A country’s
culture is often ex-pressed by its language, and to fully enjoy the experience
of living abroad it is important to know the specific terminology used in
various sectors. When talking fashion, it’s fundamental to know your paillettes from your pantaloni if you want to walk out of the store looking sharp.
In a fashion-conscious land like Italy, every shoe has its name and every heel is worth
a thousand words.
The extremely rich Italian tradition of high-quality products is
reflected in a number of ways, each rooted in the country’s fashion past. These
words tell the stories of dedicated men and women who, century after century
and generation after generation, enriched the incredible fashion expertise that
defines Italy today. The array of words
and expressions used to define various products, especially shoes and bags, is
never-ending and almost as amazing as the objects of desire they describe.
Today many
designers have their own workshops for new, crazy, beautiful pieces of art,
which they promote every season as must-have items for lucky fashionistas.
The one object
that represents the greatest passion and obsession of women are of course le
scarpe-shoes! These years, the runways of Milan are paying particular attention to them. Shoes
are now considered more and more to be sculpture, design objects, even works of
art that have become so important that they occupy an important space in the
house, even stealing the privileged spot of books on the shelves of the living
room.
Without doubt,
the most en vogue shoes today in Italy are gli stivali (boots). You can find
them in every shape and size and with all sorts of heels. A fresh-and
comfortable-version for the uneven Florentine streets are stivaletti, ankle boots, especially the one with a tacco basso (low heel).
Sexier and much more ‘dangerous’ are the high-heel tronchetti,
ankle-tight shoes with wide, high heels. The most popular this season have
strings inspired by classic men’s shoes but with very feminine stiletto heels (tacchi
a spillo), called francesine.
Speaking of
heels, a mention goes to the retro look of the rocchetto heel (thin in
the middle and thick on the top and bottom) or the marvelous but very uncomfortable
tacco ‘a banana’ whose curved shape makes finding your balance a
challenge. One thing to keep in mind about shopping for shoes in Italy is that heels are measured in centimeters-the
most sexy and famous of which is the tacco 12. Remember that a good heel
can make a woman feel powerful, sensual and graceful all at the same time.
So, whether
your choice is stivaletti, tronchetti, francesine, or tacchi with crazy shapes, always check the label that indicates the materials used
on the exterior and interior of the shoe to ensure you are buying a quality
piece, not just a fancy toy.
