Why are Italians dressed so well? It’s because of Decoro

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to Italy was definitely how people dressed very differently. Being from Ireland and it being a normal sight to see people show up to the shops in their pyjamas, I was quite taken aback by how well they dress over here. People are always dressed well. I don’t mean that people look like they just got off a runway living up to their reputation of being one of the fashion capitals of the world, but more in the sense that people are always dressed nicely.

It’s normal to see people dressed in scarves and long black coats regardless of the heat or cold, because people (especially Roman people) dress by season and not by weather. While this seems quite strange, it’s a part of the culture that I’ve come to enjoy adapting to. We have a similar concept of “Decorum” in the western world, Italians absolutely live it, and so I’ve asked my Italian room mate about it to get a better insight into it.

“One of the first things my mom taught me, when I was a kid and first demanded to pick my own clothes, is to be appropriately dressed for the occasion, and to make sure my clothes are clean and have no holes. I cannot think of something that would horrify my mom more than knowing that I’m going around with a stained/ruined/old looking shirt, let alone if I am going to an exam dressed like that. Even though my mom is a very pragmatic person that dressed me with my older cousin’s clothes (boy clothes) for most of my childhood, she transmitted the importance of having decoro to her children.

Decoro is something that I regard as an important part of my culture, especially since we Italians are renowned for aesthetics and fashion. I would define it as the ability of being appropriate for the situation, behaving accordingly, and being dressed for the occasion. It is a precious way to show that you respect the situation and the person in front of you.”

– Marina

Generally, around the world students show up to exams in their most comfortable clothes, and especially so to the library. However in Italy exams are actually considered formal events that are open to the public, so you are expected to show up dressed decently. I shouldn’t say expected as there are no rules to say so, but since the exam is a 1 on 1 conversation with the professor, it’s just a matter of respect to show up in clean clothes that are hopefully at least business casual. This isn’t a rule, just an understanding. I guess the best way to think of it is showing up an interview: you don’t need to wear a suit, but you’re certainly not going to show up in a pair of tracksuits.

Whether it’s showing up to exams in your Sunday best, or deciding to wear a blouse to aperitivo instead of a funny print t-shirt, decoro is definitely a part of Italian culture you can spot easily. At the minimum I feel that it’s preparing me to dress nicely for the future I want to build as a respectable doctor. You don’t need to dress in expensive or fancy clothes, that’s not the point of decoro; it’s just putting in effort to make sure your clothes are always clean and appropriate for the season, with a little care to matching and following trends.

I feel like I still have a long way to go, but even in the short time I’ve been here I’ve definitely improved how I dress. It really wasn’t that difficult of a change, and 100% did not break the bank. I used to own 100s of “funny and cool” t-shirts and there is nothing wrong with this, however I also couldn’t see myself wearing them to the hospital as a 30 year old doctor starting my career. In the end, regardless of how I may be perceived for my dress sense, I feel at the minimum showing up business casual is a small token of respect to patients.