Now that the Milan fashion shows are mercifully over, Opera Chic is happy to share her impressions: Opera Chic wasn't especially impressed by most of what she saw -- even the much-lauded Thom Browne 4 Moncler show left us somewhat cold (lol) -- Opera Chic appreciates Thom's Mad-Men-on-speed thing (Thom's superslim, ironic sprezzatura would be a perfect match, OC thinks, for our new, whippet-thin, tall President -- if Opera Chic were the President's stylist -- and maybe one day she will be -- she'd totally deck him out in Browne and -- a UK import, OK -- Ozwald Boateng) and kneepads (amid much journalistic off-the-record mirth) were a smashing success on the runways and he provided plenty of them. But the Moncler Opera Chic likes is the vintage, 1980s, 100% French stuff -- now it's an Italian owned outfit -- and anyway the cute inky-black "piumino" everyone's wearing this winter here in Milan is priced at a frankly appalling 1,400 euros.
What did OC like? Opera Chic was, as always, more in sync with her sweet British nutty aunt, Vivienne Westwood, Opera Chic's personal Queen of England -- la Westwood achieved the impossible by making the poor man's tuxedo -- denim jacket and blue jeans -- cool for the first time ever, with delicate fire engine red buttons and beautiful fabric (but we humbly suggests she adopts selvedge denim next time, selvedge is king).
She also whipped up some crazy, awesome boots (with cashmere socks); she does narrow shoulders better than most; and as gimmicky as kneepads are, always, she sprinkles humor all over them, and bless her for that (bonus points for black kneepads over dark gray suits).
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Craziness aside, Ermanno Scervino brought the bacon home with his usual well-constructed, naturally elegant, cool-with-a-twist blessedly understated clothes.
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