Man’s Style – Man’s Personality

© Cesare Attolini, Napoli

Since the name of this blog is Modern Gentleman I thought I should give my view on how modern gentleman should look. I see myself fitting this description a lot and I am sure many of you guys will fit it also. So, how should your personality fit your style? I hope this article will give you the answer to this question.

Modern gentleman should look relaxed and peaceful. He does not care for fashion pieces and his personality is his inspiration. He is divided between Italian sprezzatura and British classics. Modern gentleman should try to fit these frames and his style should fit his personality. If he is flamboyant, nonchalant person he may stride towards Italian cuts more, but he should also look for seriousness in him, since every man should have this in his character, and he should also have few British cut pieces of wardrobe.

© Cesare Attolini, Napoli

Return of double-breasted jacket

Present men’s clothing is the perfect merging of classic tailoring, classic looks and modern silhouettes of men, which means broad shoulders, narrow waist and tight trousers.

Currently one of the most important pieces of the wardrobe is a double-breasted jacket. It will make your figure look broader but if it’s cut perfectly it can fit you even better than a single breasted jacket. Modern double-breasted jackets are designed to make emphasize on well toned V-shaped body. When choosing a double-breasted jacket, ask for a cut of Kent, named after Prince George, Duke of Kent. If you are shorter person you should opt for this cut which has longer lapels and will make you appear taller.

Although double-breasted jacket fits more into classics British domain you should look at Italians who use this jacket in a way that fits their character. In the hand of Italians it looks less ordinary and less formal.

Three piece suit is back

Three-piece suit was forgotten for many years, but now it leaves classic domain and becomes fashionable again. Well, this is very much influenced by street fashion. It is therefore desirable, even outside of the lawyers and bankers offices, which was not the case in the past 40 years. Vest must be conservative and from the same materials as the other two pieces, if you do not succeed, then at least keep the same hue. When choosing a connection I recommend a vest with V-neckline, which goes somewhere to the chest and deeper than the jacket collar, it is a narrower look which is more difficult to achieve but looks great. For more relaxed look leave the jacket at home and roll up your shirt sleeves. Do not leave them unrolled because you will look too serious and everyone will ask “Where is your jacket?”, but if you roll them up it will give you more casual look.

© Cesare Attolini, Napoli

How many buttons?

Some say one button is no longer fashionable. Some say more buttons look more gentlemanly. Modern suit is characterized by two buttons, more suitable if you are taller and narrower at the waist. They are also fashionable and suitable for the classic look. Three buttons suits returned in 1990’s, thankfully to Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren. In my opinion you should go for a two button or three button suits for more formal occasions. You should leave one button jackets, like sports jackets, for casual occasions.

© Richard Anderson, Savile Row, London

Material choice

The choice of fabrics is essential, because in addition to the quality it also defines the price of the clothing. Men’s summer clothing is made from materials such as cashmere, silk, mohair, cotton or from lightweight wool which is still the best investment. Cotton and linen sooner or later lose its original shape and do not fall so elegantly like pure wool. A typical summer material is silk, which was again entered in men’s wardrobe by Italians.

Best fabric for winter suits is wool, since wool is great in retaining heat. One more great thing about wool is that it can be woven in a number of different ways, which makes it exceptionally versatile fabric for winter. Most used materials derived from wool are gabardine, tweed and flannel. All are durable and they repel cold, and they can be dyed in dark hues, again more appropriate for winter.

Color as a mirror of your personality

Several years ago United States conducted an extensive study on the effect and use of colors. It was found that with the colors we subconsciously present our views on the world. The red color is the color of fire, so red is worn by people who have a desire for domination. It also has a number of positive effects on the body, especially to help overcome depression, fatigue, anxiety and melancholy.

Blue is the color of authority and it symbolizes virtue, accuracy and conservatism. If you want to look serious, start wearing dark blue which suits all skin color types. Black is the color of elegance. Green has a calming effect. Pure green symbolizes reliability, as well as passivity. Brown color is the color of the person who can be trusted. So if you want to act seriously, dress in brown clothes.

Real man is always a gentleman

May it be clear that clothes do not make a gentleman out of a man. A real man should always be polite, no matter how it’s dressed. Dress is business card of your personality, so it must be chosen accordingly. Dress up as a gentleman and act like a gentleman. Choice of clothes is a personal thing so try to have your own style. All men are different and so should be our style of dressing. No matter what kind is your personality, you can always wrap it in nice clothes.

If you are uncertain what to wear, start with more simple and conservative approach and build your style on it. Add some if you like and subtract some if you don’t. In time you will figure out what suits you and in what clothes you feel good, and that is the most important thing. To feel good in the clothes you are wearing, to feel comfortable in it. By achieving comfort in your style you will look more confident and your personality will shine through the clothes you wear.

Building your own style does not come over night. It’s trial and error process. Here is a quote by one very stylish artist, Andre 3000 from rap band Outcast: “I just try things. And the things I like, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. You can look at pictures where I look terrible, but the older I get, the more I know what works. It’s for the better.”

As you can see, he also had to go through this process to make his own style. But whatever you do, enjoy it, because dressing up should be fun.