by Maria Petrova


Heavy boots, a leather jacket and a T-shirt emblazoned with skulls might have been a great choice when you were 16 – just like getting drunk in the park and having to walk home because you had spent all your money on plonk. Later on, however, these things, if you keep doing them, make you look like an absurdly overgrown Peter Pan, unable to cope with reality.

You probably already know this, especially if you adhere to the famous Oscar Wilde quotation: "I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best." Or, as Coco Chanel used to say, "Elegance is not the prerogative of those who have just escaped from adolescence, but of those who have already taken possession of their future."

Even the inexperienced eye can tell if a man belongs to the above kind, just by looking at his shoes, but not just by that. Fashion and style are now to be found in each element of a successful and self-confident man's apparel and manner. Detail is what really matters.

It certainly makes a difference if you are driving a new Chevrolet instead of an old banger that was produced somewhere in the Soviet bloc once upon a time. Drinking home-made wine with your girlfriend's grandparents in the village is probably an emotional experience, but it would be a pity if you couldn't tell the difference between a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Pinot Noir and have never attended a wine tasting. If the double cheeseburger is still your favourite food, you probably haven't heard yet of the gourmet kitchen – a mistake that needs to be rectified.

If you happen to be of one of those men who know what quality means, you can take a look around and see for yourself that Bulgaria offers a wide range of exquisite shopping options. You can enjoy the pleasure of buying a new shirt at a stylish boutique or go to a fashion atelier and order a suit, tailored exactly for you and incorporating the latest international trends. You can complete your look by buying a new watch, which isn't just an accessory but an object of style, an expression of your individuality.