Sophistication hits us...and BOOM, we know we are in its presence. The photo of Shala Monroque draws our eye to the complexity of black textures. Fascinating us by how simply the outfit highlights her. Wendy Dagworthy's portrait shows a worldly sophisticated woman. The harmony between hair and jewelry makes her immediately present. And clearly she knows…..

I saw so many wonderful prints and colors in Florence. And loved the Gucci Gardens exhibition with the extra-ordinary vivid beauty of the setting. But am saving that for another story. Something else stands out in my mind as write in my warm Berlin flat looking out at a sunny day with minus temperatures.  It is a glorious tone-in tone-black outfit I saw on an elegant……

Sprezzatura is an Italian word originating from Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier, where it is defined by the author as "a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it". Studied carelessness, actually means that dressing is a skill.