It seems like the Italians have it right with everything. From the fashions displayed in Milan, through to the delicious food across plates nationwide, and right back round to the stuff they can’t even help – like their weather, gorgeous scenery and landscapes – it’s a wonder we aren’t all flocking to set up camp in this beautiful Mediterranean country. Alas, real life calls most of us, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t inject some of their lifestyle into your own.
Italian Decor
Perhaps the most obvious starting point when bringing any culture into your home is to address your interior design. Italians are proud of their classic styles which date back centuries, oozing with elegance and grace. Think quaint Tuscan villas, complete with pottery and plenty of art. Of course, it’s not all about old-fashioned designs. Italians are of course up-to-date on their fashions and this has spilled over into their contemporary home living. This is perfectly demonstrated in these Italian chairs from Vivendo so it may be that you can create a fusion between your existing set up and that of the Italians!
Italian Fashion
Fashion is very often synonymous with style, and the most sophisticated of Italians have truly got this on point. To bring Italian style into your home is to bring the most elegant fashions into your wardrobe, and of course, that can be quite costly! It might be an idea to start by adding a few timeless staples into the mix, for example leather shoes or handbags.
After time, you’ll come to appreciate why Milan Fashion Week showcases designs in as equally an influential manner as the other fashion capitals of the world, namely NYC, London and Paris. Perhaps the biggest signifier of Italian fashion is that it conveys “sprezzatura”, which is a relaxed elegance full of nonchalance. That’s just like the lifestyle itself, no?
Italian Cooking
With the Italians, authenticity is everything. You can incorporate their traditional ways, if you are ready and willing to truly learn. Think you know pizza and pasta? Think again. Take everything you thought you knew and throw it out of the window. With Italian cooking, everything is from scratch, and they put their trademark style into their cuisine just as much as anything else.
Throw away those pre-made pizza bases, pasta sauces and, if you’re truly feeling adventurous, even the pasta itself. In Italy, they create their trademark tastes by creating everything themselves. Of course, ingredients play a big part, and the sort of quality you might expect in Rome or Tuscany might greatly differ in grocery stores wherever you are. However, you should try to source the freshest ingredients that you can. The secret to Italian cooking is understanding its rich complexity. So, if you want to learn enough to bring it into your kitchen, appreciate that it’s not just spaghetti, it’s a whole palette of flavours.
Follow these tips and you’ll be well on your way to living the Italian life!