Milan: a fashion mecca
Milan is to daisies as Paris is to roses. Allow me to elaborate. Daisies are classically cool, understated, and loved by everyone. Roses are pretentious, expensive, but the prettiest to look at. The differences between the two fashion capitals are as vast as night and day; both ooze their own sense of style yet both are enviable. While in Milan, I was lucky enough to enjoy 20 plus degree weather despite the fact it was late October. A typical Milanese outfit consisted of jeans (preferably Italian fashion labels such as Diesel or Miss Sixty), a cool t-shirt or top in some sort of interesting fabric (think chiffon or silk) and a blazer or a cardigan to top it off. Converse or boots were ubiquitous, but Milanese girls do it right: the all-stars were anything but basic and styles from crocodile skin to wool plaid were seen.
As for where these fashionable girls get their stylish yet laid back wardrobes... pretty much anywhere close to the centre of the city. The shopping in Milan is endless and although a smaller city than Paris, shopping stores cram nearly every street in the downtown area. Similar to Paris in the way that both cities are built in a spiral, the shopping was easy to find. The city centre boasts a massive old church that can be walked through and up to the roof and the spectacular view looks over all of Milan. Cafes, shopping stores, gelato shops and roasted chestnut stands fill the city. The overall pace of the people was evident from the rooftop, too, and it is considerably slower than in Paris. Another great view from the roof was of one of my favourite stores in Milan: La Rinascente, which is the Italian equivalent to Holt Renfrew (but sooooo much better!).
La Rinascente is seven floors of pure, blissful designer shopping. Italian heavy hitters such as Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Sergio Rossi and Tod's among many others line well organized and totally luxurious mini-boutiques within the store. On the eighth floor is a food market, a sushi bar, a cafe and a patio lounge. Don't let the prices scare you away, though; although the pasta is 8€ (aprox. $13 CDN) per 500 grams and a small box of chocolates go for 35€ (aprox. $55 CDN), you can be rest assured it's the best pasta and chocolates available in all of Italy. As for the patio lounge, the overstuffed couches, silk throw pillows, glass tables, fresh flower scent and the incredible view paid for itself when ordering the 17€ (aprox. $27 CDN) cocktails. Lucky for us, happy hour is taken quite seriously in Europe and La Rinascente takes part in the most luxurious way. Kettle chips, buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad, mixed nuts, mini prosciutto sandwiches and some flaky, delicious Italian pastry of some kind were brought to us simply because it was 7 p.m. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
Other upscale stores are confined to a block or two a little further northwest from the centre. Despite having all the same names as in Paris, the Milanese counterparts were far more welcoming and laid back while still maintaining their prestige. The window displays alone were enough to stop and stare; Versace's window could have been mistaken for a dance club with an LED lit back wall and party clothes on display. (Thank you, Prof. Nolan, for teaching me to have the eye to look out for such displays!). Italian leather shoe and handbag stores were also everywhere and you have to feel it to believe it; they are somehow different in Milan (I swear!). All I have to say is, I know the saying goes, “when in Rome!” but it really should be, “when in Milan!” To live in Milan is to appreciate and savour the finer things in life.
As for where these fashionable girls get their stylish yet laid back wardrobes... pretty much anywhere close to the centre of the city. The shopping in Milan is endless and although a smaller city than Paris, shopping stores cram nearly every street in the downtown area. Similar to Paris in the way that both cities are built in a spiral, the shopping was easy to find. The city centre boasts a massive old church that can be walked through and up to the roof and the spectacular view looks over all of Milan. Cafes, shopping stores, gelato shops and roasted chestnut stands fill the city. The overall pace of the people was evident from the rooftop, too, and it is considerably slower than in Paris. Another great view from the roof was of one of my favourite stores in Milan: La Rinascente, which is the Italian equivalent to Holt Renfrew (but sooooo much better!).
La Rinascente is seven floors of pure, blissful designer shopping. Italian heavy hitters such as Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Sergio Rossi and Tod's among many others line well organized and totally luxurious mini-boutiques within the store. On the eighth floor is a food market, a sushi bar, a cafe and a patio lounge. Don't let the prices scare you away, though; although the pasta is 8€ (aprox. $13 CDN) per 500 grams and a small box of chocolates go for 35€ (aprox. $55 CDN), you can be rest assured it's the best pasta and chocolates available in all of Italy. As for the patio lounge, the overstuffed couches, silk throw pillows, glass tables, fresh flower scent and the incredible view paid for itself when ordering the 17€ (aprox. $27 CDN) cocktails. Lucky for us, happy hour is taken quite seriously in Europe and La Rinascente takes part in the most luxurious way. Kettle chips, buffalo mozzarella and tomato salad, mixed nuts, mini prosciutto sandwiches and some flaky, delicious Italian pastry of some kind were brought to us simply because it was 7 p.m. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
Other upscale stores are confined to a block or two a little further northwest from the centre. Despite having all the same names as in Paris, the Milanese counterparts were far more welcoming and laid back while still maintaining their prestige. The window displays alone were enough to stop and stare; Versace's window could have been mistaken for a dance club with an LED lit back wall and party clothes on display. (Thank you, Prof. Nolan, for teaching me to have the eye to look out for such displays!). Italian leather shoe and handbag stores were also everywhere and you have to feel it to believe it; they are somehow different in Milan (I swear!). All I have to say is, I know the saying goes, “when in Rome!” but it really should be, “when in Milan!” To live in Milan is to appreciate and savour the finer things in life.
