What is it about Italian women that makes them look so glamorous and beautiful? Perhaps it is the golden light in Italy that gives them a special glow. Or maybe it’s the Mediterranean cuisine that makes them look so satisfied and healthy.

Hollywood has long had a fascination with Italian beauty and glamour. Sophia Loren has been gloriously beautiful for decades. Even well into her 80s she is one of the faces of the Dolce and Gabbana beauty campaign with her own lipstick named for her.

Isabella Rossellini always looks effortlessly beautiful. With her flawless skin and large sensual lips, she has captivated beauty campaigns and movies for years. She is a great interview subject as well, always intelligent and insightful.

Who else besides an Italian woman can still be beautiful enough to be a Bond Girl at age 50? Monica Bellucci is timeless. Her long, shiny hair, her full mouth, her statuesque figure, her strength of presence, her soft sultry voice.

One thing all of these Italian beauties have in common is that they find the look that suits them best and they maintain it year after year. They are not chameleons. They always look like themselves. They each have their own personal brand.

You too can learn to have that special something of the Italian beauties. Here’s how to be glamorous in the La Dolce Vita Italian film star way.

Healthy Skin

The Mediterranean diet is not just good for your health, but also for your skin. A diet of vegetables, olive oil, hearty fishes, with red wine and pasta in moderation, will do wonders for your body and soul.

Confidence

Italian women never take a back seat to anyone. They are right up front in the conversation, in business meetings, in marriage, and in relationships. They are respected and they expect it. It’s a very attractive quality. Try speaking up. Demand to be heard.

Strength

Despite hardships, wars, poverty, occupation, and bad economic times, Italian women endure. My grandmother always managed to put a hearty meal on the table no matter what was going on in the world and in her life.

Passion

Anything you do is worth doing wholeheartedly. Bring a passionate heart to everything you do, from cooking, to friendships, to charitable causes, to how you make a coffee. When you follow your heart, your inner beauty and glamour will shine through.

Glamour is the face you show to the world. It may not be what you are feeling inside, but it’s the feeling you choose. Life is beautiful in all its forms and so are you. What is your favorite aspect of Italian glamour?