How to dress for studying in Florence

How to dress for studying in Florence

It is quite the task to fit nine months and four seasons of clothing (and shoes!) into two suitcases, so when the time came to pack for my study-abroad year in Italy, I asked everyone who might be able to help to clue me in on what I should

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Thu 15 Jan 2015 1:00 AM

It is quite the task to fit nine months and four seasons of clothing (and shoes!) into two suitcases, so when the time came to pack for my study-abroad year in Italy, I asked everyone who might be able to help to clue me in on what I should and shouldn’t take. I even turned to Google to ask the all-knowing Web what Italians wear. The results of my search hinted at the culture clash I was about to experience: no shorts, less scandalous clothing, less skin showing, neutral colors, important brand names, better quality. Over and over I saw the word classy.

 

In 2010, Marie Claire ran an article stating, ‘Italian women tend to go for classic, designer-clad ensembles while New York, on the other hand, pushes the envelope.’ Well, maybe New York fashionistas are putting over edgy looks, but the average American college student is not pushing any style envelope. For American college students, the governing look is slightly (ok, sometimes very) sloppy and very relaxed. Some might even say the operating term is ‘lazy.’ 

 

On our home campuses, we all look alike. But here in Florence, American students stick out for their lack of style. The uniform for college females—maxi skirts and crop tops, jeans and tees, and the bare minimum of fabric when going out at night—clashes with the elegance of Italian dressing. The thought of wearing the ubiquitous American campus ‘look’—athletic apparel—to run errands would make a Florentine woman cringe (even if the leggings are from Lululemon).

 

My landlady, Maria, is an example of this sense of style as a fact of daily life. When she stopped by after my first week to check on me, she was wearing small wedge heels, fitted trousers, a silk blouse and cropped jacket; her hair was done and her makeup on. I had to ask myself which one of us was the fashion student.

 

While American college men sport gym shorts and grungy hipster apparel, Florentine men dress with taste and class: trim trousers, sleek button ups, fitted vests and jackets, and stylish loafers are a daily look for Italian men.

 

Asked to comment on the clash of styles, professor of international buying and marketing Fabianna Vannucchi offered, ‘I would say that we Italians have more style, more taste, more sense of beauty and more creativity.’ Harsh but true. Vannucchi went on to describe Americans as ‘practical,’ which ‘reflects in their fashion.’ American students go for what is easy and inexpensive, whereas quality over quantity is the fashion rule Italians live by.

 

And there is another factor at play. Inger Cristoffersen, who has 12 years of experience teaching American students in Italy, observed, ‘I find the Italian students more focused on quality and classic styles and they have more individual tastes than the American students. The American students are more brand focused, but often avoid standing out too much’—which may be the reason we all seem to dress alike no matter where in America or what college we hail from, or how well the look suits us.

 

Fashion and style is part of Italian culture, and those studying abroad here have an opportunity to learn about this aspect of the culture. For those who are interested, prepare not only to step up your fashion game but to enter the Italian fashion game. Even as a student of fashion, it’s a game that’s new to me, but it’s refreshing to play on someone else’s turf. 

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