The great fashion designer Vivienne Westwood recently said in an interview that one of the causes
of the world pollution is ‘garbage fashion’, meaning the thousands of pieces that are thrown away every day in order to make room for the next collection in the store and the next trend in the closet. Fast-changing fashion is an integral part of our fast-paced society, and the fashion industry increasingly is a global industry, competing on international fronts rather than local ones.
Atthe same time, customers are increasingly demanding, wanting that special something to update their look, stimulated also by the continuous push of the fashion press and advertising. This never-ending fashion circus is felt even more during the spring-the numbers tell us that spring/summer collections sell more than fall/winter ones. This is partly due to the fact that winter wear-coats, jackets and the like-is usually more expensive; when we buy one item we normally wait at least a couple of years before getting a new one.
But there may also be a psychological explanation for the springtime peak in sales: in spring we get into full ‘shopping mode.’ The end of winter brings nice warm weather, the bella stagione (beautiful season), makes us feel more frivolous, happier, and in the mood for change. With the dawn of a new season we often feel the need to create a new and improved ‘us’, and stepping into a new season means stepping into new shoes, dresses, tops and more.
Living in Florence gives us the perfect chance to experience this glamorous change, as we suddenly find stores full of new colors, fancy prints and sensual fabrics to help us create our fresh new ‘us’-or at least a more playful and satisfying version of us.
This unique city offers a concentration of some of the world’s most beautiful fashion stores, an expression of world-famous Italian style, and, at the same time, a variety of people coming from all over the world. In this extremely diverse environment we can easily create the perfect spring look, not by buying everything we like around us, but by choosing the perfect small details to build an elegant and unique style. The Latin word elegantia in fact comes from the verb eligere which means ‘to choose.’
So, how do you get the perfect springtime look? A good starting point is thinking about your look from head to toe. Italian springs tend to be quite chilly in the mornings and at night. Try replacing your wool scarf with a silk one, choose a leather jacket or a trench coat, wear it with a cotton blouse paired with a light sweater and skinny jeans-or a blazer and classic pants if you need a more formal look-complete the style with ankle boots (the most popular shoe in Italy right now) and your favorite bag.
Don’t make the mistake of showing too much skin right now; it’s still a little early
in the season. If you feel the urge for a touch of summer flavor you can achieve it by playing with accessories, which are especially important during the spring. I recently visited the Ferragamo Museum, and no matter how may times I’ve been, I am constantly amazed by the incredible amount of creativity that can be concentrated in a product as small as a shoe.
Here’s a game that I love to play and even apply to my fashion courses. Choose a simple outfit that makes you feel comfortable and pretty. T-shirt and denim, sweater and leggings or the most classic little black dress, then by just changing the accessories, create three different looks for three different occasions. Ballerinas, boots, clutch, shopping bag or work bag and of course, jewelry, sunglasses, belts, scarves and hats. Once you start you can’t stop!
Enjoy the game and create your own and very personal ‘perfect spring look.’
