Wear black: You don’t know why this is the uniform but it is, and this industry is largely about conformity so you better get black and lots of it. Perhaps you’re not sure how to infuse colour into your closet but nevertheless, you don’t want to rock the boat and you certainly don’t want to not fit in. The ultimate goal is to wear black but to smile a lot – you’ve got to be positive so don’t let your wardrobe get you down.
Get in on the -isms. “MDF” or “morte di fame” – for desperate, greedy types – and other such Italian inside jokes will become known to you over the course of time. If you’re planning a (very untraditional, very unItalian) wedding, the amount of family smack talk you’ll endure from all angles will be epic, so know these -isms and use them with the right people when appropriate.
Know your fashion. Do not sequester yourself to only the major fashion houses. You’re not a housewife – you’re on the streets and you should know who’s coming, who’s doing a collabo and who’s going. If you’re a girl, Isabel Marant is your leader and if you’re a guy, try wearing Celine as a public statement on gender, image and consumerism.