On the Street......Raphael Lorenzini, Florence
I hate to be on the Italian bandwagon, but really....when Americans do jeans and a jacket it just never (rarely) looks this cool. (Even though he is wearing mostly American brands like Ralph Lauren - or American inspired, the jeans are "Roy Rogers")
Actually, in GQ I called this look Raphael Lorenzini.
Again, this is not really about price or brand - but fit.
Those jeans are SLIM, the shirt collar high, pocket square prominent, the jacket sleeve very slim and at the perfect length, and the tie at just the right angle of sprezzatura!
I know I am not Italian, and to copy this look too completely would not feel right to me. However, I study images like this and try to figure out what element would make a difference in my wardrobe. From this image I'm reminded to ask for, or look for a jacket with a slimmer sleeve or higher armhole. That one element can make the torso of your jacket look so much slimmer.
Comments on "On the Street......Raphael Lorenzini, Florence"
This whole outfit looks magnifique! You can tell he is European just from looking at him, even with all his American labels.
He looks so classy, wish more men would dress this way
im all for upgrading menswear in America, but as a woman ... this guy looks like a schoolboy to me (and it's not just his young cute face, it's the slimness of the look and obviously the jacket)
if i saw a man dressed like this i wouldn't be like running over to get his phone number (maybe the phone number of his tailor though) - although i would admire his style.
and i think that probably explains a lot about the way men dress here.
ohhh, it is great, but look at his left shoulder, it is blousing out horribly! I don't know if I would feel like my clothes fit proper if they did that
Well, the thing that jumps to my mind is that I wouldn't want to wear a jacket like that unless it had some spandex in it! Otherwise I'd feel trussed all day. But I guess men have to put up with all kinds of upperbody indignities to look a little dapper (to wit, the necktie).
I think it's a fantastic look for a slimmer man. It is wonderfully put together and exudes a mixture of modern joie de vivre and sophistication. However, my handsome husband would not be able to pull it off very well as I think it is a very build-specific look. A man who has more muscle or bulk would struggle with this ensemble.
great point about studying images and adapting some of the details, cuts or qualities to your own look. in fact, sart, you produce the best images to do just that.
copying a look – not good. being inspired by a look – good, very good.
brilliant stuff once again.
I'm sorry, I'm in love. Great outfit, sexy attitude.
www.hi-scty.blogspot.com
This is a look I've advocated for years. It's not that tough to pull off, but requires a little extra thought (sleeve length, pocket square choice, etc.). Bravo!
OMG you are sooo right on this one...
Joy and Janet
This is the reason I adore Ital classico style -- you could see this anywhere in Rome or Florence. There is a huge difference between SLIM and "skinny" jeans. The jeans, jacket and shirt fit his body perfectly without looking like he's sausaged into them. Magnifico!
for me the element that may tempt the look to appear schoolboy is the blue tie on light shirt, and the verging on stonewash jeans.
I would even go for white jeans and a splash of colour in the shirt to balance the nice looking pocket square.
this would also make what looks like purple suede loafers tie in really nicely with an alternaitve trouser/pocket square/shoe combi....
that's just my opinion - I do think all the individual elements are exceptional, and there is clearly no denying the cut of the jacket, his confidence from wearing such a thing is oozing. well done from London.
ps not keen on the bracelet..
What about the shoulder part? But the cloth is great.
I love this look, I usually wear like this. I loven it!
He's an adorable young dude! Great haircut, snazzy watch, cute handkerchief in his breast pocket. Who knew that jeans and a jacket would look so cool? (Can't make out his shoes, but quite refined.) Also note the positioning and shadows of the group of young people on the left, one with a red scarf, the silhouette of the woman, and the effect of the cobblestone and courtyard. Truly a very artistic photo.
One of my favourite looks, his done well with the jacket. I have a small waist and large thighs, sometimes buying jeans can give me a headache.
Classic! The whole look is polished yet laid-back because of the jeans.
Double tie?? ummmm, not too sure.
magnificent! what works so well about this is that he is young and slim and everything fits him perfectly, (unfortunately, when I see this look here in the States, it's usually a middle-aged, overweight man with baggy jeans and an ill-fitting sport coat)
Wow! On the very day i make arrangements to spend a month in Florence you post this! Thanks Sart! I thought i was going to have to go to Milan to find true love but now things are looking up...
Fit and silhouette are the backbones of how a man appears in clothes. All well-dressed men invariably dress according to their individual shape and size. Regardless of their individualities, immaculate fit does not equate to tight, nor baggy.
Picture baggy jeans; jeans pooling at the ankle because they are too long; jacket sleeves so large and long they swallow the hand; a baggy shirt sagging over the wearer's belt; an open collar shirt; and no pocket square. Hardly a pleasing image.
I could not agree more with Sart. Everything about this look is inspiring.
Yes, some stretch in the jacket would be necessary, I think.
I would never have guessed that he's wearing mostly American brands. The fit is perfect but it definitely takes a slimmer, narrower physique to wear these clothes.
i wish the jeans were in a darker wash but other than that it's a lovely look!
The fit of the jeans is perfect. I wish more American men would jump on the fitted bandwagon and get rid of the giant, baggy jeans!
I agree that this outfit is build-specific. It's a nice look if it suits your build and I do like how clean the fit looks on the guy.
The jacket may seem a little tight on the shoulders though if it's buttoned. Look at the fold / crease of the guy's left shoulder. It means there's little room for movement and I think American labels aren't into that kind of fit. Europeans, very much. I love the jeans. The bottom part seems folded in though.
I like the light and the sense of movement in this image; they show off and enhance the elements of his outfit that work well.
Well fitting jeans is the key. Definitely.
It's definitely all in the fit of the jeans.
Buying great jeans is so difficult...
wow!
q estilazoooo
me gusta el chico..
besitos
Dark jeans or black wouldve looked so much better and they should be even more slim. If you like this look you should visit Stockholm and if you are looking for nice looking jackets that are slim with high armpits I definitely can recommend Z Zegnas line from Ermenegildo Zegna.
You took the words right out of my mouth Sart. Great job!
I like the fit, but I just cannot stand it when men fold their jeans under. I know the picture isn't about the jeans hem at all, but that ruins the best outfit for me.
I argee with "holierthannow". He looks like a boy, not a man. I don't like his brown belt with black shoes. If we are supposed to look at details: the sleaves of his shirt are half an inch too short. The tie is a mess. Looks like a double tie indeed.
I have spent a considerable amount of time in Italy and its so true - the cut to the men's suits is so much more body conscious. Here we don't always think of that as a term to be applied to men, but when you see it done right it seems like a no-brainer. In the US i think a lot of times men let suits wear them instead of vice versa.
Terrible jeans, the colour is so cheap, double tie is just gimmicky and what's that on his right wrist? looks like a womans Tiffany bracelet! Yeugh!
I see stripes everywhere. Not too sure if double tie looks hot on it though.
Great look! And thanks for the commentary. I can learn a lot from you and your photographs.
love this.
"I hate to be on the Italian bandwagon, but really....when Americans do jeans and a jacket it just never (rarely) looks this cool."
i couldn't agree more :)
Sart: I love the way you think!
PS Word verification is "never" though I prefer "always"
so very true that it isn't about the brand, it is about the fit and the details. in that respect a keen aesthetic sensibility is that of the world or global citizen. this image is a great example, a person from europe taking american inspired style and giving it back with his own flare and interpretation.
very sweet. very hot. very smart.
Oooww! Show me what 'cha workin' with. His clothes are so well fitted that we get to see the fine physique that is carrying the good fit. It appears as if the hem of his jeans were adjusted. He took time to have them properly hemmed instead of rolling the cuff of allowing them to puddle above his shoes. Paying attention to all the little details adds up and makes such a huge difference. Sigh, what a heavenly man/boy.
Perfection. You're right, we Americans try to pull this off but have a world of trouble.
I have to say, I think I have seen better example of this look in NY. I think the overall impression is nice, but I like the way he put his accesories together. I think thats the difference between America and Europe. In Europe Men arent scared to accesorize.
Agree with the satorialist- no american guy could really pull this off as this Italian does so well.
What a great photo!
http://desserted-sweetindulge.blogspot.com/
You make an excellent point about the fine details making a look spectacular. I will never get tired of your inspirational (and ga-ga-gorgeous) examples.
Personally I always appreciate the belt/shoes match...and I don't find this on the photo! Anyway, that's the only remark.
I agree entirely, particularly about details such as arm holes and the sleeve fit, as they seem unimportant but make a huge difference to the fit of an outfit.
I also agree completely about it not being the brands but the fit. I often buy vintage for that extra special cut, material and detailing, but I have found it is possible to approximate the same goal, or meet the standards of more expensive brands, by choosing carefully on the sizes.
Taking jackets as an example, I often buy cheaper brands one or two sizes smaller and then get the sleeves extended by a tailor, which gives a high arm hole, a good fit around the main torso and slim sleeves, while not actually looking too small. Otherwise, the same jacket can look pretty average, or worse.
Conversely, I find cheaper trousers often end up looking better when chosen a size bigger and then altered on the waist and hem.
Oh, and the guy... he looks fantastic.
Oh this is so perfect on so many different levels: the cut of the jeans, slim, but not skinny. And I don't think the jacket is too small at all: it's just such a great, slim silhouette. It just works.
Energie
Mr. Schuman,
The last comment you make about the higher arm holes; do you suggest that although a jacket may have slim sleeves but some room in the jacket after it is buttoned, should it be brought in from the back? Do slim sleeves not look right with a not-as-tailored look from the back of the jacket?
He looks great. Carla
aaahhh, those details ....hankie, beautiful watch, the tie and his bracelet...
Your words ring true. As Americans we might aspire to look French or Italian in the way we dress, but then we come up against the indisputable fact that we are not French or Italian, and we have to modulate. Wherein lies the fun.
This is how chavs in Birmingham dress up for a Friday night.
Oh well, I guess it's a class thing!
italians do it better.. =P
saluti da Firenze!
Alessandro
totally the wrong look for this guy. I agree with you (scott) that the clothes are well put together, but it doesn't at all work with this guy. I feel the combination is wrong, like he slept over at a friends house and wore that other guys clothes.
Djordy
The fit is amazing and definitely makes the outfit unique.
I believe the only drawback is the mismatch between the belt and the shoes - it seems that both don't match.
The bracelet is called a gourmette and is pretty common among European guys. My husband (who stopped being mistaken for a student about 25 years ago, so it's not an age thing) wears one.
In much of the US, there's a Lake Wobegon phenomenon of dressing extra casually because to dress up would seem to be putting on airs. In Europe, people err on the side of dressing up (put on that tie, wear that shirt you have to iron, and do iron it) because being too casual is interpreted by others as a lack of respect. Completely opposite point of view.
Fit is essential. Clothes that are slightly constraining force us to stand up straight, and good posture always looks good. Clothes that are too tight, however, are almost never classy. Raphael seems to be pushing the limit without crossing the line.
Great look, except he is wearing his tie a little sloppier than I like to see.
the guy is wearing jeans and a fitted blazer, it's not all that deep geeze...
Sometimes i really wonder why everyone acts all gushy over some really simple looks - reel it back a little it sounds so self indulgent and redundant sart
I don't know why you're banging on about fit, the shoulder is far too wide for him.
for james
i think you are forgetting that he is walking in a natural way which is effecting the line of the shoulder.
I talked to him after the shot and the fit is great
ps the shoes are navy so the belt issue is kinda up in the air
For the record:
(1) It is NOT a double tie. This guy is wearing a long tie and so the two ends are about the same length.
(2) The shoulders are not too big. This is a pagoda shoulder-styled jacket (notice the flare in the cuffs too).
I love this look.
The fit of his jeans and jacket is on key.
I love when you explain what you like about an outfit and what elements really make it. It's so much more interesting to read your perspective than just see the beautiful photos alone. More explanations, please!
Does anyone else feel like tailors need to come up with a better word than "armhole?"
He looks fantasitc, it truly is all in the fit of the garment, but Italians do it especially well.
When you talk about a certain look and not so much being based on brand or price... It's very true that a look is done through "fit"... The best quote I can think of in reference to this is the one from Coco Chanel, "Fashion is a matter of architecture... It is a matter of proportions"... Whether it's a $3,000 or a $300 suit... Nothing quite matters if the fit is not on point!
He looks great. The thing is, though, that he is very slim and finely built. It is often the figure itself that makes an outfit look elegant. These very same articles of clothing would not look elegant on a man with a more muscular frame.
Who is Raphael Lorenzini?
Very cool outfit, but is he wearing two ties??
I don't think its an Italian bandwagon at all; your comments regarding cut and fit (here and at GQ), particularly as compared to how little we American men bother about such things, are absolutely dead on. I now find myself studying your images as well, looking for style points, whether its gloves in the breast pocket (cool!), wearing slimmer cut suits (my clothier loves what you have compelled me to purchase), or leaving my monkstraps undone (not a great idea, but I tried it). I am also noticing when others I see are dressing well. My only regret is, unless you are seriously ill, you'll never visit my small midwestern US city and catch me for a street photo!
Cheers!
Soy de Argentina, muy linda la pagina!
Looks great, however I think the jeans / tan belt combo is not to my taste.
Is one not supposed to unbutton the jacket only while taking a seat and never while walking?
Love the look and would love to put my similar body in something similar!
The fit is everything in this look. A well tailored jacket can do wonders for someone with this body type. Simple and stylish. I'm a fan.
He look great!
Regarding a few of the comments above: 1 To my eye, the jacket appears to be behaving the way it does due the fact that this young fellow has sloped shoulders (a common feature of many a man's form, particularly those of us who have been more active in life); 2. The sleeves quite possibly have working buttonholes that have been turned out ever so slightly; 3. The tie is tied in that particular way that only a person great deal of patience and practice can arrive at.
All the other things aside, this is a wonderfully simple outfit which should provide a bit of inspiration to people to go out and try something with what they might already have or could easily modify. A person with a true sense of style is one who seeks, as has been noted, inspiration for the reinterpretation of the clothed self by referencing the clothing and bodies of the surrounding world in order to uncover something new or undiscovered at the personal level.
i only wear dark denim, but this shot is making me have second thoughts. this is incredible. great work.
Coco Chanel spent her entire career perfecting her sleeve draft. The key is a pattern with a high high armhole on the jacket body and a tight curve to the draft of the armsyce on the sleeve, yet still with enough ease *across* the arm so that there are no drag lines when you lift your arm up from your side. This a bigger issue for women than men but the concpet is the same.
I remember seeing this image in GQ. I liked it then, and I like it now. Very structured.
ryanmulkey.blogspot.com
I feel like the lapels are much too wide compared to the slimness of the jacket. Also, the big spread collar looks a bit off with the rest of the outfit, especially considering how light the wash on the jeans is. I really appreciate the sentiment behind this, but I'm just not okay with the outfit itself.
don't worry, zenas313 @6.45, I went to NY and dressed everyday hoping to spot The Sart, but he was probably in Milan. Nonetheless if he causing us all to raise our standards it has to be a good thing!
My style! but he has a Tiffany bracalet..?!
Nope, don't like it. Jeans and jacket? Really?
I believe it all comes down to fit. Even if you aren't as thin or young as this guy, men (especially American men) should pay more attention to how their clothes fit. Every day I see pleated pants balooning around the crotch, pulled together around the waist by a belt like a crumpled paper bag, and hems cascading over the ankle and spilling on to the shoe. Jacket sleeves hang off the shoulder, shirts baloon, clunky squrare toe unpolished shoes. Even if a man is hunky or has an atheletic build his clothes could look neat, and sharp if the fit right.
The jeans and the belt looks great! I would love to see that look with a dark sweater instead of the tie and the jacket.
gorgeous. that's all i have to say.
someone show this to north american and british men. Theres no point in wearing a suit or even a blazer if it fits like a burlap sack. I'm sick of seeing guys wearing loose fitting suits they bought at department stores that hang off them like drapes. it needs to be well fitted, spend the extra money if you need to! better to have one great fitting suit than half a dozen shoddy department store clones. clothes should emphasize and enhance your figure, whether its a suit or a shirt or a pair of pants.
This is a great shot!
the jacket just fits perfectly.
I hope we can find such slimmer cuts everywhere!
Cheers.
I love it when you explain the cut and what it does to a garment. I makes me think more about the fit when I get myself something new. Thank you!
Ah... those Italian boys...
i like his look
Cool Cool Cool.... Great Tie
Great look.
Indeed, the shirt and maybe the tie look like Ralph Lauren's.
Smart torso and casual legs:)
Anyone know the brand of the jeans ?
Slim but not skinny, they seem perfect.
The sleeves are slim allright, but that makes the jacket extremely uncomfortable to wear! I have to be able to move freely in my clothes.
Great fit but those faux-fade jeans are not good.
yes, thats true. i've noticed that special italian art of wearing clothes. probably its in their history, even in country. everything looks so Esthetic. only one thing is disappointing - girls are wearing all those pretty clothes without such stylish eye as guys do.
The look is just that, ITALIAN. I've noted just from your photos Italian men tend to wear their clothes more tailored and fitted than Americans. Actually, the clothes look too tight to me and I would imagine very uncomfortable. The young man does look fantastic in his outfit, but it's an Italian version of the way Americans dress. Not too tailored or fitted, but loose, casual and very practical.
why do you hate to be on the italian bandwagon? i can't see the point... isn't it a good thing?
Slim jeans, high shirt collar, slim jacket...
Did you try it? Can any combination be more uncomfortable to wear ??
My dream man. . . can I get his number??
just to clarify, the tie is definitely not a double tie. in italy it's the fashion with men at the moment to wear long ties and bind them in such a manner that the thinner "rear" end is the same length as the wider "front" end. then, instead of tucking the thin end behind the fat end through the usual label tag/loop to keep it hidden, the thin end is tugged to the front so that it more or less sits parallel to the wide end, thus creating the image of a double tie. it appears to be very much an italian thing, like wristwatches worn over shirt cuffs. i get around a fair bit on the continent and can't say i've seen this style of tie-wearing (or wristwatch-wearing, for that matter) anywhere else - mercifully so, as it does appear to be a slightly over-fussy statement.
I do agree it takes a lot to pull together jeans and a jacket in a man... it's like white pumps on women.
This picture once again shows that to be stylish you don't need to be all clad in labels. Your clpthes need to look like they belong to you and not the other way around.
Also, it is not about nationality it is about attitude!
http://eliespapel.blogspot.com/
Anonymous said...
the guy is wearing jeans and a fitted blazer, it's not all that deep geeze...
In complete agreement with this post! He's a young man copping the Ralph Lauren classic English Prep School look. It's not particularly original-- given that GQ Magazine has been showing this look since the 80s (I have the old issues of GQ to prove it!).
--PLO
i so agree...so GQ:)
The jacket clearly fits him perfectly despite the movement in the shoulder. The working buttons on the cuff of his jacket pretty much reveals that his jacket is bespoke and therefore fits him like a glove.
btw, is he wearing velvet slippers from ralph lauren??
Oh My!!! I know this guy!! He works at the coolest men's store in Florence!!...what was the name?...can't remember, but my man spent hours talking to him because they kind of looked like brothers even though we were visiting from Spain, how funny!
his jacket is amazing, not so keen on the shoulders, but for the most part. The jeans on the other hand would look so much better if they were a light blue, white, beige or dark indigo. with brown suede shoes to match the belt and he would look much more sophisticated. imo.
fantastic, love the tie blades, love the slim but not excrutiatingly tight jeans...the high arm hole of the jacket, the lenght of the sleeve...
this is why i still look at this sight, in the hope of catching these shots still..
Sart, you are right. The high armhole and slim sleeve does look really good. But its not the case for everyone. Heftier and more muscular guys can't really do this look because the garments would look too skimpy.
But if you have a leaner body, such as this gentleman your tailoring perscription is very well suited.
Its all a matter of what kind of body image we think looks more attractive to others.
lean and skinny or wide and muscular.
I personally think both are fine in menswear, but I'm personally a much bulkier chap, myself.
Looks like Justin Timberlake. So simple, but at the same time so fashion... I mean it's not an usual outfit for men.
man, this guy understans fashion. I think i have never seen anybody wear a jeans this way: profession, fashion, creative and sexy.
This guy rocks.
i do like the look although i am unsure if i like the tie and then the hankercheif in the blazer...too much??
other than that
YUM
With such a light colored belt, the dark shoes are a big a no no.
Great! Perfect!
His jeans look fabulous, very sexy. The jacket...my first thought was 'it's too small, he wore it for his high school uniform and still has it'. Also, his tie is not done right, the front and back shouldn't be the same length, or the back peeking out like that.
But overall, it's a great look, trim and tailored. Love the bit of Euro-bling, the bit of flair.
I definitely agree with taking inspiration from certain features of an outfit as opposed to copying the whole style. The tailoring on this jacket definately creates a slimmer torso and the high collar gives the outfit a more masculine edge. However, i'm not quite so keen on how the tie has been done and the light brown belt mixed with dark shoes seem a blatant fashion faux pas.
Overall, an inspirational outfit and a great example of Italian style.
This outfit is pure genious! The light jeans are magnificent and perfectly contrast the dark blazer. This gentleman exudes confidence and makes his look come across as effortless. Only a European man could pull off not matching his belt and shoes.
c'mon, this boy would look as good in a white t-shirt and jeans... it just doesn't matter
Mis-matched belt is a disappointing 'schoolboy' error. The jeans look turned under at the ankle instead of being re-hemmed if they're too long.
Like the jacket and the sloppiness of the tie.
He is so cute the look really does him justice..
http://rickyjamesflynn.blogspot.com/
This is without a doubt, a very put together young man...
But just one thing, his belt is TAN, his shoes are DARK...
I have dealt with Italian tailoring, for many years now, and that is a definite No No
want to add that it's not just the fit and cut that make the difference, but the face as well. look at his neatly trimmed brows and hair. so physically, he looks European already ;)and one thing, Europeans have taste and are proud of it. Americans do too, but somehow they just lack that extra class or sophistication (and I'm not applying this to all Americans, that'd be unfair).
Couple "key" issues going on here... I agree the look is clean, sharp w/an edge... but, I dont like the strip in the shirt (yuck)... Solid white is much better (he's got plenty going on - pocket square, tie, watch, bracelet)! Boarders on fussy! And finally, I adore men, and Italian men are ADORABLE... But American men are bigger (and BETTER) in the height and physique; As a result, if you have and muscle or real height (above 5'9)... THE very narrow jeans do NOT work - nor will the very slim jacket sleeves.
i totally agree, most europeans are good at making this look fresh and completely right.