Without the messy murders, of course!

I loved watching Ripley on Netflix and binge finished it in a weekend, thanks to the advance screeners we received as journalists. It is a must-watch 8-episode series and I’m hoping there will be more installments to come.

Probably what I adored most, apart from the great twists and turns and the sublime acting by all involved (you can read about that here) is the connection I felt to Italy — a character of its own in the Steven Zaillian production. Seeing my homeland portrayed so beautifully in the early 1960’s, during the winter and using the original locations proved really magical. So it’s no wonder that the style and atmosphere of it all inspired me to create a special song list of Italian hits from 1960 and 1961 on Spotify, as well as visit my local perfume shop.

Read on to find out why.

Listen to the music

In the series, a couple of songs from the early 1960’s are highlighted. One is Mina’s 1961 hit ‘Il cielo in una stanza’ (the sky in the room) which is played repeatedly in the soundtrack and there is even a live performance in the series by the Italian singer herself (albeit played by an actress). For anyone who calls themselves even remotely Italian, Mina is a goddess, her smooth voice carries beauty and romance in every note.

I’ve included the song from Ripley but also a few others by our national treasure in the song list. As well as ‘Quando quando quando’ by Tony Renis and Roy Orbison’s ‘The Great Pretender’ which plays in the trailer for Ripley.

Wear the clothes

So, the look of Ripley is one to behold. It’s not flashy or super dated, it’s simple, a bit preppy (well, really a lot preppy!) and cool. I have already put a pair of loafers on order at M&S. Yes, because unlike many movie costumers, the Italian duo of Giovanni Casalnuovo and Maurizio Millenotti, who are the costume designers on Ripley, have put together a set of looks which are totally accessible and can be replicated easily and without spending a pretty penny. Well, you’ll need the pennies for your loafers after all!

For Dakota Fanning’s character Marge, the wardrobe is really muted, mostly black and pale creams, all featuring the above loafers, or, in a key scene towards the end, a pair of leather soled black oxfords lace ups. For Dickie, it’s all light, flowy linen outfits, which are easily found at Zara, even right now. And coats for both are those vintage shapeless tweed coats that you can find at all swap meets and flea markets.

For Tom Ripley, the varsity all-black jacket and chinos can be found at COS, both for women and men. Again, not going to break the bank with your purchases. And as I wrote above, it’s all doable at Marks & Spencer too.

Buy the perfume

In another key scene in the series, a fragrance by Santa Maria Novella, the famous apothecary founded in Florence which now has retails points all over the world, features front and center. The bottle is iconic and hasn’t changed since the 1800’s and you’ll feel like a million lire just twisting off its top.

Also there has never been as good a time to visit the S. Maria Novella shops as now. A new collection of fragrances has been launched with scents which range from Gelsomino (a pure, fresh jasmin scent) to Magnolia, but also their Rosa Novella collection which is just out of this world. If you love rose scents.

For men, there are scents like Vetiver, and Acqua di Colonia Russa, which is a cologne scent with a twist. Go ahead, try it, you’ll thank me for it.

So there you go, a few ideas to make your life more Ripley like. But safe and crime free of course. And if you still feel like you need more, book yourself a vacation to Atrani, via Rome and Venice and Palermo.

Top photo courtesy of Netflix, used with permission.