The Italian Essence

Sprezzatura: The Italian Secret to Looking Effortless There is a wonderful Italian word that has been borrowed by the fashion world for years. Sprezzatura. It is often translated as “effortless elegance” or “studied nonchalance”. But I think those translations miss something. Because sprezzatura isn't really about looking as though you haven't tried. It is about knowing exactly what you are doing — and then making it look as though you haven't. And that, to me, is one of the

What Italy Taught Me About Saving Things for "Best" There was a time when I had clothes that hardly ever left the wardrobe. I had lovely dresses that I was keeping for that “special occasion”, the expensive perfume I thought I would never be able to afford again, so I kept it on my dressing table to be worn two or three times as year. We had a whole cabinet full of china we we were given for a wedding present, but only came out for dinner parties – which we rarely gave!

If you've ever wondered why Italian women always seem to look effortlessly elegant, you're not imagining it. After living in Italy, studying Italian fashion, and spending years watching women of all ages go about their daily lives, I've realised something surprising. It isn't because they spend more money, it isn't because they're naturally more stylish. And it certainly isn't because they're chasing every new fashion trend. Italian women understand something many of us have