12/17/2015 Milanshopping:howtodresslikeanItalianTelegraph

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Milanshopping:howtodresslikeanItalian

Howdoyouachievethateffortlesselegance?GotoMilantolearntherules,saysEvieDow.

'Thesurroundingstreetshavetobethebesttryingonterritoryintheworld:BottegaVeneta,Chanel,Armani,Prada,Gucci,theDMagazineoutletatviaMontenapoleone26...'Photo:Alamy

ByEvieDow

8:00AMBST03Sep2010

WhydotheBritish,theirwardrobescrammedwithclothes,sooftenlookamesswhiletheItalians,withgenerallyfewerclothes,invariablylooksoelegant?

ItalianimageconsultantMargheritaPericobelievesthereasonwebuysomanyclothesisthatwedon'tknowwhatsuitsus.Consequently,wearecontinuallygoingshopping,caughtupinaneternalhuntforthemagicsomethingthatwilltransformus.Butbecausewedon'treallyknowwhatweshouldbelookingfor,wekeepbuyingthewrongthing,oratleastthenotgoodenoughthing.WelldressedItalians,ontheotherhand,haveauniformandabidebycertainsartorial

12/17/2015 Milanshopping:howtodresslikeanItalianTelegraph

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rules,withthehappyoutcomewehaveallseenaroundusonourtravels.

"YouBritisharesoindividual,"sighsthesmall,pretty,deceptivelyunassumingMsPerico,stirringherespressoatPasticceriaCovaonviaMontenapoleone,intheheartofItaly'sfashioncapital."ButinLondon,everywhereIlookIseethejackettoolong,thetrousertooshort,theearringtoosmall,thebagtoobigItisashame."

Onceweknowtherulesandwhatweshouldbelookingfor,shesays,wewillbuylessbutbetter.Wemightspendmorethanwedidbeforeasourtastebecomesmorerefined,butitwillbeonclothesweactuallywearratherthanleaveonahangeruntilcondemningthemtoeBayoracharityshop.

"Peoplearescaredtoconsultanimageconsultant,"Pericoexplains,smiling."Theythinkitwillbeexpensiveorembarrassing.Yes,youneedmoneyandbeautifulclothesdocostmorebutexpensivefabricperformsverydifferentlyfromcheapfabric,andtheoutlaybringssavingsinthelongrun.Improvingyourlookisanincrediblehelpinlifeandeveryonecandoit,whatevertheirbudget."Bythistime,withmycoffeegrowingcold,Iamalmostbeggingher.Tellmetherules,Margherita!HowcanwealllooklikeItalians?

"So.ThesecretofItalianstyleissimpleyetcomplex:fit,colourandfabric,"shebegins."Everyclient,thefirstthingItellthemis'Please,keepiteasy,keepitclear,keepitsimple'.Thefirstruleistoknowyourbody.Dressingwellmeanstimeinfrontofafulllengthmirror.Stand,turn,sitandlielikeaVelasquezpaintinginfrontofamirror.Analyseandacceptyourself,goodpointsandthebad.Otherwise,youwillbedressingsomethingyoudon'tknow.Itwillbelikehavingaroundtableandbuyingasquarecloth.Itcouldbenice,butitalsocouldnot."

Thesecondruleistorestrictthecoloursyouwear."Italianswearjusttwoatatime,"Pericoadvises."Theybuyonlyfour:black,blue,brownandwhite.Inwinter,blackiskinginsummer,whiteisblack."

Thethirdandmostimportantruleistopaycloseattentiontofit."Clothesshouldskimthebody,"Pericosays."Tootight,anditisasifyouareexploding.Toobig,especiallyifyouarecurvy,andpeopleworrywhatisunderneath."

Sothereyouare.Aswestandupinfrontofafulllengthmirrorinthecafshegentlygraspsthebackofmyjacket."Yousee?"shesays.AsIlookatmynew,waistedsilhouette,Ifeelasifmyeyeshaveonlyjustopened.It'smyfavouritejacket,buthowcouldIhavebeensoblind?Itdoesn'tfit!

Takemeshopping,Margherita,Iimplore.Thesurroundingstreetshavetobethebesttryingon

12/17/2015 Milanshopping:howtodresslikeanItalianTelegraph

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territoryintheworld:BottegaVeneta,Chanel,Armani,Prada,Gucci,theDMagazineoutletatviaMontenapoleone26Shelaughs."Womengotoocrazyfortheshopping.Startwithaccessoriesbethedivawiththose.Studymorebeforebuyingmore.Womenshouldbelikemen,andknowthatthemostbeautifulthingcanbetogonottoashopbuttoaverygoodtailor.Thenyoumustwait,butyougetperfection."Onbehalfofthenation:thankyou,Margherita.

Whentogo

AvoidSunday/Monday:shopsinMilanclosefrom7.30pmonSaturdayto3.30pmonMonday.

Wheretostart

MargheritaPerico(00393484938665,www.margheritaperico.com)chargesfrom580foranimageconsultation,includingphotographs.

Wheretoshop

Forcostumejewelleryatbrilliantprices(60foranecklaceVersacewouldsellfor300),trythetinytreasuretroveAnnaTarabelloni&Co(00390276021169)atviaGes15.Andfortheultimatesartorialtreat,visitmastertailorGianniCampagna(003902778811,www.campagna.it)atviaPalestro24,whereKarlLagerfeldandValentinogofortheirownhandmadesuits.

Wheretostay

Inthecentre,closetothefourmostfamousfashionstreets(dellaSpiga,Montenapoleone,Sant'AndreaandManzoni),hoteloptionsincludeTheTownhouse,FourSeasons,TheGray,ParkHyattandBulgari.Tenminutesaway,thegrandestofallisthePrincipediSavoia(00390262301,www.hotelprincipedisavoia.com),whereheadsofstateandfashioneditorsstay,withmarblebathrooms,oneofItaly'sgreatbars,andacomplimentarylimoshuttletothecentre.Rackratesstartat630,sobookthroughatouroperator.Abercrombie&Kent(08456182213,www.abercrombiekent.co.uk)isofferingtwonightsfrom530perperson,b&b,withAlitaliaflightsandprivatetransfers.

Wheretoeat

BusyPasticceriaCovaatviaMontenapoleone8andchicCaffBaglioniatviadellaSpiga6

12/17/2015 Milanshopping:howtodresslikeanItalianTelegraph

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aregoodforapreshopcappuccino.Atlunch,fashionistasstillpackNobu(00390262312645,www.armaninobu.it)atArmani'sstoreonviaManzoni.Intheevening,trythecoollydramatic,twoMichelinstarredTrussardiallaScala(00390280688201,www.trussardiallascala.com),byLaScalaoperahouse,orAnticaTrattoriadellaPesa(0039026555741)atvialePasubio10,fullofatmosphereandflavour.

Whattoread

ThetinyLuxeGuidetoMilan(www.luxecityguides.com,4.99)isfun.

Howwemoderate

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