Now what are you calling me? Do you think I am not a real person? I was going to leave this question this morning but others asked me questions, look for yourself.

You are all very nice and very helpful.

True, true! I must admit to a guilty enjoyment of imagining even a fake middle-aged, somewhat stout Mariam in a beaded caftan, full fag hag makeup and coiffure, gliding about in a palazzo owned by a possibly gay brother of her "gentleman friend."

Tennessee Williams, where are you?

All true but I am not stout thank you very much. Plump in parts yes but let's not get into that.

kswl- a fag hag is not a drag queen... mariam is not a troll.

sheez louise!

Suddenly I'm craving a lecture on banding.

are you sure you are not a very thin, pretty girl!

hey, no fair combining threads -LOL. but ohhh what a picture. tiaw and her gaggle of girlfriends with their erotillators and mariam and her gang of guys in caftans on the veranda. what a party that would be.

By all means if we have a party all fodor's posters who helped me have an open invitation. It is a beautiful old palace right on water and the boys have a little gondola they ride around in. Doesn't it sound like fun?

I think that image will be branded into my mind for a long long time, and my eye won't stop twitching.

AnnieP – LOL =D>

mariam_m,
do you know by chance Caravaggista who used to hang around in this forum?

This is funny thread.
One thing I want to add - if you are middle aged woman and going to Italy, do not worry about being sexy. Young men will not be interested in middle aged women. I am 50 now. Before I did not pay attention beacuse I always been in Italy together with my husband and later with kids. Once I was on business trip for few weeks in Florence and (I was on 40's then) I noticed that while young Italians flirting with young girls, but to me, middle aged woman alone, they were very respectable. This made me sad.

So don't bother to look sexy. Just were clothes you like which you wear at home. Sophia

No, I am sorry I don't know her.

For weeks I have pictured myself floating down a canal wearing my caftan, so Cleopatriaish.

I wanted to appear sexy too that is my original question so really I want to look exotic and sexy. I think it is going to be exciting and I can't wait to meet his brother and his friends.
All of the group is middle aged so we will be peers.

How about hats? I have an hair appointment so I will return to this conversation tomorrow.

yes, a turban.

<i>You have to admit that being called a kingdom insinuates queens</i>
That is the craziest thing I have ever heard.
But then, I don't wear caftans either..did you say Italy or Marrakesh?

I picture a bunch of people lolling around the pool with hookas and pillows and pretending they are in the '60s again..will there be lava lamps?
If you did look like Liz Taylor being Cleopatra, you would look sort of goofy, all that eyeliner and she is short and chubby. Even then.
I suggest looking at some magaznes like Town &amp; Country- see what ladies wear..or Conde Nast Travel &amp; Leisure.. see how people are dressing..they aren't wearing caftans!!
NYTS, I agree with you wholeheartedly.

AnnieP..very funny.
We need to put together a Fodor What Not To Wear program

Mariam, if you are serious, check out Trinny Woodall, and Susanah Constintine's 'What Not To Wear' books. Especially the WNTW for Every Occasion.

There are two sites out there as well. BBC America Discussions, the What not to Wear disscussion board, and BBC Life Style. The later has an age appropriate quiz and suggestions on how to dress your age and your figure. Let me see if I can give you exactly where to go for the latter.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lifestyle/tv_an...s_index1.shtml

Hopefully that is correct. Good luck figuring out what suits you. That should answer all of your questions.

Town &amp; Country?!? For sexy? That's the funniest thing I've heard all day.

It's quite obvious that Mariam has a taste for the theatrical. The turban is a good idea. Or maybe even a fez, or am I mixing metaphors again?

Leely, not sexy, just what women (as opposed to the very young girls in fashion magazines) wear when traveling..Some very wealthy and classy women are in those magazines. Glad to make you laugh.

&quot;We need to put together a Fodor What Not To Wear program&quot;

I love that show!!

Scarlett, please, I wasn't laughing at you. I was laughing at the idea of this imagined woman wearing caftans on some loggia in Venice with her gentleman caller and his coterie of gay Venetians...and and and...

Town &amp; Country just doesn't spring to my mind in this scenario.