As it’s been mentioned time and time again but is worth stressing one more time, dress codes are
becoming increasingly relaxed. In the last 10 years, or so, many men have wavered at the notion of sporting a
necktie, and instead straying towards open-collared shirts and T-shirts. This has now been taken one step further.
They’re sporting Hawaiian shirts,
which, to some purists is an abomination, but to us, it’s a breath of fresh Polynesian air. The beauty of a Hawaiian
shirt is that not only are they comfortable and exude a sense of casual ‘whatever-ness’, there’s one for everyone.
Whether you're drawn towards an eclectic and vibrant pattern, or a subdued one (if that’s technically a thing to
describe a Hawaiian shirt as), the ubiquitous Hawaiian shirt has the natural ability to work with any kind jacket
you happen to go for. The same goes for the camp-collar shirt, which has slowly but surely found its place in the
modern man’s wardrobe. It stems from American during the 1950s, which was a period when formality started to wane
and experimentation started to flourish. Today, they brilliantly take down a tailored ensemble a notch due to the
collar overlapping the lapels that it’s a bit of a statement of not really giving a ****. A confidence booster, for
sure.
Furthermore, wearing tailoring doesn’t need to be stifling or restricting, so unleash the chest and
let the air flow in. It’s a way of dressing that should be promoted as it can only help encourage millennials to
take to tailoring rather than lackluster and fickle streetwear. Both Hawaiian and camp-collar shirts were paired
with tailored, loose fitting and full-cut trousers, many with comforting pleats, and there were also a pleasingly
large amount of Gurkha-style trousers. If you are unaware of those, you can familiarise yourself here as they’re awesome.
Now, on to Seersucker and don’t worry I’m
not proposing that it’s a new trend as it’s been a summer staple since the 1920s. But, the variety of colours and
patterns at Pitti was astounding. There are some exceptionally cool cloths coming from Italy, mostly from an Italian
mill that’s owned by Loro Piana named Solbiati (it’s worth exploring their swatch books when you next visit your
tailor). Whether it was used for jacketing, trousers or shirts (button-downs, cutaways and camp-collars were
omnipresent), Seersucker was literally everywhere. It is, of course, the obvious choice in summer due to its
ventilating puckered weave, but think beyond the classic white and blue striped pattern. Olive green, tobacco,
midnight navy and black, plus some mind-blowing Prince of Wales checks, were
kicking about and I’m excited about its evolution.
Elsewhere, Safari jackets were rife, and
we saw some exceptional ones care of De Petrillo (a Neapolitan outfit that will no doubt become a firm favourite of
ours and yours), Johnstons of Elgin, Marol, Private White
V.C. and Grenfell. The shortness of the jacket and a
louche knot tied across the front makes it a fine choice in addition to the functionality of the four front pockets.
Accessories-wise, the tote
bag was the go-to receptacle, which is for the man who needs not a briefcase or doesn't feel
comfortable with a backpack. A great medium between the
two, some can be worn on the shoulder and contain enough space for everyday essentials.
In the coming weeks, we will be going into further detail on the micro-trends on display
care of our two photographers who were as ever on the Florentine front line. Firstly, Jamie Ferguson, who is no
stranger to the magazine and website and knows the grounds of the Fortezza in a similar fashion to the whereabouts
of condiments in his kitchen. Secondly, a new addition to our armoury, Milad Abedi, a Stockholm-based super
sharpshooter whose moustache trumps Ron Burgandy’s with relative ease.
