Words and photography: Erin Johnson
Trieste may not be Milan or Florence, but it’s still an Italian city, which means that its residents are very much interested in fare la bella figura – they like to make a good impression, which includes the way they dress.
You might not find them wearing the latest looks to come off the runway or experimenting with avant garde fashion, but they usually look sharp and put-together. Trieste is a city of well-tailored trousers, crisp jackets, elegant footwear, and luxurious sweaters (or jumpers, if you prefer).
This is the city of the bora, however, and come winter, Triestini resort to one ubiquitous item of clothing to protect them from the wind and the cold: the reliable puff jacket. Go to Piazza Unità on a weekend, and you’ll find yourself bobbing in a sea of variously-colored piumini. Short piumini, long piumini, belted or unbelted, hooded or not—their practical appeal is undeniable, but it does not make for the most exciting people-watching.
There are some who buck the trend though, and I managed to find a few of these brave citizens out and about. Here I present some Triestini – and a couple of visitors – with their own distinct senses of style, bringing a little more joy and interest to our piazzas. And not a puff coat among them!
