit shorter especially in summer, but that’s not for me. Bare ankles are the style for the young guys but I do it too when I’m going out for the evening. My dress shirts are fitted. I sometimes turn back the shirt cuffs over the jacket’s sleeves. Shirts of cotton or linen are my favorites. I rarely wear a short-sleeved dress shirt. Colors? Italian men are not afraid of color, though I tend to stick with shades of sand and stone or navy for pants, with pale-blue or white shirts. T-shirts with a printed message are popular too. I wear leather bracelets, usually more than one at a time and have several watches that I change depending on the shirts. Make sure your watch fits where the wrist meets the hand. Don’t wear it too big so that it spins around the wrist. And yes, I wear a gold chain with a cross. I guess that’s pretty typical but don’t wear one that’s oversized. Some cool sunglasses, a scarf and the right belt can upgrade your look to dapper. And finally, you need at least two pairs of shoes: lace-up ones for elegant evenings out and then for casual wear a leather loafer or tennis shoe. Soft leather loafers come in lots of colors and shades and they are almost always worn without socks, and with slim-fit trousers. If you are going to wear sneakers out for the evening make sure they are not the sporty kind but the fashion ones. You can be comfortable in a stylish way. If you'd like to go out shopping with me in the Peligna Valley. Bring an empty suitcase and meet me in Abruzzo! “Happiness: a state of emotional well-being that a person experiences as a positive evaluation of one’s life.” as defined by Webster’s dictionary. I bought my house here in Abruzzo in the winter of 2013. Since then, I’ve lived here on and off (coming back and forth from the Middle East where I taught school). Two years ago, after marrying the love of my life, who is from a local village, I settled in permanently. I love it here. A highlight of my life is welcoming guests to our B&B and being able to learn and live in our small community of Roccacasale. Yes, of course it’s not perfect, but that’s not what I’m striving for. I have lived outside my home country of the United States for the past 32 years. Though I love my home country (which I visit every year) I also love meeting new people and experiencing other cultures. When it came time to settle in one place (retire from teaching internationally), I choose Italy. I feel comfortable here. I often reflect on my current situation, and I came up with 15 reasons why Abruzzo, Italy makes me smile, here they are: 1. The Sea – The Adriatic Sea lies on Abruzzo’s eastern coast. It is stunning. It’s not commercialized like many other coastlines around the world. You can find the famous “Trabocchi” (stilt structures which were an early form of putting a fishing net into the sea – no longer used for fishing. They remain in a form of architecture ingrained in fishing communities along Italy’s Adriatic coast) or a small seafood restaurant hidden away. 2. The Mountains – I’ve always dreamed of living in the mountains. Abruzzo’s mountains are clean, fresh and full of life. Hiking, biking and canoeing are everyday events. 3. Spectacular Views – It doesn’t matter which way you look, north, south, east or west, there are amazing views. Of course, I found the best one of all right outside my door right here in Roccacasale. 4. Farm to Table Food – The nourishment is amazingly fresh right from the earth. We have a wonderful garden full of all the fruits and vegetables we need. And yes, we have an olive grove that we harvest each year in the Fall. 5. The Pasta – made by hand. Every restaurant here serves it. 6. The Festivals – especially the summer “sagras” are full of people, food and music. Always a good time. 7. Wineries – if you like wine, which I do, Abruzzo has the finest; Pecorino, Trebbiano and Montepulciano D’Abruzzo... award winning wines! 8. Olive Oil – extra virgin, extra fresh, extra delicious! NOTHING compares to ‘freshly pressed’ 9. Friendly People – no matter where you go you will always be greeted with a happy “Buon Giorno”. 10. Medieval Villages – everywhere! Sadly many of them are dying out in this region but many of the local ‘mayors’ are trying hard to bring them back to life. 11. Fresh Spring Water and Clean Air – Free refreshing water from mountain springs. Air that is clear and crisp. No need for bottled water here. 12. Castles – I think I heard that there are over 900 castles in the region of Abruzzo. I’m determined to see them all. 13. Abruzzo’s Connection to the Past – this region has an amazing past that the locals boast about. 14. Four Seasons – having lived in the Middle East for over 20 years, being back to having four seasons makes life interesting. 15. Cost of Living – it’s not expensive here, what can I say that makes me smile! It’s a simple life , and I love it! Come visit us here in Abruzzo, we’ll be happy to show you around … you may just want to stay – like I did! |
About the authorThis blog is curated by Margaret Gigliotti, B&B owner, teacher, explorer, wine drinker and creative writer. Looking for ideas of places to visit in Abruzzo. Download our free guide of the best places most people miss.
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