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Sprezzatura: The Essentials and anything else you want to know/comment

Soph

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Just saw the Esquire Black Book and it had the top 10 Sprezzatura signs.
sprez·za·tu·ra [ sprètsə trə ]
noun
Definition:
1. careless grace in arts: unstudied grace in art, music, or literature
2. elegant carelessness: elegant unstudied carelessness in attitude and personal behavior
Some of them and feel free to add more and critique them:
1. Taking tie off and putting in breast pocket
2. Leaving your top button untied and showing under the knot
3. I've heard of a not shined show (not in bb)
4. Kinda of wild and untamed hair (not in bb)
5. Putting hand with thumb out in coat pocket (not in bb)
6. Brown shoes with navy/gray suits
7. Gloves in breast pocket (not in bb) of top coat
8. Soft shoulder slimmer jackets more relaxed
9. Thin part of tie below top....-don't dig this one
10. The nonchalant pocket square 'plop'

There are more these are just some I remember.
 

gorgekko

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Among the dumber lists I've read recently.

And is it really unstudied if Esquire can make a list out of it?
 

A Y

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I think sprezzatura ceases to exist when you try to define or consciously perform it.

It's an internal attitude that manifests itself in some of the actions in your list, but it cannot be achieved by aping those actions, which is why lists like this and the Borrelli "How to be Italian" list are not very useful. What might be more useful would be a study of how classic men's dress came to be so that one can thoughtfully find one's unique expression of style.

--Andre
 

LARon

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Originally Posted by Andre Yew
I think sprezzatura ceases to exist when you try to define or consciously perform it.

It's an internal attitude that manifests itself in some of the actions in your list, but it cannot be achieved by aping those actions, which is why lists like this and the Borrelli "How to be Italian" list are not very useful. What might be more useful would be a study of how classic men's dress came to be so that one can thoughtfully find one's unique expression of style.

--Andre


What he said.
 

lawyerdad

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Originally Posted by Andre Yew
I think sprezzatura ceases to exist when you try to define or consciously perform it.

It's an internal attitude that manifests itself in some of the actions in your list, but it cannot be achieved by aping those actions, which is why lists like this and the Borrelli "How to be Italian" list are not very useful. What might be more useful would be a study of how classic men's dress came to be so that one can thoughtfully find one's unique expression of style.

--Andre

Exactly. If you got it from a list, it ain't spezzatura.
 

jml90

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I unconsciencely do most of that.
 

Gericaux

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I read somewhere that "a man must assume a studied nonchalance in dress." I guess the same goes for women as well.
 

RJman

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Originally Posted by Gericaux
I read somewhere that "a man must assume a studied nonchalance in dress." I guess the same goes for women as well.
no
 

JBZ

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Apparently, it is necessary to carefully study unstudied carelessness.

Personally, I try to express sprezzatura through my spazzolato leather products. That, and through my use of cool sounding Italian words.
 

Ivan Kipling

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Paul Stewart is looking better, all the time.
 

Britalian

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What does 'sprezzatura' mean? I asked several of my students. Only one, a dapper older gent, actually knew and managed to articulate its essence in reasonable English.

I'd agree with the other posts (now that I know to what it refers) that to define it so explicitly and methodically is pointless.
As the saying goes, if you have to ask what style is....
 

itsstillmatt

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Originally Posted by jml90
I unconsciencely do most of that.
smile.gif
 

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