A Beginner’s Guide to Italian Men’s Style

The Italian art of stylish nonchalance—slim suits, bare ankles and provocative color combinations—is steadily influencing men’s style all over the world.

Italian men know the art of “Sprezzatura” which means “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or say appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.’

This essentially boils down to making difficult actions look easy while concealing the conscious effort that went into them. But there is a fine line between achieving it and simply being sloppy.

Some clues: nicely pressed shirts are great for job interviews and weddings but for day to day stuff, looking a little bit rumpled and relaxed can be just what you need.
Finally, chill out and go sockless every now and then (mind you, you can’t do it with any shoes. Italian summer shoes are lined with cotton to keep foot fresh and confortable without socks). Undo that top button of your shirt and relax the tie there as well. The same can go for your shirt cuffs when wearing a jumper or a jacket — don’t worry so much about buttoning the cuffs, you want to keep it casual.

“Sprezzatura” is about the small details and effortless touches you can give your outfit. True sprezzatura is about knowing classic style rules and then breaking a few cleverly selected ones. There’s a difference between looking artful dishevelled and looking stupid and/or sloppy.

Italy has long been a mecca in the world of fashion. After all, a daunting number of the most well-known fashion designers in the world hail from Italy. Even those who do not possess an intimate knowledge of fashion have probably heard names like Prada, Versace, Gucci, and Armani. Their line has stylish and elegant looks that also somehow manage to pull off a casual feel without looking too informal.