Italians and Outerwear

While I was living in Milan, I received a lesson in creating a lasting wardrobe built from classic and quality pieces that stay sartorially relevant and functional for a very long time. Just being around the Milanese teaches you a great deal, the first being that Americans are sloppy. Casual to Italians (and this is not reserved for the fashion capitol Milan) is still polished. Sweats are dressed up. They take pride in how they present themselves to the world. As winter nears and the leaves change color, outerwear is an important part of dressing up again. Thank goodness for that because as a San Franciscan I have the urge to bring a jacket everywhere I go no matter what my eyes tell me about the weather outside. My collection of outwear does not always live up to what I have learned during my time abroad because for some reason I used to believe I could pull off womenswear and have it look correct on my body type but I hope I can get it right with time. Here are some men I met in Milan who knew what they were doing.



I took these photos on main luxury shopping streets in Milan, more specifically Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga. All these men were either running errands or going to work. Look how well the clothes fit, the comfort and naturalness of the ensemble, and how each piece can be worn today or years from now. My theory holds up: I took these 4 or 5 years ago.


-jerome