December 22, 2008
Men of Florence
After a weekend of observation, I dare to affirm that in Florence, men dress better than women. Or at least they dress differentially better than in other cities, and that's why it's more noticeable than in the case of women.
There are countless stores dedicated to "Sartoria", barbershops, shirtmakers, shoemakers, and everything a man needs to take care of himself from head to toe. And they do take care of themselves. They and their friends. Individually or in groups, they are perfectly conscious of their image. And I, of course, applaud that.
There are countless stores dedicated to "Sartoria", barbershops, shirtmakers, shoemakers, and everything a man needs to take care of himself from head to toe. And they do take care of themselves. They and their friends. Individually or in groups, they are perfectly conscious of their image. And I, of course, applaud that.
- Men with "remastered classic" style, like my beloved Mario, who felt right at home in Florence. Their main hallmarks are a custom-made shirt with two buttons open, a fitted jacket, a pocket square, and smoking loafers.
Notice the loafers, which they sell in all colors, and Mario is very happy with these purple ones he bought. This color, by the way, is a clear trend among Florentines.
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Men with "studied casual" style. All, absolutely all, with black patent leather puffer jackets at the waist, sunglasses at all times, and gleaming sneakers.
- In a capital brimming with art and history, there could not be a lack of men who reflected a more "bohemian or intellectual" style. Dressed in strict black over a slender silhouette. Like our next friend, who also sports the most amazing tattoo I've seen in a long time.
It's a self-portrait by Keith Haring. I'm not a big fan of tattoos, in fact I'm not a fan at all, but this one honestly seemed very original and conveys a more personal message than the usual unicorns or dolphins. Now that I think about it, I've already posted two tattoos that I liked on this blog, I hope that by saying "I'll never do that" so many times, I don't end up with a leopard across my entire back. How horrible, someone please stop me if it comes to that.
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And finally, men with "timeless style". Because I love how wonderfully well older gentlemen in Italy dress. With their hats, their long coats, their perfectly shaved beards with well-groomed mustaches, clean hands, and gentle manners.
Specifically, this gentleman lives between Florence and NY. We met him in one of those restaurants where tourists are not admitted unless they come recommended, and in the middle of a very pleasant chat, he told us he had said no to Sartorialist. Not because he's special, but because that day he didn't feel he looked good. How great.