Italia on My Mind

Hello everyone! I see that I have a few readers from new places this week: Cypress and Netherlands. I know very little about Cyprus, but I know that the plants and general flora inspired perfumist Francois Coty to invent a new genre of fragrance. Le Chypre is said to attempt to capture the trees... et c. of the island. I know even less about the Netherlands, except that I'm going to be doing business with them soon! [Thanks Aegon!]

I've always liked the idea of Italy. I'll be the first to admit that between attempting to learn German and going on a free-for-all research mode on all things Asian culture, I've neglecting learning about this great culture that seems at once close and far.

Paris, France is always on the lips of everyone who deals with any kind of international industry, and all those touristy tote bags say "London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles... Paris". I won't pretend I'm not a Francophile, I've learned a French phrase or two, and I've imagined going to Paris many times.

However nothing quite replaces Italy, in my mind. I'd like to start learning more. The language is rich, the coffee has become a legend, the dancing is intense, and the food is great (at least from all that I've seen)!

Now I have a little bit of a situation with trends. I come up with an idea, don't tell anyone about it, and a year or so later I see it being done by someone else. For example, some years ago I imagined that it would be great to have dress shoes made mainly out of lace, and scrapped the idea, thinking it would prove too difficult. And yet:

However, this time I've come up with a little photographic evidence to show that I've been thinking about all this for a while.

Gotta love hair volume! (I think country does that at some time...)

Is a center part a current trend? Maybe not, but the thought-association is there.  Also: necklace!

Italian flag colours

If you've seen Monica Bellucci in Heart Tango (or anything), you know Italian style is great! ;)

I know a lot of my ideas of this country could just be great big stereotypes. However I'd like to change that.

I can easily see Italia gaining French status in the collective American psyche, and it would be great if that could more than a trend of the moment.

What cultures do you love? Which ones would you like to learn more about?

Thanks for reading, and Happy Thursday!