Ah, Milano! What a sight of beauty! I have never been to a city where every blink of an eye consists of beautiful women with outstanding fashion. My mother and I decided to spend the next six days in Italy, to explore Milan and Venice, and, of course, shop! It was an hour and a half flight from Germany and we were greeted by overwhelming humidity. I like to travel with comfort and wore a pair of jeans, but as soon as I stepped foot in the city, I was quickly embarrassed at my outfit. The people around me were dressed so fashionably that I wanted to hide. The various color combinations were stunning, and I was blown away. There was no way I was spending my first day in Milan in jeans.

After getting lost through the narrow streets of Milan and struggling to find our way to the hotel, I immediately changed into one of my favorite summertime dresses; a brown and red silky dress with flower patterns at the bottom. It’s redder at the bottom and the brown starts higher up on the waist, which makes shorter girls such as myself look taller than we are. And if you match it with a pair of heels, you’ll look leaner. I lightly curled my hair aiming for a more feminine look, because, isn’t that what Italian men like?

After two hours in Milan, I quickly noticed that this is a city to observe and to be seen. My mother and I had our first Italian dinner at the Galleria Victoria Emmanuele II; the old arcade with an outstanding glass ceiling, filled with designer boutiques and chic chops. Sitting in the historic arcade was like watching a runway fashion show. These people knew they were being observed. I could tell by the way they walked. It was as if fashion is like one big competition in Italy. The only ones not competing were the tourists. It was more fun to watch anyway.

At night Milan transforms into a peaceful oasis. The further you walk away from the touristy Piazza Duomo, the quieter it becomes. We strolled around the Quadrilatero d’Oro, the most expensive shopping street in Milan. Even though the shops were already closed, the window displays were stunning. It was one designer shop after another; Dolce & Gabbana, Armani Exchange, Juicy Couture, and countless other high-end boutiques. Luckily, I knew that I could go to 365Hangers.com to buy these items for less. It was, definitely, a stroll to remember.

Love always,
Mia