La Bella Figura

I'm a bitch. And I know why. It's simply my heritage.
We're aware when one family is a little wealthier than another. If we see someone wearing a pair of 1984 L.E.I.s, we’re going to assume they can’t afford much better. However if we see someone wearing Gucci or Armani, they must have a bit more money. Especially in Italy, since it is considered the number one fashion capital of the world. In Italy, everything is based off appearances. They like to call it “bella figura” or “the beautiful image”. Italians wearing police, soldier or even sweeper uniforms are consider elegant. Think about things such as Italian cars and how beautiful they are. In Italy it is mostly about beauty, but the image as well. There are certain manners in Italy that you use at a business meeting, then completely different manners you’d use at dinner. La bella figura is also the finer things - like knowing fine cloth from simple cotton. It’s all of the intricate details including how you behave with friends and family. Loyalty is very, very important when it comes to la bella figura. This is more than just a philosophy or part of etiquette; it is the way of living in my culture. In Italy.