Dress like an Italian
It is not easy to handle the European quirks in a North American setting. It is not just about the acceptability of the quirks but also how the Europeans experiment with a lot of elements which is even practiced by those high on the seniority spectrum. On the top of that, the limits of acceptability of the fashion related innovations have much broader range in Europe. The prints that you would find on an Italian shirt fabric might not even be allowed in a Canadian designer’s office let alone introducing them in the market for a dip test. And then it is not just about the prints, the reaction extends to the cuts, the fits, the components and very well to the accessories as well.
There are still a few among us who understand the European way of thinking and are open to experiment. We would provide a few tips here that would help you from wrecking the balance.
Challenge you comfort with colors but remember the balance
You might have worn a baby pink Polo in the past and felt confident about the sharper shades of pink. And they won’t look as crazy as you think they would but the trick is to limit the overall color-range of your clothes. A Pink shirt would sit well with a jacket that is somewhere in the same color range. Or a hot pink jacket that you choose would go well with a baby pink shirt. The clothing in similar hues are bound to set you apart in an interesting way at that weekend lunch in any fancy restaurant.
Custom is better than a bigger brand
If you have to decide between a big brand factory-stitched pair of trousers and a custom made (or even altered) ones, there are no points for guessing which ones will score better in a European report card. Custom stitched means you are going by the book. And a pair that sluggishly rumple on your shoes would stand defeated against a pair that people would call adventurous but is made to fit. The pair that is adventurous while being theoretically and technically ‘right’ fit and is bound to look that way.
You don’t have to be adventurous with the biggest pieces
Style is very subjective and open to interpretations. And sometimes people notice smaller pieces more that the larger ones. If you feel like jumping into the crazy world of European style statements, you may want to break it into phases with the help of accessories. Socks and pocket squares are two pieces that you can go bonkers with yet don’t accrue too much of a damage value. These pieces don’t make you too uncomfortable if you feel that you have gone a little wrong with you choice of colors, fabric or patterns.
We are a London, Ontario based men’s fashion boutique that offers range of fabric clothing for the modern man. You would find a range of European fabric and prints with us. If you are looking for any specific item, we would be glad to meet and discuss with you at our store.