EFFORTLESS AESTHETICS: STYLE AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ROMe
Spring 2015
Dresses, skirts and scarves flutter as a light breeze sweeps through the courtyard at the American University of Rome in late February. A few seated undergraduates readjust ruffled papers at their outdoor tables and turn their shades back up to the sky. January was last month, but it’s already sunbathing season. Students are currently daring to bare a little more skin on campus during fifty- and sixty-degree Fahrenheit February days- even though it is still considered winter in Italy. Transition pieces like the aforementioned items- in addition to lighter tops- have become more popular among the student body recently than in previous weeks. Less is More: Lighter Outerwear and Footwear Less heavily-insulated jackets, open shoes and scarves are common spring staples. For example, study abroad student Brooke Menard’s coat and shoe choices are breaking her out of the winter mold. “I decided to put on flats today instead of my boots. so I have a little bit of the skin showing on the feet,” she said. “The lighter jacket is my biggest transition piece because before this I was wearing my pea coat.” For others, scarves have proven to be both fun and functional as the weather thaws out. Study abroad student Frankie Panebianco views spring’s imminent arrival as an opportunity to both coax the season into existence and make a style statement. “I chose this scarf because the weather is getting nicer and I wanted to give a splash of color with this outfit, you know, to tell everyone that ‘Here comes spring!’” Dressing the Part: Attire Fit for a Rooftop Terrace Sunshine Session Students soaked up sunlight and took in scenic views between classes on the AUR rooftop terrace on Feb. 23. A couple female undergraduates greeted the warmer temperatures and abundant sunlight in dresses and skirts. For example, Rebecca Fowler’s outfit stayed true to her bohemian style, but included an Italian twist. “Recently while I’ve been here- I guess its an Italian thing- I’ve been wearing lots of black...but also since it’s technically winter in Italy, I’ve got the long sleeves- so I don’t stand out as much...still have some coverage.” But others, like study abroad student Natalie Kozma, do not mind breaking unspoken rules about Italian winter clothing. “So I wore this sheer top and high waisted black skater skirt with my decorative stockings because Mondays are tough enough, and when you look good you feel good,” she said. “So I know it’s a little unorthodox to be wearing a skirt without tights and be showing a lot of bare leg at the end of February in Italy, but I did it anyway because I’m naive and I don’t understand the culture yet.” However, even though spring is approaching, the slight chill lingering in the air is enough to keep study abroad student Jess Balko in a leather jacket and tights. “We’re in Italy so leather’s big here...today is gorgeous- it’s a lot warmer. Too hot for pants, but I decided to pair [my dress with] some tights because it’s not quite warm enough for just bare legs with a dress.” Spring's Take on a Winter Shirt: the Three-Quarter Sleeve and Beyond It is not quite spring yet, but some degree-seeking students have also been ditching longer-sleeved shirts and sweaters for shorter-sleeved versions lately. For example, Francesca Aka has not gone sleeveless at this point, but wears a lighter top in thicker material. She describes her appreciation for shorter sleeves: “I feel like it is spring because it's cold and you have these sleeves to keep you warm. If it's hot you have these half sleeves to keep you, you know, chill.” Jacket-free degree-seeker Melissa Lattari offers her take on the spring transition process: “For me, dressing up and getting ready for spring is going from a heavy coat to wearing a trench coat, and possibly underneath, not too much of a heavy sweater...so a short sleeve.”
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There is physical and psychological distance between the average American University of Rome student and the upcoming women’s wear exhibitions at Milan Fashion Week 2015. Despite going to school in a country commonly envied for its residents’ senses of style, few students seem to be interested in the event or have the resources to attend between Feb. 5 and March 2. Going to Milan for the occasion- without actually having tickets to shows- appears to be the closest any AUR student is coming to being in attendance. The accessibility of the showcase is also called into question when considering that students with the ability to get to the city are not easily able to obtain tickets. For example, study abroad student Kelsey Lucas is traveling to the northern Italian city that weekend to witness it at its aesthetic peak- without tickets. “I’m not actually going to any shows for fashion week,” she said. “But I’m going to Milan to see how people are dressed for it.” Milano Moda Donna is a biannual fashion show featuring the latest designer trends for women in Milan. The organization behind it, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, plans more than 170 displays and fashion shows in the northern Italian city. Milan also hosts events centered around menswear and design in January and April. Pieces from the 2015 autumn and winter women’s collections will make their way down the runway between Feb. 25 and March 2. Models will show off women’s items from the 2015 spring and summer collections from Sept. 23-29. Students like AUR degree-seeker Audrey-Anna Oliveros have a connection to the industry but have not planned a trip to Milan that weekend.
“Milano fashion week...I would love to go...one of my friends did the styling for the Jill Sanders menswear show.” But the event is not even an afterthought for others. American study abroad student Alex Fontana is both physically and mentally removed from the displays. “I know nothing about Milan Fashion Week,” he said. “I don’t pay much attention to fashion so obviously I never would’ve heard of it. I currently don’t know anyone going.” |
AuthorHey! I'm Jane Burnett and I'm studying abroad at AUR in Italy during the Spring 2015 semester. Stay dazzled by campus fashion with me here! CategoriesArchives |