Cari amici,

I hope this letter finds you well, dressed in something that makes you feel warm or cozy with coffee to match. Thank you so much for supporting my writing. It means the world to me to know that my friends from home (and beyond!) are reading these letters and supporting this little Substack account.

Today is April 11th, a special date for my family. It was the day we took two separate planes and landed at Pearson Airport in Toronto. When our family friends picked us up, they handed us individual jackets and even some blankets! Coming from a very tropical country, I couldn’t help but wonder, is this how it feels to be inside the freezer? Fast forward many years, I’m here in a different city, 7,105 kilometres away from that airport. I’m living on my third continent, and while I miss home dearly, I’m finding so many things to adore here in Rome. I know my time here will fly by in the blink of an eye, so I’m trying to soak it all in and notice the little things that make this city uniquely special to me.

What’s been standing out to me? Here’s one observation:

Style. A Pinterest Board Come to Life.

Every time I step out onto the streets of Rome, it feels like I’m walking through a Pinterest board filled with curated outfits, pinned for inspiration. I catch myself mentally pinning outfits I see on Romans, trying to remember how they paired pieces so cohesively and effortlessly. If you’ve met me, you know how much I appreciate personal style as a form of self-expression. So, my heart delights every time I see a well-dressed Roman. Whether it’s a crisp button-down shirt with its collar popped just right, layered with the perfect sweater or cardigan, or the ever-stylish vest.

Style is everywhere in this city—even in the most unglamorous moments. Like last week, on the metro.

It was rush hour, and as expected, we were packed like sardines. My proximity to the other commuters was shoulder-to-shoulder, and in the discomfort, my eyes couldn’t help but dart to the collar of the woman next to me. It was floral and intricate: sprezzatura at its finest. I tried so hard to capture the fashion scenes I see every day in my memory since I can’t always take out my phone to snap pictures. There she was, a nonna in leather shoes, carrying a grocery bag on her way to the supermarket. The nonno across from me wore a colourful checkered vest with a blazer over it, and somehow, it all worked. The mom in front of me had her fern green cardigan buttoned only at the top, striking just the right balance between relaxed and polished.

I am deeply inspired by the many outfits I see, and I’m already planning how to recreate them in my own way, of course. It’s a bit conflicting, though. On one hand, I want to express my style with the limited wardrobe I have here. But on the other, there’s this urge to blend in, to belong through what I wear, especially when I’m trying to assimilate into a new culture. I remember feeling that way when I first moved to Canada. Back then, in the late 2000s, there was a certain iconic style I mimicked—skirts over leggings, neon colours, hoodies layered over everything, and yes, skinny jeans! I remember hoping that by wearing what everyone else wore, I could somehow be "Canadian" in a way.

What I find so beautiful about the style in Rome is that it’s timeless. Fashion isn’t limited to young people here. Everyone dresses up—young, young-at-heart, nonnos, and nonnas. There’s an unspoken language in the way they dress, a language that speaks as beautifully as their words.

Do you remember a time when what you wore helped you feel at home, or reminded you that you weren’t? I’m learning that sometimes, it’s the smallest details, like a colourful vest, that spark moments of appreciation in a place that once felt unfamiliar.

I hope you enjoyed this little observation! I know it’s shorter but I’ve got a bonus post coming this weekend to honour my second month in the city I currently call home—Rome, sweet home!

Until then, keep discovering and expressing your style!

Con amore,
Genicia Victoria