Vatican City: No glitzy gold, no rich velvet, no regal fur. Pope Francis' pared down papal wardrobe of sensible black shoes and a white cassock so thin you can see his black trousers through it is a perfect fit for his call for simplicity and humility among his clergy. The pope's personal style - which earned him Esquire magazine's "Best Dressed Man of 2013" award - and his broader message of sobriety will be put to the test on Saturday when he inducts 19 prelates into the College of Cardinals, placing the three-cornered red silk biretta on the heads of the new "princes of the church."

For the festive occasion, cardinals are traditionally outfitted in scarlet from head to toe, from the silk skull cap to bright red socks, with a white lace embroidered surplice known as a rochet worn over the red cassock and underneath the mozzetta, or shoulder cape. But with the "slum pope" now calling the sartorial shots, fashionistas and Vaticanistas are wondering how his new cardinals - who hail from some of the poorest places on Earth, including Haiti, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast - will dress themselves for their new role.