PENNEYS fashion show in Dublin Castle was a confident affair running under the title, La Bella Figura, which actually means something like "drop dead smart". It's used a lot in Italy, particularly among men to one another. Now it can be bandied about among shoppers, male and female, at Penneys. Because the clothes are terrific, and are modestly priced.
Black, black, and more black: it's that kind of season, though some of us are beginning to feel it's becoming a little "down market". However, it always looks good and helps make a nifty little rib suit look 10 times more than the £39 price tag.
In a season of rather mediocre fashion, Penneys is making the most of the sharp and snappy, producing scores of very neat zip up suits and twill hipster trousers with matching jackets.
The dark plainness of most things, including a superb charcoal grey maxi coat with double rows of silver buttons (£80), and a range in "crushed" velvet, were helped into the fabulous class by very sophisticated accessories: fur and velvet cravats, glamourising a plain neckline, black leather ankle boots (£30), and moc croc loafers (£14).
Chenille swings into action as dresses (£18), with long matching cardigans (same modest price), with colours ranging from camel to mulberry, and, yes, of course, black.
It's not all city and sweet here, however. Tougher things (men and women), include nylon bomber jackets (£35), and macs, fur trimmed, zip jackets - fun in red - and bright, bright coloured sports stuff where the message is, clash those primaries and wrap up warmly in deep fleece.
Yes, there's a lot here that is bella figura, and the price is pretty bella too.