A trip into central Milan: people watching

People watching

Wandering through the Milano castle, we cross paths with a foursome and a boy. Two women and their two partners? The two women are dressed in the usual tottering heels, short dresses/hot pants, amply showing off their leggy assets and of course, make up layered on like a face pack. At every photo opportunity, the group pause and one or both of the women pose as though they are on a Milano vogue shoot, complete with pouting, arranging their legs and their bodies over the props available and then look in all seriousness at the camera ready for the shot. They appear to have no awareness of the hundreds of tourists making their way past them or concern that they may look either reasonably stupid or at least vain. Their slightly overweight, older, unremarkable partners grab the 'shot' and they head on to the next photo opportunity.

The Italian women are amazing. Many have tanned, faultless complexions, amazingly slim bodies and a surprisingly generous cleavage to match. They have full lips which they coat with lipstick and pout readily teamed with designer sunglasses. Oh, and the hair. You know, the hair that is tossed over a shoulder and falls glossy and bouncing down an exposed tanned back. Apparently wandering around central Milan for the day is absolutely no problem in stilettos/platform shoes. We saw a relatively elderly woman on the way home wearing pink spandex tights, platform shoes, dyed blonde hair and a tight white top. No worries there.

There is, admittedly the odd fat italian woman. And old, frumpy italian woman. These are a rare breed in central Milan. If they are fat, they are still making the most of their ample bosom and will have a slash of lippy on, a rinse through the hair and probably a 'do' . They just don't seem to know the 'I just put on what I found on the floor this morning and headed out the door without looking in the mirror' approach which has served me so well for so many years.

The men vary. Their fashion sense seems quite uniform. Polo neck shirt, navy or coloured tailored shorts, slip on shoes or else the 'exercising attire'. Many are in a great shape although just as many have a gut and seemed to have managed to pull a woman about 20 years their junior who is impeccably turned out.

Being a mother, I tend to notice bellies. Those bellies you get when you have wrecked your stomach muscles and even slim women retain after a pregnancy. And yes, you guessed it, the italian mothers (we saw a crowd of them today at a fun park) seem to bear no physical evidence of previous pregnancies. And pushing prams in stilettos is completely normal. So are white trousers.

The bikes (around parks) are super cool cruisey affairs. Sit back and relax. Pedal if you need to. A basket in front, a carrier behind. Some coloured jeans, absolutely no helmet but sunglasses are key.