Here’s a practical primer to understanding sprezzatura and what it means for menswear.
There’s nothing quite like Italian menswear. Thanks in part to legendary design houses like Loro Piana and Ermenegildo Zegna, Italians have an almost whimsical fashion sensibility. Italian men’s fashion has become synonymous with a specific kind of laid-back style that’s classy yet relaxed.
The Italian approach to menswear is often described as “sprezzatura,” which is typically translated as “studied carelessness.” The term rose to popularity in the early 2010s, and now it’s regularly used in conversations about Italian style.
If you frequent men’s fashion communities, you’ve probably heard of sprezzatura before, but it may not have been in a positive way. Like many styles, sprezzatura is the victim of poor execution — while it’s supposed to be carefree, it can look either messy or pretentious if carried out poorly.
Sprezzatura is great, but it’s often misunderstood, so I’m here to set the record straight and tell you how you can implement this approach to fashion — even if you don’t wear Italian tailoring.
What Is Sprezzatura?
The word sprezzatura was first used by Renaissance author Baldassare Castiglione in his work The Book of the Courtier. He defined it as “a certain nonchalance, to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought.”
In essence, this style is a graceful carelessness that gives one the appearance of being effortlessly elegant.
In many cases, sprezzatura is forced to some degree, meaning it’s an illusion of nonchalance. However, it’s also possible for it to be more natural. It’s a bit paradoxical — the more you try to have sprezzatura, the less you actually have.
The concept of sprezzatura wasn’t applied to fashion until centuries after Castiglione’s book was published. The word only became a relatively well-known term in the last couple of decades.
When sprezzatura did enter the menswear lexicon, it almost immediately became associated with Italian style (which makes sense — the word is Italian, after all).
In particular, it came to describe how Italian men tend to wear formal clothing in a more casual way and mix elements of both styles.
Italians mainly stick to tailored clothing, but they approach it in a relaxed manner without being fastidious about making sure everything is neat and tidy.
As such, people often associate sprezzatura with a certain level of messiness. Partially unbuttoned dress shirts, loose neckties, and folded collars are all examples of sprezzatura.
What’s Wrong With Sprezzatura?
Today, sprezzatura is often a menswear punchline. The reason is simple: the specific Italian casualness associated with sprezzatura is usually achieved by copying others. And, of course, that defeats the whole point of sprezzatura.
At its core, sprezzatura is about nonchalance, but taking pains to make sure your outfit is perfectly unkempt is the exact opposite of nonchalance.
In addition, many guys make the mistake of thinking that sprezzatura equals sloppiness. While there is some messiness in, it’s not the goal to look disheveled on purpose. Rather, Sprezzatura is haphazard in the “I just threw this on” sort of way.
Importantly, uniqueness is a crucial part of sprezzatura. Walk the streets of Italy, and you’ll see that the men don’t all follow the same stylistic patterns. To put it another way, there’s no uniform for this style. Of course, uniqueness you lose originality when you copy others.
The Right Way To Embrace This Effortless Italian Style
True sprezzatura can’t be forced.
Instead of focusing on copying a specific style, you can embrace the overall philosophy to improve your outfits.
In short, the best way to achieve sprezzatura is by being confident in your personal style.
It is all about nonchalance, and you can’t fake true nonchalance. It’s the byproduct of feeling comfortable in what you wear.
Think of it this way: The Italian men who inspired sprezzatura didn’t keep their neckties loose or pair suits with beaded bracelets to affect a certain look. They did those things because they wanted to, sometimes out of practicality and sometimes out of preference.
Furthermore, thinking of sprezzatura as a series of stylistic choices also defeats the purpose of the philosophy. It doesn’t take specific forms — it’s unique to every person.
Someone who embodies this personalized kind of sprezzatura is Bryceland’s cofounder, Ethan Newton. He mixes casual and formal elements in his own way, and it’s clear he’s not just copying the general Italian style.
Think of sprezzatura as a mindset instead of a way of dressing. It’s not specific to Italian tailoring, and it doesn’t consist of certain stylistic boxes you have to tick.
Here are some easy ways to embrace this effortless mindset no matter your personal style:
- Get comfortable with your wardrobe. The more broken-in your clothes are, the more nonchalant you’ll be about how you dress.
- Observe your outfits. You might be employing sprezzatura without knowing it. Take a look at your outfits to see if you’re deviating from the norm in any unique ways.
- Experiment with putting less thought into outfits. Technically, this is forcing sprezzatura, so it shouldn’t be your default mode of dressing. However, it’s a fun way to discover new combinations and outfits you may not have thought of otherwise.
Sprezzatura: Comfortable Originality
It’s a shame that so many people misunderstand sprezzatura. The actual concept is a great way to think about style (and life).
In a nutshell, it is about being comfortable and confident. That doesn’t mean you should spend an hour in front of the mirror to make sure your outfit is just the right degree of messy.
Real sprezzatura is feeling like your clothing is a second skin unique to you. With this comfort, you embrace the confidence that naturally comes.
Once you’re comfortable with your wardrobe, you’ll naturally wear it in a way that’s unique, and that’s not something you can fake!
Questions? Comments? Leave them below!
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