trendsetter?

I'm not so good at following fashion. I tend to buy multiples of whatever fits and is comfortable. I wear the same things year after year. Yes, of course I like to look my best on occasions, but mostly comfort takes priority.

But here, for once, I would like to be a trend setter.

We walk along our mountainside road. Often. We are among the hundreds who make a daily trip (or several trips) at varying times of the day. One of the things I love about living here is that I can walk home from a concert at midnight and feel perfectly safe, knowing there are others walking ahead and behind.

I try to wear light colours at night, and encourage my guests to do the same. Lately though, when walking Zacchi at random evening hours, I have taken to wearing the most glamorous of garbs, a fluorescent safety vest. I like life, you see, and as a driver I know how very difficult it is to see pedestrians dressed in black walking along certain unlit stretches of our road.

Regular walkers have noticed. I heard one say "Look at la signora, she is wearing a vest". The tone was one of approval.

I hope we are trend setters, Zacchi and I. Life is too short as it is.

Long live fluoro orange with reflective strips!

***

By the way, here it is compulsory to have a reflective vest and a safety triangle in the car within reach of the driver. With the amount of traffic on these roads there are a few accidents, mostly minor, and traffic must be slowed. It's a good rule.