Give_that_White_Suit_an_Oscar.

Despite London's awful weather... All-right, you all know how much i love London, so let's try something else.. Despite London's (and the rest of Europe's) rainy weather (rainy to the point of getting bored and having nothing else to do than praying for the rain to stop!), we are in the middle of Spring and Summer is technically 40 days + 1 night away. Since menswear collections for spring/summer 2012 showed the trends that will reign during the summer (ages ago..!) and considering that almost every shopping window is getting more and more summer-ish, i wouldn't say that it is neither too early, nor to late for a post like this. Once again, masculinity (!) but this time masculinity comes dressed with 'a' suit. No, not an ordinary suit, but 'the white suit'; this white suit where a large number of designers included in their collections; this white suit that is a piece statement by itself; this white suit that gives an extra point or an elegant element, if you prefer, to its wearer; this white suit which perfectly matches a tanned masculine body.

Before starting my overview, i want to quote a phrase that not only reflects my personal opinion regarding the male suit, but i think that it expresses most women, and why not also men, perspective on how a suit should be considered: 

'A well-tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men.' (I would really like to know who said this, but unfortunately it looks pretty hard to name him/her. Instead of putting 'unknown', i will just put 'a wise man said'!)

White on White always looks chic. (Additional tip by Dolce & Gabbana: Please gentlemen be brave and stylish enough to roll up your pants hems!)

The double-breasted one_Dolce & Gabbana_menswear s/s 2012

Tone on tone in white shades is always flattering and safe.

The single-buttoned one_Dolce & Gabbana_menswear s/s 2012

Why make it complicated? Wear white from head to toe.

The three-buttoned one_Dolce & Gabbana_menswear s/s 2012

A white suit doesn't mean that it is plain. Textures give a point of interest to a sharp silhouette.

The slighlty-baggy one_Calvin Klein_menswear s/s 2012

A lightweight two-piece white suit can be a man's perfect partner in the heat.

The really-baggy one_Calvin Klein_menswear s/s 2012

Elegant linen in a summer classic is always a safe choice.

The slightly off-white one_Salvtore Ferragamo_menswear s/s 2012

Take the 'navy' look to the next level. Stripes can give a more 'Riviera' touch.

The 'navy' one_Tommy Hilfiger_menswear s/s 2012

Play with the dimensions: cropped trousers and slim lapels.

The boyish one_Dior Homme_menswear s/s 2012

Pastel grey, cream or pink are an elegant match; add a pop of colour with a pocket square.

The more relaxed one_Giorgio Armani_menswear s/s 2012

Without ever loosing its elegance, the white suit will always be a timeless piece in a man's wardrobe.

The grunge one_Givency_menswear s/s 2012

Formalwear can also come with prints. Match your white suit with a 'hawaiian' print shirt for total summer look.

The 'brave' one_Bottega Veneta_menswear s/s 2012

And i will close this post with a Greek designer who works in New York and whose name is synonymous with stylish menswear style: For a more bohemian look match your white suit with a loose white t-shirt and a white foulard or scarf.

The 'boho' one_John Varvatos_menswear s/s 2012

Miracolo_A_Milano: an experience with a lot of onion!

In Greece we call it ‘the evil eye’ and since I don’t know if there is an English equivalent, let’s say that this phrase addresses a light type of a ‘curse’! Due to a number of unfortunate events, my current trip to Milan was far from what I expected. To begin with, Alitalia lost my luggage. Thus the night that followed and in order to forget my ‘pain’, I drunk a bit more than usual. The problem was not the quantity of the drinks, but the fact that I mixed them a bit – or more than a bit! After throwing up that night, the following day’s 3-hour trip to a rather picturesque and mountainous location outside Milan had the same result: me, throwing up, twice. Arriving to a typical ski resort, we finally faced the ‘naked truth’: our apartment. Three identical and quite isolated blocks of apartments appeared from nowhere and made the 4 of us feel that we are not any more in Italy, but somewhere in the former Soviet Union. In combination with the cold, the snow and the fog, we felt like players in the ‘Call of Duty’ game and since we couldn’t do much to alter the situation, we decided to enjoy it. 

Despite the cold weather, we took our chances to one of the several peaks..

..2250 mt higher the cold was bitter, but least the view was rewarding.

And then the 'miracolo' happened! The two and a half days that followed made me realize one of the most amazing things that can happen in a person’s life: the ultimate experience which proves that when the company is good, pleasant and relaxed nothing else matters. It was amazing how four people, coming from different backgrounds and cultures, speaking 4 different languages, having disparate interests and hobbies could not only have some great, and why not quality, time together, but moreover, and at least through my personal experience, communicate and laugh as if they were friends for years.  But let’s take the things right from the beginning.

Apart from the amazing things that I had heard for Milan, and despite the wonderful pictures that I had seen, the reason that I decided to visit Milan was Marios; one of my closest friends who lives and works in Milan, and one of the few persons that I really appreciate and respect for a number of reasons (and I am not writing this because I know that Marios will read it!). Having the opportunity to stay in Marios’ apartment, I took the chance and booked my flight. During the months that followed I literally constructed into my mind how my trip could be evolved. Unfortunately, and once again as we say in Greece, ‘when people make plans, God laughs’. 

Leaving behind the luggage event, and as I have already mentioned, among our plans was ‘spending the weekend at a house in the mountains’; or at least that was how Marios’ described it! Marios’ friends was a couple; the Italian Mario De Luca and the Belgian Olivia Nicaise, whose mentality and attitude was so positive, warm and cool right from the very first moment that we met. It would be unnecessary to describe hour by hour that weekend, however, what I would like to do is to share with you what I kept from that weekend, what I remember and what I will possibly never forget. For those of you who expect that this will be a typical ‘guide-to-Milan’ post, I have to say that i will disappoint you. This post is especially dedicated to Mario and Olivia, not only for their hospitality and kindness, but most importantly for the experience that provided me in presenting me the ‘Italian way’ of doing things and for making me appreciate the pleasure of enjoying what I will call ‘the simple, ordinary things’.

Mario & Olivia: a couple where the one completes the other.

First and foremost, I will never forget the 1961’s vintage Italian Monopoli games that we played. I have to confess that I had to play Momopoli maybe more than 10-12 years and that it had never been my game. Evidently, and after our two 4-hours long games where I lost or gave up trying, Monopoli is still not my game! It is a kind of a ‘dirty’ game and possibly this is the reason why Mario’s ‘mafia’ origins not only made him win twice, but he also managed to become the ultimate Monopoli-st! The outcome from my personal experience is: never play against a couple, the power of love always wins, or Monopoli is a game for sentimental people; sentimental to the point that one card, that particular orange card (and this is for you my dear friend Marios! NB that I will never forget that you didn’t give me that orange card!) can alternate and fix the entire game. 

The 'real thing': 1961's Vintage Italian Monopoli.

Another Italian game which not only caught my attention and interest, but also made me buy the 'Napoletane' cards was 'Scopone Scientifico'; a rather smart game of observation and possibilities. Considering that I never enjoyed playing games with cards, this is a further example of how simple things can be proved entertaining and enjoyable!

'Napoletane' cards by Modiano.

After throwing up three consequent times, my stomach wasn’t in its best performance, but thanks to Olivia’s cooking not only I found my appetite, but I literally enjoyed the mix of Italian – Belgian cuisine. Honestly, it wouldn’t be overstated to say that I have never tasted better pasta in my whole life. I don’t know if it was the fact that I was hungry (and not ‘angry’!) or simply the fact that pasta always tastes good, but what I felt was that Olivia cooked ‘simple’ pasta in her very own way; a way that reflected her kind, calm and cool personality; a way that gave food an amazing taste. Another thing that made Olivia’s recipes unique was the amount of onion that she used! ‘The onion’: an ingredient for which Olivia and Mario always argue about and, even after their long relationship, Mario still criticizes the use of onion in Olivia’s cooking. To use Mario's words: 'Even when Olivia has to put garlic, she puts onion!' 


I forgot to mention that during our short excursion we were not only the 4 of us. We had company; the company of two sheep made from marzipan. In Greece we use to skewer the lamp in order to celebrate Easter and although the Italian-Belgian tradition of the marzipan sheep looks rather ‘innocent’, both of them end up in our belly! 

On our way back to Milan, we made a quick stop to Ponte di Legno, a popular and rather picturesque winter site, where we walked throughout the traditional paths. Covered with fleece blankets, we drunk a last ‘aperitivo’ at the central square, finally enjoying the Italian sun. 

Italian people know how to enjoy life and this is not an observation, it is a fact. Whatever happened in Milan, will stay in Milan: the experience of the lost luggage, the vomitting events, the beyond every expectation appartment, the closed, due to Easter holiday, shops and the two days of unstopable rain that didn’t allow me to complete my sightseeing. But, what comes with me back to London and what will follow me -thanks to my friend Marios of course- are these two amazing guys that i met: Mario, the most Italian of the Italians i have never met, and Olivia, the most kind, warm, calm and, most importantly, hospitable woman that i have ever encountered. Thanks to the three of you i got a pretty good lesson; the lesson of appreciating the simple things that life generously offer us and we, especially I, usually overlook. And if things in Milan didn’t work as planned and even if it was not a 10/10 vacation trip (to use Marios' words);it was undoubtably a 10/10 life experience!

Milan will always be there, and as i usually say after every one of my trips: ‘You always have to leave something unseen, in order to have a reason to return.’

Till then, i will close this post with the first Italian word that comes into my mind:

Tranquillo..