Our stopover in Rome meant that we ended up spending a fair bit of time in the airport. I am not really a very experienced foreign traveller. I was 45 before I went in a plane, and have only flown abroad about a dozen times. Consequently I still find airports fun places to explore. I am like a kid in a candy shop! I look in the duty-free shops and marvel at the overpriced goods. I wonder who would buy random things like striped socks for €35 or a pencil for €15.
On Friday I tried on the tester perfume in Victoria's Secret. It was called Very Sexy Now. It was coconut based, and left me smelling like a melted Bounty Bar! Not VSN if you ask me. I had to spray on Elizabeth Arden Green Tea to mask the sickly sweet odour. The Burberry Raincoats and Hermes scarves were so elegant, but incredibly expensive. I saw some sweet cashmere baby socks, but Rosie won't be getting them, at €33 a pair.
But the most elegant fashions I saw were the new uniforms worn by the Alitalia staff.
These have been in use for just a few months. Main outfits are red for cabin crew and green for ground staff. Jackets, trousers, skirts and dresses, in a discreet print, topped with beautifully cut woollen coats. Their shirts are white with a red print. Their felt hats have a ridged design, based on the terraces of Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera.
The girls wore contrast accessories, gloves, tights and shoes, and carried splendidly capacious leather bags.The scarves are not knotted, but threaded through nifty little plastic buckles, to keep them neatly positioned. I quite fancy a pair of chic green leather court shoes with matching bag, gloves and tights!
But sadly I am not really in a position to make a career change, reading the spec for Alitalia staff. I cannot speak fluent Italian, and I am not a strong swimmer.
Maybe I could work on those two requirements - but I definitely cannot get to be 15 cm taller! I remain in awe of their apparently effortless style, and amazing poise as they push their trolleys down the aisles of the planes, dispensing drinks and snacks.
Knowing that one needs to be a strong swimmer is a bit frightening! But the uniforms are so elegant.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it is in case of having to crash land in the sea, and support panicking passengers. I am not thinking about that, I get nervous enough flying as it is!
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