|
|
|
|
Today, we'll explore the world of Italian style and garments, starting with the star of Winter: il Cappotto, the coat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The essence of Italian elegance, if you ask me, is a gentleman or gentlewoman with a well-tailored cappotto, a cashmere scarf, and a classic hat. All worn with understatement, undoubtedly revealing they are used to wearing them all the time, almost like a sportive outfit.
|
|
Our grandparents would go to the tailor and wait weeks or months to get their coats done. It was an investment for life, or sort of.
|
|
Industrialization has shortened times. Today, you enter a - trusted - shop, try on different models, and, if one of them satisfies your needs, the salesperson takes notes of the little adjustments needed, usually the length of both the coat and the sleeves. You are then given a delivery date that is generally a couple of days to a week later and a note with all the details.
|
However, industrialization has also made the search for quality more challenging. Even when you've put together enough money to buy your precious garment.
|
Even when you've decided to step into adulthood and emulate your ancestors by making a life investment, or maybe you want to plunge into childhood memories, when every Fall, mom took you to purchase your cappotto for the coming year (two if you found a bigger size that didn't show too much). Even when, for all the above, you look for something more than what fast fashion has to offer, you might encounter a scam.
You must pay special attention to labels and, if possible, bring your mom or dad (or aunt or expert friend) with you because they know better and won't be tempted by the dusty rose or fashionable detail.
|
They will first check that the coat fits your shoulders perfectly. They'll ensure the composition is of at least 80% pure wool or other traditional fabrics (cashmere, tweed, or vicugna, one of the finest fibers in the world, obtained from the fleece of small camelids from the Andes). And that you are buying one of the traditional, invincible neutral colors: black, gray, blue, or camel.
They'll also make sure, if you are short, that you are not getting one of those under-the-knee models that can only further shorten your figure. That the lapels suit your body shape (classic, peak, or shawl) and that the seams are well done.
Any fancy addition like a fur collar, embroidery, lace, or passementeries is okay for Renaissance paintings or your second coat. Same for vibrant colors (oh, those ladies and their ruby Christmassy coats!)
They'll also insist that you go for a traditional, basic shape you won't get tired of: long and straight, maybe the baggy but iconic Max Mara style.
Basically, you have three choices: single-breasted, double-breasted, or unstructured/dressing gown-shaped. As for the length, they'll probably insist on the classic just-above-the-knee (perfect with pants) or at-the-knee (for both pants and short skirts). Long to the ankle (for any pant and skirt) rests in the second place; it is much more elegant, mostly an evening garment, especially if lined with silk.
|
It's more or less the same effort as buying a new house or apartment.
And just like a property, it will ask for maintenance. Not only dry-cleaning and properly storing, but a visit to the tailor every now and then! But when you put it on, when the softness and warmth surprise you each and every time, when you - proved! - walk and act different, you'll know it was all worth it.
|
That's it, belli miei. Welcome to 2025's Italian Winter!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Italian kale soup with cannellini beans and Prosciutto
|
|
In this post, we will make a comforting winter soup: an Italian kale soup with cannellini beans and Prosciutto.
|
|
|
|
|
The Yellow Simposio: Italian Winter recipes
|
|
This Simposio is a winter Italian cookbook. We will explore winter on the peninsula through the most delicious Italian Winter recipes. For you, from Italy: winter comfort food, seasonal traditions, places in Rome, and cultural insights.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you stumbled upon this newsletter for the first time...
|
|
I live in glorious Rome. I love pasta, "melanzane alla parmigiana," hats, suitcases and airports, Christmas, and books.
|
|
Through this weekly correspondence, I aim to share what living in Italy truly feels like. Of course, this is my point of view: the neighborhood where I live, the places I go to, the food I eat, and the trips I take. I try to broaden it by recounting traditions, asking the people I meet, and time-traveling through my memories or those of the Italians around me. Hoping this will be entertaining, informative, and, most important of all, authentic!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Was this entertaining, informative, or just a bit fun?
Become a Patron of the Modern Arts:
|
|
|
|
|
social land
|
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
