An unexpectedly complex decision each morning must be made about my outfit. Steve Madden biker- boots or my normal Puma sneakers? Low-waisted flare jeans or a baggy and belted option? A trench or a short leather jacket? Changing trends are so easily noticed here it is almost surprising. Suddenly, every designer store had a brown suede bag. It was overnight. Miu Miu had a short brown suede jacket displayed in the window, then Prada and even Gucci. The new thing now is the baguette bag, slowly but surely within the last week, suede has turned to a long leather, an over-the-shoulder bag displayed again, in each designer window.
Suede and even fringe have not gone away yet. Neither has dark red burgundy, that I wouldn’t even consider a trend anymore. It’s something more ingrained into fashion now, from what I’ve seen, it also happens to be my favorite color.
Fashion is for all ages; women in Milan from their 20s to 80s are seen wearing big fur jackets. I would like to add that mink, from my experience, is solely seen on women over 50, and they look absolutely fabulous. While I do not support the new fur production of coats and jackets, I believe buying from thrifted or vintage stores is great, let’s repurpose. I myself bought a vintage fox-fur brown leather jacket, the fur is only around the sleeves, I prefer a simpler look, the large fur coats eat me alive. This jacket I wear only in Milan. In Florence, from what I have seen in the city center, fur is not as popular.
The Influence of Weather on Fashion
There is a large temperature and humidity difference here, which plays a huge role in differentiating fashion standards. The large coats in Milan make sense, as it is almost frigid at night, even in March, whereas lighter trench coats are worn in Florence. I just bought an olive green trench coat, and wow, I am in love. It has a burgundy belted clasp in the center and black buttons along the sides. This is the only jacket I can wear in both places. I have a lighter leather jacket here in Florence as well, but other than that all of my jackets live in Milan.
In Italy, you must always think about the humidity. In New York, the average humidity is around fifty percent. Here in Florence, it’s about seventy percent. Why is this a life-changing anomaly in my daily life? The cold is colder and the heat is hotter. What may be a cool sixty degrees in Milan now feels like a crisp forty-eight. The other day, I left my apartment in Florence with my light leather jacket. I thrifted this from Humana Vintage. I highly recommend it. It is impossible to not walk out with something. As I leave class around six, I am so cold I thought about buying a scarf from one of the street vendors but I pushed through. We experienced a heat wave I believe in the last two weeks, and now everyone has a stuffy nose again. The weather here is temperamental, so I may be trying to affirm or validate all of my jacket purchases, but I also feel it is necessary between both of these cities.
Trends vs. Individuality
Circling back to the changing trends, I never realized how involved designer brands were in these changes. The brown suede movement was incredible, but I do wish each brand had more of its own touch to each bag or specific piece. Both Prada and Miu Miu came out with multiple brown suede bags, as well as brown suede baguette bags. These are two of my favorite designer brands, but is this really necessary? When people purchase this bag and wear it, in two years will it be seen as old? How long does it take for a designer bag from a trend to be unwearable, or is this concept completely ridiculous?
In Florence, I want to curate something unique. I feel drawn to thrift stores and vintage pieces that feel like something I will wear forever. Florence fashion seems overall timeless, I want to craft my own personality in clothing. Fashion feels like art in Milan. Being drawn into trends is easy in Milan, people wear them flawlessly like it belongs in the city at this time of the year. Attempting to navigate a balance is important.
My eyes have been opened in both of these cities. I am shocked but also pulled in, and I believe I am in awe of each passing trend and each one that stays. I want to be a part of it and reject it at the same time, it is a very contradicting way of being. I appreciate my ability to observe and also analyze each person, most people, who are either dressing in a way that is fashionable but unique to them or choosing to use bag charms on their brown suede bag. I currently have a brown suede bag with bag charms, some charms of my own making and some I have bought. There is this new idea of bringing back individuality, such as personalizing your bag with bracelets and handkerchiefs, a very fun way of individualizing something like a purse I use every day. I also enjoy the trends, I enjoy and have bought charms sold in stores. Does it take away my own individuality to participate in this buying of personalization? This is consistently in my mind as I walk by these stores every day to get to class. Ultimately, I believe trying to add my own uniqueness to each piece of my own clothing or style while only participating in trends I really love, I think brings vitality to the way I wear my own clothes.
