12 | Embrace the power of a perfect pose. Just look at Patrizio Bertelli of Prada, Giorgio Armani, or Diego Della Valle of Tod's (pictured below). Virile and invariably well-dressed, Italian men are probably the most stylish bunch out there (sorry, Spain). Italian families on average have become smaller in size over the past few decades as the fertility rate has declined. Whether it's furniture, sports cars, architecture, kitchen utensils, or clothing, the Italians have made their mark. Marcello Mastroianni is one of my sartorial heroes; the Italians rarely disappoint. Here, fresh from Pitti Uomo in Florence and men's fashion week in Milan, we dissect the 12 key style lessons we can learn from our natty cousins across the Atlantic. Esquire participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. The trick, as the Italians understand, is to treat it as an inner sheath—an insulating layer worn over your shirt and beneath your jacket. Get the Italian look, from Italian street fashions to the red carpet. You're so right about the weight issue. Some of the best Italian fragrances bear the names of leading fashion brands such as Prada, Bulgari and Gucci – all of which consistently produce best-selling scents. Make like them and embrace your hair while you've still got it—the likelihood is it won't be around forever. The imperceptible turn of a foot, the artfully placed hand on a knee—never have an entire people been so ready for their close up. … The Italian Sense of Beauty . 8 | Embrace your hair while you've got it. Italian men won't think twice about wearing a classic shirt beneath a knitted overshirt, beneath a vest, beneath a blazer, beneath an overcoat—and neither should you. Square jaw? Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. Italian Chic all the way! In addition to ciao, and maybe pronto (mainly because it sounds cool), the most important Italian word you should have in your vocabulary is sprezzatura. An aviator suits everyone, as the Italians well know. Still, I persist and always will, I am, after all, basically English. (And how do you reckon they look so good in street style shots?) This sense of style also extends to fragrance, with men and women alike favouring lush, luxurious scents that capture the Italian penchant for vitality and the baroque. Instead of wearing a matte poplin shirt with a flat mohair suit, a stylish Italian will play with texture and wear a soft cotton jersey shirt with a deconstructed houndstooth cashmere blazer and a boiled wool overcoat. And from today, now also bathrooms and living environments! Trousers, nice hats, basic dark coats…Italian men show that classic style needn’t be hard. If you're verging on peacockery, you're doing it wrong. Unsure about the dimensons of your face? Read Next This beautiful lunchbox incorporates a traditional knife produced in the town of Maniago in the Italian Alps, renown for its knife makers since the 14th century. 55 Gifts Your Wife Will Actually, Truly Like, Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, 2020, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Take your lunch and picnic on the mountain or in the canteen in true Alpine style. He was far better dressed than the first-class North American passengers he was driving.So it's not about money for these Italian men, they have a natural style and an eye for fabric and fit. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, The Best Black Friday Bargains Under $150, The Best Picks From Mr Porter's Black Friday Sale, Where to Buy All the Best Sweats On Sale Now, The Best Picks From Huckberry's Black Friday Sale, This Season's Most Exciting Clothes Speak Softly, The Origin of the Ever-Enduring Clarks Desert Boot, 20 Black Friday Menswear Finds to Buy Right Now, Here's Every Look BTS Wore in Their Cover Story, The Coolest New Menswear to Scoop This Week. When it comes to dressing up Italian men are the perfect sartorial measuring sticks. Just remember: looking effortless is a balancing act. Your fellow sunbathers will thank you. Writer Bio Judith Tingley is a writer, editor and multi-media artist based in Louisville, Kentucky. I’d guess it’s about buying quality items that they can wear for years and years. When I was trapped in Paris in 2010 due to the Icelandic volcano we ended up taking a coach bus to Rome to catch a flight back to Toronto. ... we dissect the 12 key style lessons we … How do you think Italian men manage to fit into their size 36 suits and super-slim jeans? 3 | Investing in high quality clothing will always pay dividends. Opt for a suit with a deconstucted shoulder, a half-lining (or no lining at all), and a tapered trouser. Best place for style in Italy is by far Vicenza. All of them are incredibly wealthy and all extraordinarily stylish. If there's one thing that Italian men understand, it's that details matter. Look at any street style shot from Florence or Milan and you'll notice that not only are Italian men immaculately dressed, they also have posing down pat. The bus driver was an Italian fellow wearing the most gorgeous suit, it fit him perfectly and he was the epitome of style. Pick one slightly bolder shade and team with more traditional colors to keep things from getting out of hand. The family (la famiglia) is the most important aspect of an Italian’s life.It provides emotional and economic support to the individual and often forms the basis of their social circles. Italian style is quite unmistakable, helped along, no doubt, by Italy’s rich design history. 6 | Sprezzatura is the only Italian you need to know. It's all about an espresso and a smoke first thing in the morning. "The Italian sense of style is hardly to be argued. Style Inside the Eternally Stylish Wardrobe of Italian Men Here are three things to know about Italian-man style: quality matters, color is not to be … Promise. The suit, of course, was Italian. And it has, interestingly enough, often been said that style is what Italy is all about. Enter the Scavolini world. The Italian sense of humour is different from my own. The French-inspired Second Empire, like houses in the Italianate style, often feature a high, square tower. Follow their lead and never take yours off—just make sure you find the right pair for your face. Translating to "studied carelessness," the term perfectly encapsulates the stylish Italian man's way of dressing. Discover models, ideas and trends that in 50 years of business have taken us into the hearts and homes of the Italians. My brother-in-law, an actor on the stage, suggested I try a suit he had been given for a play and when I put it on I looked so elegant that I felt as if I had been spiritually elevated. Though the Savile Row tradition of super-structured tailoring still has its place, the Italian look—softer and more closely cut to the body—has never felt more relevant. "In every battle the eyes are the first to be conquered...", "One must work in solitude as a man who opens a clearing in virgin forest, sustained by the unique hope that somewhere in its depths, others are working to the same end. 2 | Never take off your sunglasses. Sicilian style, Capri chic, and refined Rome; Italian fashion is among the best in the world. Brother-in-law usually played leading men or villains, and I felt up for either of these. If you've got a round jaw, opt for a square or rectangular frame. So true LBF. Are all those stereotypes about Italians a legend? While we’re fumbling to describe our exhaustion after eating an incredible meal (“food coma” just doesn’t cut it), Italians have already moved on from the conversation to naptime thanks to their way with words. An Italian living abroad reveals the truth. If there's one thing the Italians know, it's that everyone looks better in a pair of sunglasses, even when it's raining... or when it's dark.