Sprezzatura: my observations...

[Frederic Leighton]

And what about this?

Well, and then what about this?

[hectorm]

Well, while I don't see any story behind our friend Luca (justifying his sprezzatura), at least the Pearly King is using his for a good cause. What do you think?

[davidhuh]

Well, while I don't see any story behind our friend Luca (justifying his sprezzatura), at least the Pearly King is using his for a good cause. What do you think?

Dear Hectorm,

I happened to meet this young gentleman a couple of times. He is a very nice, well educated young man enjoying his youth and his sense for colour. And secretly, I would wish my youthful experiments would have been that good

cheers, David

[hectorm]

Dear David,
I never doubted for a second that young Luca wasn't the nicest of gentlemen. Moreover, I'm glad to hear that the outcome seen in this picture (I confess I deliberately chose a rather extreme one) is just the harmless result of some youthful experimentation and not of some traumatic experience that has him trying way too hard most of the time.

[davidhuh]

I'm glad to hear that the outcome seen in this picture (I confess I deliberately chose a rather extreme one) is just the harmless result of some youthful experimentation and not of some traumatic experience that has him trying way too hard most of the time.

Dear Hectorm,

this young man lives in Italy, Milano mostly, where far bella figura follows other standards than the conformism prevailing in London or North America. He is about 30 years old, and of course, he should not dress like his father (who's style is a reference) - this I would consider, hm, inappropriate or ridiculous.

If I would see other young men his age dressing the way he does, I would cry "hooray!" - tailoring has a future
He speaks to another generation, and he is a very credible ambassador for the craft.

cheers, David

[hectorm]

David, you have valid points of view and you expressed them very eloquently. Thank you for putting this old fogey into context.
I see as many 30 y.o. dressing like young Luca (at least trying) as I see older men dressing like Don Mariano. This is to say: very few.
If there is a path leading from the way Luca looks to the way Don Mariano looks (not exactly the path through which I followed my elders and became interested in the craft) then, as you said, there´s future out there.
By the way, I would enjoy seeing (or at least reading) about those not-so-perfect youthful experiments of yours.

[davidhuh]

By the way, I would enjoy seeing (or at least reading) about those not-so-perfect youthful experiments of yours.

Dear Hectorm,
there are chapters in every man's life that shall better remain unpublished . What I can say is that everything started with me insisting on wearing a tie as a twelve year old on Sundays when nobody else around me did

cheers, david

[Costi]

...just the harmless result of some youthful experimentation and not of some traumatic experience that has him trying way too hard most of the time.

Hectorm, I took another look at Loos's photograph. Not looking at the clothes, but at the eyes and expression of both. I'm not sure where I see (more) trauma...
I am at a point where I can appreciate both these kinds of image. They are different, but each has its own charm. If you can really be permeated by Palestrina's gentle sobriety, you can't possibly dismiss Haendel's whirly flourishes. It's less about being restrained or baroque and more about doing it well.

[hectorm]

Hectorm, I took another look at Loos's photograph. Not looking at the clothes, but at the eyes and expression of both. I'm not sure where I see (more) trauma...

You´re right! Very good observation. While Luca´s eyes look at ease with his life and environment, Loos´s are a bit tense and defensive (?) Although I believe that part of this could be due to the evolution in the art of photographic portraiture.

I am at a point where I can appreciate both these kinds of image. They are different, but each has its own charm. If you can really be permeated by Palestrina's gentle sobriety, you can't possibly dismiss Haendel's whirly flourishes. It's less about being restrained or baroque and more about doing it well.

Now you got me cornered. If I say that Luca´s style is questionable and too staged then I would look narrow minded and unappreciative. Mmmh...
Since you laid a comparison between his style and Haendel´s flourishes, here I send an image of the young fellow in question ¨caught¨ in the act of composing his daily baroque merengue.

[Frederic Leighton]

While Luca´s eyes look at ease with his life and environment, Loos´s are a bit tense and defensive (?) Although I believe that part of this could be due to the evolution in the art of photographic portraiture.

I find that Loos has a penetrating gaze, even in this earlier photographic portrait. I can easily recognize that same attitude that would eventually evolve in this, in this and in this.

[hectorm]

I find that Loos has a penetrating gaze, even in this earlier photographic portrait.

An intense gaze indeed. Not knowing him well I wasn´t sure whether there was a general attitude of anxiety behind the look in his eyes, therefore I added the question mark after tense and defensive.
Notwithstanding, his choices of clothes seem to be clearly premeditated and he surely knows that he is being observed.

[pur_sang]

Luca is a very stylish gentleman.

Although I think his marvelous play on colours are already enough (jacket, shirt, tie, trousers combinations), the extra accessorizing is becoming tedious.

[Frederic Leighton]

More Cocteau (below) and some Poulenc (here).

Regards,
f

[ethandesu]

On this point I must play devil's advocate, and I offer in my defense that I have been daily assaulted by both those overtly conscious of appearing "sprezz", and those so nauseatingly pretentious that any misconduct with the 'rules of classical dressing' becomes akin to a personal attack on their propriety.
In the time I have been involved in this industry of menswear, I have seen that the pendulum seems to swing very far to either side of balanced by those prone to judge. While it is true that many take the idea of appearing effortless too far, and lose any semblance of being natural in their dress, there are as many who react with such abhorrence to any slighting of their standards of dress that it makes me wonder what trauma they experienced early in life to cause it.
Appearing effortless is a great thing. I don't know if I necessarily achieve such - it is hard to judge your own appearance accurately - but the man whose dress I most respect, Fred Astaire, always looked so beautifully comfortable in his own wardrobe. He wasnt dull, and sometimes his cuff buttons were undone, but he always achieved looking just like Fred Astaire. Being entirely militant about never undoing a button unecessarily or wearing a certain shade of brown while in the city, so entirely robs the act of dressing any joy you might experience that the rules become a crutch. Some men peacock - that is their personality. Some do it more naturally than others, some are more succesful at it than others. There is no blanket rule that can be applied in saying one affectation is good and another bad, nor is there any assurance that by dressing within the realms of boring sobriety that one can escape causing offence.
A great friend and mentor, G.Bruce Boyer, once wrote me to the effect that dressing should be a joyous thing. It is a hobby we are allowed to partake of, and a means of self expression for men. He is wonderfully well dressed, and always looks just like himself when he dresses.
So - be wary of swinging too far either way. A lack of affectation may end up being just as damning as too much.

Ethandesu

[alden]

Ethan

Great to see you back.

Yes. dressing should be a joyous, fun moment of self expression. The very last thing it should be is serious. The latest statistics prove there is way too much serious going on in the world these days.

Dressing is the silent poetry we share with the world every day.

Cheers