A Statement of Fashion

Fashion is an interesting thing here in Italy. I can comfortably play the observer as I am completely unfashionable and easily identifiable as American, particularly by my choice in foot wear. Italian women favor stilettos, the higher the better. I am awed as I watch them wobble off down the unevenly cobbled roads and sidewalks and constantly amazed that I’ve not seen even one of them fall yet.

Now the men go a different route with brightly colored pants. I have seen a man in bright gold, several in loud orange, and one young man in town favors a pair of black cotton pants with thin white pin stripes. What’s even more surprising is that he can carry it off. Most men I know would look like escapees from the circus in a pair of those pants.

The angelically beautiful man is still at the art gallery and we still exchange smiles, today he even waved and one day he said, “Hi”. Did I mention that people can tell I’m American? At any rate, this gorgeous vision of manhood stepped out of the gallery directly in front of me today and I got a good look at his outfit. He is very sleek, slim, and elegant, much like a model, as I’ve mentioned. Today he sported a light colored button down shirt, tan snug-fitting trousers, a dark colored sweater draped over his back with the arms knotted in front and, I kid you not, a pair of smoking-hot, bright purple suede moccasins decorated with gold-colored metal grommets. I have never seen anything like those shoes and had to hide a big smirk as I slunk past, head down. I am so glad my boys were not with me as they would have let out a hysterical whoop of laughter and embarrassed us all! It takes a certain man to wear purple moccasins with aplomb and apparently he is that man!