Sprezzatura - achieving style without appearing to try too hard

Saturday, 28 July 2012

I've had plenty to say before about trying too hard with your style. It rarely works, because it looks contrived and self-conscious. I'd heard the word sprezzatura before, but now see that it defines precisely what I've been trying to describe in previous posts on this blog. This was brought home to me by Mr Porter's report on this expressive Italian word in their Journal. Here is what Wikipedia says,

Sprezzatura (Italian pronunciation: [sprettsaˈtura]) is an Italian word originating from Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier, where it is defined by the author as "a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it". It is the ability of the courtier to display "an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that went into them". Sprezzatura has also been described "as a form of defensive irony: the ability to disguise what one really desires, feels, thinks, and means or intends behind a mask of apparent reticence and nonchalance".

The word has entered the English language; the Oxford English Dictionary defines it as 'studied carelessness'.

So, the look may involve purposeful (or, if you're really a natural, unintentional) imperfection in dress; undone buttons, no perfection or symmetry - maybe even slight shabbiness. However, these things need to be done very carefully if they are not to look too contrived. Ties at half mast and brogues worn without socks will fail as it is trying too hard.

Here are a few examples; many of which I've used before. These men are all dressed very stylishly, but none is immaculate. Do any of these ideas work for you?

Let's try a little sprezzatura this summer.

Boglioli

The Sartorialist

4 comments

Luke Honey28 July 2012 at 10:48
Great article in today's Times Style mag, which my wife threw over at me to read. Your blog is exactly what I've been looking for (and probably need), although I was delighted to find that I managed to tick most of the c's without cheating. Brilliant Stuff.
Bruce Reeves31 July 2012 at 18:28
I think of sprezzatura as the point at which I cannot be bothered. An example would be my wrist watches. My everyday one has a black face and a black leather band. I do not like the feel of metal bands. The problem is I like to wear brown shoes more often than black, so my metals match but not my leathers. This is the point where I cannot be bothered.

My formal watch is a black face with a black leather band my wife gave me about 20 years ago when we first married. Black leather, black belt and black shoes. All good. The metal is a very nice gold which does not match my other metals. I cannot be bothered.

Sprezzatura.

Where is the point at which you cannot be bothered?
Grey Fox2 August 2012 at 02:20
There has, by definition, to be an element of carelessness in it. However, this masks the conscious effort that has gone into it - and your decision not to bother is that.

I'm not convinced by rules that require you to match belts, shoes, watch straps etc - it sounds too like the fashion police to me. Sprezzatura is the antithesis of fashion, I think - although the former can enhance the latter (if that makes sense). But this is all beginning to sound like Pseud's Corner in Private Eye so we'll stop there. GF