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dippedanddripped · 5 years

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This May, New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology hosted its annual Future of Fashion runway show. As usual, 2019’s presentation celebrated the work of its graduates in fashion design, with students presenting work across the genres of sportswear, knitwear, children’s wear, special occasion and intimate apparel. The difference is that this year the university added a new category for its students to try their hand at — street style and athletics. “This is the first Future of Fashion show that’s featuring athleisure and streetwear,” celebrity stylist Kesha McLeod, one of the judges for FIT’s street style and athletics capsule, said ahead of the runway show.

And FIT is not the only school to formally recognize streetwear’s relevance. Ahead of its own graduate fashion show in May, Brooklyn’s Pratt Institute chose none other than Dapper Dan to honor Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss with its 2019 Pratt Fashion Visionary Award.

But the inclusion begs a question: how can an institution like a fashion school incorporate streetwear into its curriculum? Is it possible to “teach” a genre that is rooted as much in culture as it is in technique? And if so, does institutionalizing the genre effectively neuter streetwear’s rebellious edge?

For FIT, the introduction of the new category is simply a response to evolving styles. “Every generation of student brings with them a new perspective, and streetwear is the most current example. This is what makes fashion vital— what we wear represents who we are,” says FIT’s Chair of Fashion Design Eileen Karp.

“Knowing how to realize your vision is in no way a compromise, it is essential and empowers the emerging designer,” she adds.

To judge the street style and athletics capsule, FIT invited McLeod and FIT alumni Christopher Bevans. Bevans, who was a global design director for Nikeand creative director for Billionaire Boys Club before founding his own brand DYNE, says FIT has evolved its curriculum significantly since his time there. Back then, the school didn’t so much as have a menswear component let alone streetwear.

“I think that the new dean [Troy Richards] and [President Dr. Joyce F. Brown], they are well aware of street culture,” Bevans tells HYPEBEAST. “And they’re listening to the voices of the students and the professors, and they are doing a beautiful job to continue to keep FIT relevant and cutting edge and innovative.”

Tuomas Laitinen, senior lecturer at Aalto University in Helsinki, is a bit more skeptical of such overt labels. “We don’t really believe in categories. Something like trends, it’s a bit of a dangerous word in a way. It’s more about finding the individual path of a student,” he told HYPEBEAST ahead of Aalto end-of-year Näytös show.

Aalto, which was recently named one of Business of Fashion’s top fashion schools for 2019, may not “teach” streetwear directly, but clothes at the Näytös 2019 show, which took place this past month, certainly presented a streetwear aesthetic. Students created pastel-colored suiting reminiscent of Louis Vuitton’s menswear by Virgil Abloh and zippered, functional outerwear calling to mind Errolson Hugh’s ACRONYM.

But Laitinen finds his students are moving in a far more formal direction, perhaps representing a generational shift where wearing a tracksuit is no longer such an act of rebellion. “Actually it was more streetwear, more sportswear-y before. Now it’s tailoring,” he says. “They’re more attracted to formality. It’s funny, in my generation it was all about breaking formality.”

“We don’t really believe in categories. Something like trends, it’s a bit of a dangerous word in a way.”

For Laitinen, the difference in approach might be due to the fact that, as he sees it, American schools like FIT, Parsons and Pratt take a more “commercial” approach when compared to their European counterparts. “Saint Martins or Antwerp or Vienna and the other schools, our point of view is more kind of defined to make students dig really, really deep to things they are interested in. And if it happens to be streetwear or sportswear, then we’re one hundred percent embracing it,” he says.

But Laitinen brings up a crucial point in the question of bringing streetwear to schools. In an age where streetwear covers the gamut from casual brands like Stüssy to formal, luxury fashion from the likes of Off-White™, how does one even define what streetwear is?

For Rachel Lift, visiting professor of fashion at Pratt, that answer can change depending on the context. “It signifies a specific fashion market and the garments – sneakers in particular – that are sold there,” she tells HYPEBEAST. “It is also an umbrella term that is problematically used to group black designers, whether or not they are making clothes that are sold in the streetwear market.”

However, in the educational sense, Lift says the term “streetwear” can be used to ask students to contemplate designs “outside of the established hierarchies of the industry,” and to think of cultures left out of the mainstream fashion conversation. “Because of its connection to hip-hop, ‘streetwear’ serves as a prompt for thinking about diversity and inclusion in the fashion industry – a theme that we also address in fashion education,” she says.

FIT offered an interesting solution to this conundrum of how to “define” streetwear; the street style and athletics pieces in its Future of Fashion show were not relegated to a separate category, but instead students within each discipline — sportswear, knitwear, children’s wear, intimate apparel and special occasion — were invited to apply a street style and athletics lens to their graduate pieces if they chose.

In the case of the winner of the street style and athletics capsule, Gwen Hines, that ability to combine athleticwear with a contrasting style proved successful. Hines, who specializes in formal wear, created a striking evening gown with athletic materials like scuba and mesh. “I chose to take part in the athletic capsule collection because I saw it as a challenge. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone and this is exactly what happened,” she tells HYPEBEAST. “Before this, I never had much of a relationship to athletics/streetwear. I chose to specialize my studies to special occasion design so, this style was very new for me.”

That lack of immersion in streetwear culture may ruffle the feathers of certain hypebeasts who want to keep streetwear to an underground genre. But for Bevans, recognition in other areas of fashion is a boon for streetwear. “I think it’s just important that we keep pushing and being innovative to have a seat at the bigger fashion houses, and it starts from here,” he says.

And not only that, but in the age of social media, going mainstream is a foregone conclusion for just about any genre. “I think social media has now just kinda made everything kinda mainstream,” he adds. “So if you think you’re underground, you probably shouldn’t be on social media, then.”

“I think it’s just important that we keep pushing and being innovative to have a seat at the bigger fashion houses, and it starts from here.”

Fashion schools aren’t the only institutions to bring streetwear to the spotlight, after all. In 2018, the CFDA honored Supreme’s James Jebbia with the Menswear Designer of the Year Award, a decision that invited its own share of backlash. Bevans, however, sees that decision as a due recognition of streetwear’s influence. “That just goes to show, there’s no denying just how street style is truly fashion. It’s just another chamber of fashion and it’s a serious business that has to be respected,” he says.

Laitinen agrees that streetwear’s time in the underground is over. “We have no subcultures anymore. We just go on this merry go round,” he says. He may not believe in teaching streetwear, but that doesn’t mean schools should remain static.

The way forward, Laitinen sees, is for universities to offer students a chance to experiment with technical innovations. “It’s more like keeping up with techniques and materials. That’s become kind of where we have to keep up,” he says. “You explore and you use machines you’re not supposed to. That’s the whole point of fashion education. Because you can’t really teach people how to design.”

The latter point may never change, but students’ access to streetwear knowledge certainly has. Kim Jones has ascribed role at influential streetwear agency Gimme5 during his student days as giving him a unique point of view compared to his fellow Central Saint Martins alum. Nowadays, students can find streetwear influences all around them, whether they’re looking for them or not.

#fashion school #streetwear blog #fashion blog #fidm #fashion institute of technology

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forbesbyte-blog · 5 years

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Download Har ghoont mein Swag he Video Song MP4 - BADSAH new song

Pepsi is set to launch its new effort'Har Ghoont Mein Swag' this summer. Discussing this effort, Tarun Bhagat, Director-Marketing, Hydration and Cola, PepsiCo India, stated,"Pepsi is a brand which has always resonated with the voice of the generation. PEPSI is acknowledging and celebrating a word that defines the millennials' . 'Har Ghoont Mein Swag' is about living in the moment, seizing interesting opportunities and doing it all with swag. The new campaign is a progressive approach to truly reflect the self-belief of today's generation." Disha Patani and tiger Shroff are one of the dancers in B-Town. The two have collaborated for a song that was new and we're certain that they will leave us all thrilled as usual. The tune will be used as a new anthem for a cola brand and is titled as Har Ghoont Mein Swag. Not only has rapper Badshah sung the tune, but he has written it also. Raising the excitement further, a behind the scene video has surfaced on the internet. In the video, we can see Tiger busting a few moves and failing at it every time. Well, we will have to wait for the song to find out how flawlessly does Tiger get these motions. Baadshah also took to discuss a picture of the group. Check out the posts here: There is not any garment as broadly adopted, loved and worn as'Jeans'. What was once regarded as a classic symbol of the American West is a staple in everyone's wardrobe. As workwear to get labourers of the Western states of America, jeans were first manufactured in the 19th century. With time they were embraced by people . Then they became a symbol of rebellion - the spirit captured by the likes of Marlon Brando in'The Wild One' (1953), and James Dean in'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955). The song is made by Bhushan Kumar's T-Series and launch today (April 7). Along with Hrithik Roshan in a film that is yet to be titled, Tiger will be seen Aside from that. He also has Baaghi 3 in the pipeline, the movie also comprises Shraddha Kapoor. As for Disha, she will be a part of Ali Abbas Zafar's Bharat along with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif. She will also be observed in Mohit Suri's Malang along with Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur and Kunal Kemmu. For Bollywood news, gossip and updates stay tuned to CineBlitz. Now, what if a beverage brand portrays jeans or'casual wear', as a symbol of rebellion for childhood in its marketing communication? Pepsi, the favorite beverage marketed by PepsiCo, has published an advertisement campaign through which it tries to convey the message that wearing jeans/casual wear at a college campus isn't incorrect; rather, it is a symbol of style for millennials also that every college-goer has the right to dress like that. A 360-degree marketing plan, which began with the launching of a TVC on February 22 will be rolled by pepsi. The TVC takes India's youth is taking them on - together with swag. The TVC sees a bunch of school students standing in front of the notice board in outrage, since the principal has set up a note announcing a dress code that is compulsory --'NO JACKET, NO CAP, NO T-SHIRT, NO JEANS'. One pupil decides to take things into his own hands, takes a swig of his PEPSI, takes centerstage, and announces his support to the decision of the principal. As he takes off the cap following the directions on the board into the T -- saying NO CAP, NO JACKET as he takes his coat off, NO T-SHIRT as he chooses off his T-Shirt. He is about to follow the support of NO JEANS when him stops pulls off the notice and storms away. The whole faculty cheers as the protagonist sees with a'Ghoont of SWAG', taking a swig of his bottle of Pepsi. Read the full article

#DishaPatani #DishaPataniNewSong #DownloadBADSAHnewsong #DownloadHarghoontmeinSwaghe #DownloadHarghoontmeinSwagheVideoSong #DownloadHarghoontmeinSwagheVideoSongMP4 #TigerShroffNewSong #VideoSongMP4

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justsomebucky · 7 years

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Ten Years (Part 5)

Summary: AU. When a major account is on the line at work, reader is forced to revisit some old connections at her ten year high school reunion for a chance at success. Will she let the past consume her, or will she see the future in her grasp?

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Word Count: 2,483

Warnings: language, sarcasm, fluff, mentions of past cheating

A/N: All right, I’m pushing this out so that I can get to the actual reunion. It’s been done for a couple of days, but I wasn’t sure I liked it. However, it’s necessary filler. I mean, I want to know what happens, too! Thanks for all the well wishes, I am feeling slightly better. Also I used a gif with words for the first time because RED HENLEY MENTION.

When Friday finally arrived, you woke up with a terrible feeling.

It was like one of those moments you’d see in a Star Wars movie, where one of the main characters says, ‘I have a bad feeling about this.’ That was you, as soon as your eyes had opened.

The reunion wasn’t until Saturday night, but your boss T’Challa had instructed you and Bucky to leave a day early and stay two nights in a hotel near your hometown. He figured that would give you enough time in case you needed the extra hours to work out more details of the plan, or to meet with someone the day after.

You highly doubted that you’d be meeting Tony Stark on a Sunday, or at all, really, but you didn’t tell the boss that. Never tell the boss that sort of thing, ever.

Since you were familiar with the area and Bucky wasn’t, you offered to drive on the way there, and he would be the one to drive back to the city. The plan was to leave work after so you threw your bag in the backseat and gently laid your dress over top of it, leaving enough room for Bucky’s things.

The first thing you noticed when he stepped out of the lobby was how casual he looked. He was wearing a pair of dark pants, and a light blue button-down shirt that had the top few buttons undone with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

You bit your lip, internally screeching at how handsome he looked. It’s just for work, you reminded yourself, peeling your gaze away from him as he got in the passenger seat and shut the door. You’d been spending way too much time with him, both on the phone, on Facebook, and in person. It was starting to mess with your head.

“Hey,” he said, giving you a small smile. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” you replied, tearing your gaze away as you adjusted the side mirrors so that you could see properly. “You can listen to whatever you want, I don’t have a preference.”

Bucky reached for the radio. “This has satellite radio, so we can listen to eighties music if that’s okay?”

“That’s fine.” You carefully pulled away from the curb and into traffic, following the route home that you knew by heart.

It was going to be a long drive, not because of distance, but because of your own thoughts and anxiety.

At least, you assumed the butterflies in your stomach were from anxiety.

---

The hotel that the company’s travel agent had booked for you was on the smaller side, but there wasn’t really all that much to offer near your hometown anyways. Bucky’s room was just down the hall from yours. The plan was to unpack, change, and meet up for dinner.

The reunion itself was being held tomorrow at in the gymnasium of your old high school. Being back at your school was something you were kind of looking forward to, but still kind of dreading. That setting made it more of a true reunion to you, but it also brought back lots of memories you weren’t sure you were ready to confront.

You had just changed for dinner when a knock sounded on your hotel door.

Bucky stood in the hall, wearing jeans and a red Henley shirt that fit him just right. You nearly keeled over at the sight of him looking even more casual than before, but now with an outline of muscles showing. When did those get there?

“I wasn’t sure if you even owned jeans,” you quipped, stepping out into the hall with him and slinging your bag over your shoulder. You tried not to stare, so you kept your eyes off of him altogether.

“Funny,” he retorted. You hear the amusement in his voice.

“So, I thought we could just take a scenic route to a diner I used to go to when I was in high school.”

“Sounds good.”

Bucky walked beside you as you pointed out the library, the house everyone used to say was haunted but was really just abandoned, and the entrance to the park.

“My first car broke down on that street, right in the middle of rush hour,” you told him, pointing. “Clint had to push it to the side of the road because people were screaming at me for blocking the road. It’s not like someone plans on breaking down in the middle of the road, but you know New Yorkers.”

He looked over at the side street, but didn’t say anything.

You bit your lip, wondering what he was thinking. You’d gotten to know him better over the last couple of weeks, but you still couldn’t read his silence very well. Was he bored? Was he comparing it to his hometown?

Was he wishing he was somewhere else right now?

The two of you turned down another side street, then walked a couple blocks before you came upon the place you were looking for: your old house.

It was a modest, two-story home, on the corner of a street called Nolan Court.

You gestured toward the home. “This is where I grew up.” Your eyes slid to Bucky’s face, trying to gauge a reaction.

Bucky gazed at the home in front of you, the streetlight making his eyes sparkle a little. “It’s nice,” he said softly, a small smile playing on his mouth. “I could definitely see you living here.”

Wait, what?

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s a nice home in a quiet neighborhood, not far from the city you love.” He looked at you, his smile widening. “A little quiet rebellion always calling to you, though you knew you had it good here.”

“I did,” you agreed, looking back to the home. It used to be blue, and now it had a false brick exterior, but he didn’t need to know that. That wasn’t something you told a coworker-slash-pretend-boyfriend.

Wasn’t he more than a stranger now, though? He was getting to know little pieces of you, day by day, and putting together a puzzle of your life in his head. And what’s more, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

If someone had told you two weeks ago that you’d be standing on the sidewalk outside of your childhood home with Bucky Barnes, your competition at work, you’d have laughed in their faces.

Now, you couldn’t imagine being here with anyone else.

Little warning alarms started going off in your brain. You weren’t supposed to think that way; you were supposed to stick to your mantra. Bucky would never settle for you, and besides, he wasn’t the type to actually date the competition. His work meant too much to him, as he’d proven time and time again.

“Let’s get going,” you said quietly, feeling a little more defeated than a few minutes ago. “I’m hungry.”

Bucky snapped out of whatever thoughts he’d been lost in and nodded. If he noticed the change in your demeanor, he didn’t mention it. “Lead the way.”

---

“So all we’re doing is finding out about me. I want to know more about you.”

Bucky shook his head, hands clasped together in front of his mouth. “I don’t know what more to tell you. I’m pretty boring.”

“You don’t seem boring to me.”

He glanced to the counter of the diner. “I don’t have anything nearly as interesting as your little Long Island getaway here.”

The diner you were both in was a throwback to the fifties. It had a bright red counter, with white bar stool seating and a checkered tile floor. All the waiters and waitresses dressed up like they could have been in a James Dean movie. It was so popular and special that they featured it on the Food Network several times. So many of your favorite memories with your friends had happened in this very diner.

But you weren’t going to get into that. That wasn’t something you should tell a coworker.

“Oh yeah, we’re the only town in America to have a diner,” you joked, making a face. “Seriously though. What were you like growing up? Did you have a nice childhood?”

“I had an okay childhood,” he relented, his blue eyes gazing back at you.

You felt a little shiver roll down your spine.

“My best friend, Steve, and I used to get into some trouble here and there, but nothing major.”

“Does Steve still live in Connecticut?”

“He does. He’s got a wife and a kid on the way.”

You nodded. It was interesting how different they seemed just by what he was describing, but you and Natasha hadn’t been very similar from the start, either.

Bucky reached for his glass of water, taking a sip before continuing. “I was kind of a nerd growing up. Steve was sort of like your friend, Natasha. He was popular, tall and fit, and all the girls went bananas for him. I was shy and quiet. I didn’t want to settle down right away, and I couldn’t find anything of interest work-wise, so I left for the city. I threw myself into my job, and here I am.”

“Do you ever go back?”

“Once in a while to see my parents or Steve. That’s all, though.”

You nodded. “No one special?”

He let out a humorless laugh. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m kind of a workaholic. I’ve had more dates cancel on me because of my being held up at work than dates that actually happened.”

Ah, yes, the rumors were true then. He was married to his job.

You secretly relished the fact that he was single, though. After all, he’d found plenty of time for you lately, even if it was work related. Maybe if this whole account thing worked out, you’d be assigned to work with Bucky more often. Surely, you’d at least have to help oversee Mr. Stark’s account.

Then he’d find even more time for you, for work of course.

The waitress arrived just then, bringing you each a plate of breakfast foods. Bucky had been about to order a burger and fries, but you had pretended to be offended. You insisted that breakfast for dinner, especially at this diner, was a must.

“Wait!” Bucky held up his hand. “Food selfies are the most infuriating, aren’t they? We can brag about our breakfast, and our relationship.” He dug into his pocket and retrieved his phone, getting the camera settings ready for the waitress. He gave her one of his winning smiles. “Would you mind taking a picture of us?”

“Sure, honey,” the waitress said, smiling at you both. “You make a cute couple.”

The two of you leaned over your plates and smiled at the camera, and Bucky posted it to Facebook right away. “Maybe we should have started an Instagram account, too?” he mused.

“I think that Facebook is fine.” You didn’t want this charade to completely haunt you once it was over and you were alone with just Mr. Fuzzypants to keep you company. Why torture yourself, right?

“So since I ordered breakfast for dinner, am I officially in the club here?” Bucky looked up from his waffles, the corner of his mouth lifting enough to bring out those handsome laugh lines around his eyes.

You felt those damn butterflies acting up again. “Well, it’s a start, but you have to make it through the reunion first. You have to really witness what hell was like up close.”

Bucky laughed, taking a bite of waffle. He nearly groaned as he chewed that first forkful.

“It’s heavenly, right?”

His smiled widened. “You’re a genius.”

You grinned to yourself as you started into your own waffles. It was still hard to believe you were having this much fun with a man who once closed the elevator doors in your face.

---

The walk back to the hotel was one that you were dreading, so you kept the pace as slow as possible. The sooner you went to sleep, the sooner you had to be awake again for tomorrow, and the actual reunion.

You weren’t ready. You knew it deep down that you weren’t ready to face Clint and Natasha, and you especially weren’t ready to try to use your old relationship with her for business purposes. It felt wrong, it felt insincere, and most of all, you didn’t want to exploit her. But you also didn’t want to lose your job. You didn’t want to ruin the company’s chances with Mr. Stark.

And you certainly didn’t want to disappoint the man beside you.

“So, tomorrow,” Bucky began, as if reading your mind. “Don’t worry about it so much. Even if we don’t get the in with your friend, ex-friend, whatever she is…even if we don’t get any progress there, I’m not going to give up.”

You offered him a small forced smile. “I just have a bad feeling that if I don’t pull through with this connection, that I’ll be looking for a new job soon. The rumors-”

“The rumors are crap,” Bucky interrupted, stopping to look at you, his face serious. “T’Challa isn’t that kind of man. He sees hard work, too, not just the end result. He knows how hard our team works, and he knows which people aren’t pulling their weight. He’s a fair boss, and an observant one.”

“What, do you have some kind of insider info about this or something?”

“I do,” he admitted. “T’Challa asked me to become the head of our department yesterday. That’s why he was so anxious for us to get back to the office…that’s why he was waiting for me. They want to do some restructuring. I told him I’d think about it.”

Your brows furrowed in confusion. “Why wouldn’t you just accept the position?”

“It’s a lot of change for me.” Bucky shrugged, looking thoughtful. “I think I like the chase better, the feeling you get when you can land a new client, another big account. I don’t think I’m meant to be a manager.”

The two of you started walking again. “I think you’d be a great manager,” you piped up. “Not that I’m trying to get in good before you become my boss, or anything.”

Bucky chuckled softly. “Anyways, Y/N, don’t worry about it. Either way, everyone sees how hard you work.”

The two of you made your way into the hotel lobby in silence, shuffling quietly to your separate rooms.

Before he went inside his door, Bucky looked up at you. “I wouldn’t let them get rid of you.”

Your eyes widened in surprise, but before you could reply, he bid you goodnight and disappeared. You opened your own door, a thousand thoughts bombarding you at once. Now you weren’t so sure of your mantra.

It was hours before you were able to finally fall asleep.

---

Part 6

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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How To Dress With Sprezzatura

http://fashion-trendin.com/how-to-dress-with-sprezzatura/

How To Dress With Sprezzatura

What on earth is that man doing with his tie? Has he dressed in a huge hurry? What’s with the collar sticking out? Hold fire with your assumption that the subject of your disdain just doesn’t know how to dress well. Those points you critique may, in fact, be expressions of ‘sprezzatura’, the art of dressing artlessly. At least seemingly so…

But why would anyone seek to do this? For one, in a world – and in the culture that is clothing – that loves a rule, sprezzatura brings a touch of rebellion, it’s a style hack without going full on punkish revolution. It’s also a means to signal your individuality, even though you’re still perhaps wearing conventional clothing. Most of all, those who can carry off sprezzatura – and in attempting so it’s a fine line between style king and style clown – win the prize of being cool.

Like ‘cool’, you know a touch of sprezzatura when you see it. Like ‘cool’ too, it can be overdone, at which point it’s not cool any more. But, and here’s the good news, it can also be attained – acted out until it’s natural. And, as the writer Thom Gunn said in in his poem on the young Elvis Presley, “whether he poses or is real, no cat bothers to say…”

What Is Sprezzatura?

Sprezzatura is a way of getting dressed that undermines the accepted way of dressing, while still adhering to its typical garments.

If a tie is usually worn so the narrow side of the blade is behind the wider part, it’s sprezzatura to wear it the other way round; if the end of a belt is usually tucked into a belt loop, it’s sprezzatura to leave it dangling; if fastening a tailored jacket is what counts for good dress etiquette, it’s sprezzatura to leave it undone. Of course, to now do these things is not sprezzatura – you need to find your own touch of distinction.

Street Style, Pitti Uomo 94

Yes, it all looks a bit convoluted, especially for a way of style that is meant to convey the complete opposite: a lack of caring. But then sprezzatura, right back to its 16th century beginnings, was always something of a performance: a performance of personal panache.

The History Of Sprezzatura

‘Sprezzatura’ is one of those Italian words which, like ‘focaccia’ or ‘linguini’ seems alien at first, and then just becomes a natural part of your vocabulary. Unlike ‘focaccia’ or ‘linguini’, however, defining the word is akin to the trouble with defining ‘cool’ (in the non-temperature sense). Everyone knows what it is, but that’s not enough to say what it is; and if you think you have it, you haven’t.

The idea of sprezzatura, however, predates the commonplace use of ‘cool’ by about 400 years. It was in 1528 that writer and royal hanger-on Baldassare Castiglione coined the word in his book The Book of the Courtier – effectively a self-help tome for those wanting to climb the greasy pole of life ruled by the whims of aristocracy.

The book was a best-seller, a blockbuster, in its day. It proposed or, more accurately, repurposed ancient ideas of the ideal, Renaissance Man – he would be shaped by the best ideas; he’d be the ‘strong and silent’ but he would also have this thing called ‘sprezzatura’, which also referred to his appearance.

Marcello Mastroianni, 1960

In terms of style, sprezzatura suggested the kind of man who looked effortlessly elegant – though never stuffy or overly formal. The key word was ‘effortless’: it all looked easy and unforced, as though the man in question just happened to look simultaneously together and laid back, as if by accident. Sprezzatura was, if you like, faking it to make it. As Castiglione suggested, the more we work at practicing the principles of urbanity, the more they become part of you.

Whilst the Brits tried it as early as the 19th century, it was the Italians who made the most of it. “Historically it’s central to the idea of style in Italy,” notes Alessandro Sartori, the artistic director for Ermenegildo Zegna. “You see that in, say, the readiness to blend formal dressing with sportswear, in the play with textures – matt next to shiny. There’s always a way of dressing too Italian that slips into stereotype – that very polished look – but sprezzatura is much more organic.”

What Sprezzatura Means Today

Dress codes continue to break down; the lines between formal and casual dress are ever more blurred; we wear sneakers to work and a suit to go out. If ever there was less need for sprezzatura – a means of standing out without, you know, standing out – now might seem to be it. But, in fact, with the tendency to look ever more alike all the time, arguably there’s a greater need for a personal style to shine through in the details. Add with today’s greater accessibility of menswear – in terms of fashions, variety, pricing, ideas – it becomes a matter less of what you’re wearing as the way you wear it.

Marcello Mastrioanni, the actor, claimed, as he once said, “to hate fashion. Fashion and designer labels… It’s all so stupid for people to pay all these high prices just to have the designer’s name in a coat”; and yet he ordered 12 bespoke suits from Vittorio Zenobi, his tailor in Rome, every year. Capturing some essence of sprezzatura of cutting against the grain, he once noted that “the day when everyone is very, very elegant, I will start to go around dressed like a tramp.”

Giovanni Agnelli

Fellow Italian Gianni Agnelli, of the family behind the Fiat car-making dynasty, similarly embodied sprezzatura for the 20th century. He would wear his button-down collar unbuttoned; he wore his watch over his shirt cuff; he always wore his tie just a little off-centre and a little undone; he’d wear his double-breasted suits undone (a sartorial faux pas); he’d leave a couple of his suit’s cuff buttons undone; he’d sometimes wear slippers or hiking boots with his tailoring, creased though it was, albeit perfectly creased. He broke the usual sartorial expectations and didn’t worry about it.

Street Style, Pitti Uomo 92

Certainly, listed like that, the quirks of sprezzatura dressing may seem somewhat contrived, as though the individual in question was trying to be willfully different. And there is an element of truth to that. “But give an Italian man the same clothes to wear as one from Germany or the UK, for example, and he will still find a touch of difference,” reckons Naples shoemaker Paolo Scafora. “It’s why you can go anywhere in the world and spot an Italian man a long way off. He is expressing his self-respect and his respect for others.”

Express Yourself, Sprezzatura-Style

Commitment

Lapo Elkann in Milan

Sprezzatura is a look or an attitude you have to embrace; it can’t be done just a bit, without conviction, because then the effect is to look unfinished, or scruffitura, as the Italians never called it. The overall look is a bit ‘just got out of bed’ – albeit a bed in a five star hotel in the Amalfi Coast with nothing to do but soak up the admiring glances.

Rough And Ready

Street Style, Pitti Uomo

Think semi-formal – unstructured jackets, textured fabrics, knitted rather than silk ties – and the almost distressed. Foxing – the wear around a shirt collar – the scuff of a shoe, the patina on a belt, can all add to sprezzatura’s key lack of stiffness.

Let It All Hang Out

Street Style, Pitti Uomo 94

If it can be undone, consider undoing it – except your shoelaces and trouser fly. But a top shirt button (with tie), and a shirt or suit cuff, are all fair game. Leave tailored jackets open. And avoid ironing – at least nothing more than a light press.

It’s Not Just About Tailoring

James Dean, 1955

It’s harder to do because there are fewer elements to play with, but sprezzatura can apply as much to casual dress as more tailored dress. Take James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause for example: he’s in jeans, white T-shirt and a bomber jacket, but the jacket is worn just so, fastened only at the bottom and with collar turned up. Sprezzatura can see the smart and casual happily intermingled.

Discover Your Signature

Street Style, Pitti Uomo 94

Find a way of wearing that you like – the way Agnelli wore his watch or his shirt collars – and stick with it so that, over time, it becomes a signature. But just one or maybe two such signatures will do it. Don’t do all that you could. Then, to the unknowing eye, sprezzatura just looks messy. It needs, in an ideal world, to be your signature too – not, ahem, something you read about somewhere… But this is easier said than done.

Sprezzatura Dos and Dont’s

Do…

Understand there’s a time and place for sprezzatura – it works perfectly in a creative setting, less so in those in which tradition dictates a high degree of formality. Sprezzatura is not for the wedding – especially if you’re the groom – or for the boardroom, ever.

Avoid slipping into the stereotype of Italian dressing: very fitted jackets, ankle-skimming trousers, highly polished shoes and so on. Sprezzatura may come from Italian culture (technically before Italy existed) but it is not about looking Italian.

Be prepared for some not to get it. It might only take a few random comments from people reminding you that you’ve forgotten to fasten the buttons on your Oxford shirt collar, or that your tie isn’t straight, for the fun to wear off really fast. Still lost? Take your cues from the masters below and you’ll be on the right track.

Don’t…

Overdo it. The 21st century Italian peacock – of the kind documented in street style shots from the likes of the Italian menswear fair Pitti Uomo – does not have sprezzatura, for he lacks restraint, subtlety and, often, taste. Sprezzatura is, in contrast, all about little details, and less is more with those.

Think too hard about it. If it doesn’t come naturally, arguably it’s best just not to go there and to stick with the tried and tested, socially accepted notions of dressing well. Make too much of it and there’s a risk of being called out; and self-conscious sprezzatura is not sprezzatura at all.

Key Sprezzatura Figures

Alessandro Squarzi

The Italian fashion entrepreneur – he oversees the marketing and distribution of a number of brands – is well-placed to dip into various styles. And yet his year-round trademark is a pair of white trousers, which has never been easy to pull off, but which – in true sprezzatura mode – he stays loyal to regardless.

But his overarching skill is to make basic, comfortable clothing look incredibly stylish. He’s well into T-shirts and sweaters, slippers and sneakers, with some vintage bits thrown in – the likes of some old Levi’s or a throwback jacket.

Brunello Cucinelli

The founder of the Italian luxury lifestyle brand that goes by the same name, Cucinelli at first appears to rock standard Italian peacockery: the ankle-skimming trousers, the pocket square, the silky scarf. But he has an in-built scruffy edge that makes his look just a little off, and so much cooler for it – a jacket is crumpled, or worn over a crew-neck sweatshirt; a sharp double-breasted blazer is teamed with ripped jeans and a long belt; or a jacket and trousers that should be parts of a suit, but are actually ever so gently mis-matched.

He still looks very Italian, of course. But it’s his take on Italian. And that’s not easy in Italy.

Johannes Huebl

Is the German model an example of sprezzatura? His characteristic style is about as simple, as classic, as conservative as it comes, which leaves little room for individuality. He’s big on wearing one dark shade head to foot.

But then, on occasion, he surprises: a white – white! – double-breasted blazer that somehow he can wear without looking like the maitre’d; a shirt untucked; a hefty scarf tucked into his sweater; and some little touches – a brightly-coloured tassel on some dark loafers.

Joe Ottaway

The menswear consultant and style advisor to David Gandy gets top marks simply for being frequently seen alongside the model – and we mean seen; he doesn’t disappear into the shadow of those cheekbones. That’s because he’s doing his own thing (and he’s remarkably tall).

That thing is essentially rather olde English: three-piece suits, watch chains and nice monk-strap shoes. But he’s playful with colour – albeit within the classic menswear palette – and isn’t afraid to look just a little bit poncey. A suit, T-shirt and broad-brimmed hat combo? A belted pin-stripe safari jacket, worn with sleeves rolled? It’s not for everyone. But he wears it well.

Key Sprezzatura Pieces

Unstructured Blazer

A tailored jacket with all the padding and lining taken out perfectly embodies the notion of sprezzatura. It’s comfortable, non-restrictive and allows the wearer to give off a sense of nonchalance that’s hard to achieve with a sharp, structured garment.

Whether double- or single-breasted, wear yours open and undo a couple of the cuff buttons on each sleeve for a touch of sprezz.

Knitted Tie

The most casual type of tie, if there is such a thing. Although not suitable for the boardroom, knitted ties are ideal for smart casual attire and, as they lack stuffiness, give the potential to be worn with plenty of sprezzatura.

When tying it go for a simple four-in-hand knot, but don’t fuss around in the mirror for ten minutes adjusting and re-tying multiple times. Instead, just tie it once into a tight knot and roll with it – if the rear blade hangs longer than the front then so be it.

Pleated Trousers

Comfortable, smart and far less common than their flat fronted cousins, pleated trousers are here, and they’re here to stay. Usually designed to sit higher on the waist, they have the potential to elongate your legs and can look extremely elegant when worn well.

Slightly more formal than regular trousers, try rolling the cuffs to offset this and wear with suede loafers, or, contrast the look completely with white sneakers. Sprezzatura is all about mixing the formal with the casual, after all.

Button-Down Shirt (Worn Unbuttoned)

This is one of those things that can look contrived but, nevertheless, is a key sprezzatura detail.

First pulled off by Agnelli in the ‘60s – and by countless Italian followers since – leaving a button-down collar unbuttoned only works if it looks as though you were too busy, or just didn’t care enough to button it when you threw it on in the morning. If the rest of your outfit is too polished, you’ll just look affected.

Pocket Square

Fewer men are finding a need for pocket squares nowadays – they’re often an unnecessary fad in a menswear world of tracksuits and limited-run sneakers.

But, for a sprezzatura-inspired look, they can add wonders to a suit. The pop of colour from your chest pocket can be your point of difference; just remember not to match your tie and just throw it in there and go.

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rodrigohyde · 6 years

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Back To Basics: The White T-Shirt

An important enough staple of men’s clothing to be included in the Museum of Modern Art’s Is Fashion Modern show last year, the ubiquitous white T-shirt is clearly one of those items that should be in everyone’s wardrobe. While it can be traced back to medieval T-shaped garments, Cooper Underwear , originally sold their men’s t-shirts much as we know them today only as part of a set, paired with long johns. Hanes produced mens t-shirts in cotton for the U.S. Marine Corps back in 1901. By the 1950s, the t-shirt for men began to take on a post-WWII sense of rebellion, a reputation solidified when worn by Marlon Brando in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Fast forward through celebrities making it part of their uniform from James Dean and Harry Belafonte to Sugar Ray Robinson; today we see pricey, audacious collaborations between Hanes and designer brands like Vetements or Supreme. While some will always and only view tees as layering pieces to protect their dress shirts from perspiration, when worn alone, the white T-shirt becomes iconic. Oddly enough, in it’s Everyman appeal, it offers a certain idiosyncratic statement: the wearer’s demeanor must be confident, as the minimal garment focuses on the individual’s style, expression and personality.

RELATED: The Secret To Packing A Carry-On Bag Like A Pro

Of course a blank canvas begs for interpretation and deviation. The classic white cotton knit garment can be found for great prices at Walmart to quite luxurious versions by top designers at Bergdorf Goodman, at prices that vary from the equivalent of a latte to nearly that of a bottle of vintage Veuve Cliquot.

What Makes This Classic Tee So Classic?

Color: Always white. Pure white is most classic, but super-bright optic whites or antiqued pale whites are also acceptable. Think of it as a blank page or canvas. How does it look with your favorite pair of jeans? If you want to keep it timeless, steer clear of any graphic t-shirts, printed t-shirts, branded t-shirts, or funny t-shirts. Classic tees are just that -- Classic.

Short Sleeves: Long sleeve t-shirts are fine, they just don’t have the same sex appeal as the a classic tee. Never, ever confuse a t-shirt with tank tops either. A tee shirt says “I don’t need to prove I look good” while a tank top says something more like, “Please tell me how good I look.” Catch the difference? Show off those guns the good way, like you were Born in the USA… even if you weren’t.

Crewneck: Polo shirts and button-down shirts are their own thing, and while V-necks come and go, crewnecks are forever.

Silhouette: Luckily, we have options. In great shape? Grab a fitted tee. Dad bod? Look for a tee with a little more relaxed fit. Fashionisto? Go for today’s longer, more oversized silhouettes. Feeling like a baller? You can even get custom t-shirts, if you really felt like it. At the end of the day, your confidence is what makes such a simple staple look so damn good, so wear what makes you feel your best.

Cotton: Ring-spun cotton or regular cotton, Supima and Pima cotton, mercerized cotton and cotton blends -- go for the comfort of one of nature’s original performance fibers...

Or High-Tech Fabrics: Spandex, Tencel, modal, silver, and gold, even space age innovations that fight odor are all on the table.

Hollywood Appeal: Wearing a classic tee well can make you look A-list with literally the least amount of effort. Take over a parade float and lip sync “Danke Schön,” scratch your head and give us your best James Dean, throw on a little bling and try to be as cool as JAY-Z.

What Are The Best Ones Around Now?

The Known Supply Men’s Crew Neck T-Shirt

Why We Love It: At first look, it’s the ultimate expression of simplicity: a basic white crew neck T-shirt, rendered in luxuriously soft Pima cotton, and made in Peru, the home of the very finest finest Pima. But then something in the description catches your eye: “Signed by the maker.” Like an oil painting or an artisanal whisky, Known Supply recognizes that true quality comes from people who are trained, skilled, experienced, and proud of their work. They also recognize that, in today’s environment, workers should be treated fairly, and provided with a clean, safe workplace. Each shirt is signed, and you can learn about the craftsperson by going to the brand’s website and entering their name . Descriptions of their three manufacturing facilities tell the current time there, the temperature, and even the workers’ current music playlist. It opens a window into the world -- and just might make you treat this ultimate white T-shirt with a little more respect.

$28.00 at KnownSupply.com

The Richer Poorer Crew Pocket Tee

So you know how when you finally find that perfect pair of pants or shoes; that fit great, work for your life, and are great quality at great prices and you end up buying them in every color? Well, let us introduce you to your new T-shirt resource. Richer Poorer make casual shirts with a consistent fit, that breaks across many, many styles. Start here with a classic white Pocket Tee Shirt. Then add one in Plum . Then, as things cool down a little, grab a Long Sleeve Crew in Heather Gray or a Midweight Tee in Black. By October you’ll be grabbing Henley t-shirts in every color.

$34.00 at Richer-Poorer.com

The Uniqlo Supima Cotton Crewneck

While we know Uniqlo for bringing Japanese precision style at a great price to the United States , Supima cotton is where the United States gets to give back. The American-grown fiber creates a luxurious soft, fabric that makes for a comfortable T-shirt to wear every single day. And if plain white is too overwhelming, Uniqlo launches a brand new group of graphic tees in its SPRZ NY regularly.

$9.90 at Uniqlo.com

The Jockey Staycool+ Crew Neck

Staycool+ is Jockey’s own cotton-cooling feature, designed to wick and evaporate moisture for dry, cool comfort all day long. It also includes their StayNew Technology, so the shirt looks great despite multiple washings. Finally this style’s Essential Fit is tailored for a guy that wants something that can fit nicely under a dress shirt, but not be too-too slim when worn alone.

$34.00 for a 3-pack at Jockey.com

The Hanes x Karla T-Shirt

Are you a Belieber? When celeb stylist Karla Welch couldn’t get her hands on a long T-shirt that felt just right to client Justin Bieber, she bought the largest Hanes white cotton tees she could get her hands on, then cut them down to fit. Necessity is a mother. After fielding requests from fans, Welch and Hanes got together for a collaboration that offers a “good white T-shirt…at an affordable price,” according to Welch.

$30.00 at xcarla.com

The Gap Classic T-Shirt

It’s a shirt so great that The Gap is building its Fall campaign around it. Super soft in a straight, easy fit, it’s truly an American classic. A perfect icon for the store that was started nearly 50 years ago just because Doris and Don Fisher couldn’t find a pair of jeans that fit him right.

$17.95 at Gap.com

The Rhone Element Tee

Rhone worked with a factory in Peru to make sure it was getting the absolute finest Pima cotton to make its Element Tee extra soft, but then went one step further, incorporating a high-tech fiber that inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria. Perfect for travel, just air the tee out, and you can wear it again without a washing.

$54.00 at Rhone.com

The Lululemon 5 Year Basic Tee

Crafted from Lululemon’s proprietary Vitasea fabric—which includes fibers made from seaweed—this favorite may have you doing the dolphin plank or the fish pose, but it’s soft and lightweight enough you’ll want to wear it beyond the yoga studio. The high Lycra content provides great recovery and shape retention…so that new tee should last a full five years!

$58.00 at Lululemon.com

The Tommy John Stay-Tucked Undershirt

Tommy John elevated undershirt design to an art form by incorporating a soft, wrinkle-resistant fabric blend into a modern, non-restrictive fit that’s “designed for your body, not a box,” and that—obviously—doesn’t come untucked during the day. This "Second Skin" stay-tucked streamlined silhouette eliminates what the company calls EFG: Excess Fabric Gut …and it also looks great on its own.

$43.00 at TommyJohn.com

The Mack Weldon 18-Hour Jersey Crew Neck

Mack Weldon’s rotated shoulder seams may look like just another cool design detail, but they’re actually made to keep the sleeves from riding up. The fabric is a blend of cotton, beechwood modal, and Lycra that is actually allowed to rest for 18 hours before it’s cut, so that it expands naturally…resulting in a consistent fit and a soft feel.

$32.00 at MackWeldon.com

The Hanro Cotton Sporty T-Shirt

Hanro brings Swiss precision to the classic crewneck tee, featuring super-soft mercerized cotton. It’s a slightly fuller cut, to wear every day, while flat-seamed trims along the neckline and hems ensure that ultimate touch of European quality.

$78.00 at HanroUSA.com

The Sunspel Slim-Fit Cotton Jersey T-Shirt

Sunspel got its start back in 1862, when Thomas Hill opened his textile factory in Nottingham. As exporters of cotton underwear throughout the British Empire, the company perfected the art of making comfortable undershirts from long-staple cotton. Still made in England, today’s offerings remain true to an original design from the 1950s.

$90.00 at Sunspel.com

The Acne Studios Basic T-Shirt

Stockholm-based Acne Studios brings a colorful, unconventional approach to its fashion collection from men’s jeans to leather jackets, but designer Jonny Johansson’s wide-ranging eye is brought into laser focus on this Basic T-shirt in Optic White. The truly pared-down style in 100 percent cotton jersey is the ultimate expression of designer minimalism.

$100.00 at AcneStudios.com

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