Funny that you should pop up here, I was just eyeing up your volare as a possibility. Nothing at all to do with the fact that it'd match with my Zero and Equilibrium ;)
It's not a looks thing with the stem, its handling. If this is twitchy then it won't get ridden!
Do you or does she not like having short stem?
If it's you, then stop worrying about how it look, just go for a reasonable btwin road bike to get started.