Sprezzatura, this effortless dress and lifestyle movement won\u2019t require you to liquidate your stocks to invest in accessories, suits and grooming aids.<\/p>\n
Instead, you\u2019ll adapt your behaviours and dress code to effortlessly fall into an elegant, casual way of dressing and our guide can show you how to get there!<\/p>\n
In our opinion, it\u2019s a state of mind, but if you\u2019re parochial about the meaning of words, allow us to take you back to a time and place that not only prioritized civility but applauded taste and sophistication. The word was coined by author Baldassare Castiglione whose most famous work, \u201cThe Book of the Courtier,\u201d became a prime example of Italian Renaissance literature around 1500 AD.<\/p>\n
Castiglione\u2019s thesis was uncomplicated and focused: Use proper manners and comport yourself in ways that give you an air of gentility, and society will label you a player. Adopting behaviours associated with becoming a Sprezzatura must become so internalized, he won\u2019t give it a thought once it\u2019s ingrained in your sensibilities.<\/p>\n
Sprezzatura is the art of nonchalance. Whether it\u2019s the way you dance, dress, speak or behave, the style you develop must reflect the effortlessness with which you\u2019ve revised your dress code and manner. Adoptees of this philosophy turn into the guy everyone wants in their company because you’re relaxed, stylish and quintessentially cool.<\/p>\n
Hardly! It\u2019s imperfection you must strive for because if you pursue perfection, that\u2019s the antithesis of Sprezzatura. Striving to be perfect thwarts any chance you may have of achieving this state of mind and lifestyle, and if you need specific examples to help you adopt this mindset, we\u2019ve got you covered.<\/p>\n
Will you go out on a limb if you adopt this way of dressing and acting? That’s your goal. Sprezzatura can present risks, but your talent for absorbing risks is going to be enhanced thanks to your new style and outlook.<\/p>\n
Acknowledge the fact that Sprezzatura is anything but static. Fashion, attitude and looks can change with the wind, so staying alert for breaking trends is essential to your wardrobe and your success. Make this phrase your mantra: Never try too hard nor seek attention while acting the innocent. Keep reading to complete your Sprezzatura orientation.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re referring to buttons and buckles, of course, and while we don\u2019t want you to get rid of either, there\u2019s a way to wear both while sticking with your personal dress code. Suit and jacket coats? Unless you\u2019re in court, keep them unbuttoned so you can show off whatever happens to be hiding beneath. We\u2019re talking ties and shirts. This isn\u2019t your invitation to become an exhibitionist.<\/p>\n
You know the look women get when they see guys who have it together? Do everything you can to earn that look based on the way you accessorize. Rings, sunglasses, fashion-forward wristbands and undone cuffs show the world that you\u2019re so cool by nature, even Mother Nature would applaud.<\/p>\n
As long as you\u2019re not leaving your high-priced shoes in your wake because you’ve left straps unfastened, adopting this look will improve your image. Just don’t jingle when you stroll because you’ve left buckles flapping in the wind. Leaving shoelaces untied? Until the day it\u2019s fashionable to do so, tie those laces to avoid tripping.<\/p>\n
If Sprezzatura adopted one international symbol that required no translation at all, it would be the necktie<\/a>. To knot or not to knot? That question is yours to answer. Which knot tying style represents your version of Sprezzatura? Make it the most creative one in your repertoire and if you must undertake a tie tutorial, so be it.<\/p>\n We\u2019re still on neckties, so get your brain out of the gutter. Standard tie protocol requires the tie to fall just above the waist, but to qualify as a Sprezzatura, that tie needs to be longer. If you make a mistake and purchase a tie that\u2019s so long, it points to your family jewels, better tuck it in for the sake of propriety.<\/p>\n Or a brown belt if that\u2019s your colour palette. Guys styling the Sprezzatura look wear belts that are about a size larger, so the tip of the accessory hangs down a bit. You understand “a bit,” right? If you\u2019re hot to point out your crotch by using your tie as a guidepost, you risk cancelling any Sprezzatura cred you have earned.<\/p>\n Admit it: the first time the woman in your life spotted a dude wearing jeans, a dress shirt, tie, jacket and fashion-forward accessories at a formal event, you vowed to adopt the guy’s style. Elevate the mixing of casual and formal to an art form–and let her help you achieve your goal.<\/p>\n You already know your way around designer labels, but fabric? Not so much, you say. Take a page from the Sprezzatura playbook: Learn by instinct which materials are right for casual looks (silk; cotton; linen) and high-end textiles (wool; cashmere; alpaca). Forget you ever heard the word polyester.<\/p>\n Translation: pick that pocket square<\/a> out of your jacket pocket or you\u2019d be branded as a traitor to the Sprezzatura movement. Must you throw your collection of pocket squares out? Of course not. But turning a pocket square into art is verboten. Make it look like you shoved it into your pocket as an afterthought because that\u2019s how you roll.<\/p>\n Are you perpetually late? Time to celebrate. Being an official Sprezzatura stud requires you to be equally nonchalant about your grooming. Wait until you see how much time you save by growing sexy stubble and\/or adopting a carefree or long hairstyle. While you\u2019re at it, develop a swagger. You\u2019ve earned it.<\/p>\n This is a guest post by\u00a0Kelsey Davis, Editor at The Lux Authority – an online portal\u00a0bringing readers stories about fine products or extravagant getaways.<\/p>\n Related reading: How to Avoid Falling Prey to Fast Fashion<\/a>.<\/p>\n5. Size matters<\/h4>\n
6. Become a black belt<\/h4>\n
7. Jeans and a suit coat? Yes, please<\/h4>\n
8. It\u2019s okay to be a fabric fan<\/h4>\n
9….and a pickpocket<\/h4>\n
10. Turn your grooming habits upside down<\/h4>\n