La moda

Two times a year the latest styles of clothes and accessories are debuted at fashion week in the fashion capitals of the world: New York, London, Paris, and, most important to this program, Milan. At these shows (one for the fall and winter looks and one for the spring and summer) designers showcase what is going to be the next big thing that will eventually become noticeable in the styles worn by many average Italians.

            What is in fashion today in Italy is very different from that in America. Though jeans are becoming more widely accepted across Italia, it is still not the norm to wear them regularly. Many women wear skirts of a reasonable length and a more dressed up top. One word that describes these women is classy. They generally cover their knees and shoulders. Generally, darker colors are worn by the older Italians and the younger Italians will tend to wear brighter colors. Young men can be seen sporting brightly colored pants occasionally, but usually wear nice shorts and a polo of some description. Unlike in America, Italians hardly wear flip flops or short jean shorts. These items of dress are usually indicators of a tourist.

            Italian words that can be useful when talking about fashion are plentiful, but there are a few that are necessary to know. One of the most important is moda which means fashion. Another is vestiti which means clothes. Finally, possibly the most important word to know in any language: scarpe, also known as shoes.

            Overall, Italians portray elegance. When they go out, they do it in a more conservative, classy manner than in America. One thing is for certain though, when it comes to fashion Italian men and women always show up in their best, raising zero suspicion as to why Italy is the home of one of the greatest fashion capitals in the world. --Paige Kauffman