Subtle Sprezzatura - Tie Clips

To further examine Sprezzatura in daily wear, Modern Dignified will be looking at subtle ways to express Sprezzatura, the artful form of dishevelment.  No man should be too perfect and this is particularly important in his clothes.  A man with a perfect outfit is considered flawed in ways he did not intend. He will come off as vain, stuffy, unapproachable and try-hard.  Sprezzatura is the graceful elegance of a looking effortless.  In reality this may be quite planned and calculated, but the attempt is to make it look quite the opposite.

We all know how mesmerizing effortless style and grace can look.  Sprezzatura is the Italian term for the art of making one's outfit look artful disheveled, without looking try-hard. Sprezzatura comes from applying subtle but deliberate errors, mistakes, sartorial contradictions to one's outfit. It is purposefully breaking the rules so that the outfit and the man do not come off as too perfect. Sprezzatura is also about not crossing the subtle line that prevents an outfit from looking sloppy or lacking style. At Modern Dignified we feel that small subtle Sprezzatura goes a long way, one or two elements are all an outfit needs. We also find that the more formal the occasion the small statements go a long way. In less formal circumstances broader and more aggressive the statements are needed.

One of the simplest statements of Sprezzatura that can be made is the slanted tie clip. It always looks careless (which is a good thing) and can work at the most formal of occasions. It is visually appealing and adds the needed element of error that every man's outfit desires. Since it is so subtle, additional elements will probably be needed for most men to make a dent in the perfection thing, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.

With the slanted tie bar, it is recommended to try various techniques and angles to find what suits you best (pardon the pun). Does a drastically slanted tie bar work for you? Or are you more of a slightly slanted tie bar kind of guy? Either way, we certainly hope you are not a boring straight a cross kind of guy.

Be unexpected and keep them guessing.

Spring Essentials - Silk Knit Ties

At Modern Dignified we recommend that every closet should have multiple silk knit ties, which isn't coincidentally one of the best retro items of recent memory. This preppy classic is back with a vengeance. It is now slimmer, bolder and a great addition to any wardrobe. The silk knit tie adds texture to a suit and shirt combination, which makes the outfit more visually appealing. It also is a more casual, but still proper version of the suit & tie. While we would not suggest wearing this for power meetings, it certainly will not be shunned during a normal day at the office. The knit tie is a great way to throw a curve ball into an outfit and keep everyone guessing, especially if it has a bold pattern, a bold color or both.

 

The silk knit tie is perfect for spring, as it compliments linen, cotton and wool. The knit tie also is often the bold statement that an outfit needs to compliment the bold sun in the sky. Bright shinny days call for bright, bold colors, while the cold, dark days of winter call for darker, richer tones. Once spring hits it is time to break out the colors that come with some attitude.

 
Our favorites are the patterned ties for this spring. Whether it be polka dots or stripes the silk knit tie is certainly looks great with a pattern.  Currently a lot of designers and tie makers from Ralph Lauren to online tie retailers have knit ties in expressive patterns.

 

The knit tie do its unique texture looks equally good with jeans, a suit or a cardigan. Sometimes a standard silk business tie can look stuffy when worn with a more relaxed outfit, but the silk knit tie will instead just look cool. It is a fun tie to wear, a great tie to experiment with and it is now a Spring Essential.

Spring Essentials - Bucks

White Buck shoes are as classic Spring as they get.  Spring after spring gentleman in the south have been breaking out their white Bucks.  As sure as the flowers bloom, girls wearing sundresses and taxes, the spring has brought us Bucks, year after year.

Well now Bucks can be found at stores everywhere, for good reason.  White Bucks are commonly only sold by classic shoe makers like: Johnston & Murphy, Crockett & Jones and Alden.  Our favorite versions of the Bucks are modern takes on this classic shoe as offered by J Crew and American Eagle.

J Crew is selling their version of the White Buck and Dirty Buck for around $140.  These bucks have a modern texture and color offerings.  A true tribute to the classic.

American Eagle has a pair of Bucks on sale for around $30.  These are a distressed version of the shoe with a very modern silhouette.  These certainly meant for nice suits, but they can help liven up your jeans.

Spring Essentials - White "Natural" Denim

White has made a come back, big time.  It was seen in a lot of fall fashions, including often at the Modern Dignified headquarters.  That momentum is carrying into spring with white or natural or wheat colored denim popping up everywhere and we are quite happy.

Nothing says spring like a plaid shirt and white denim pants.  It is the easiest, simplest and hottest outfit of the spring, just ask my girlfriend.

Once again, J Crew, Band of Outsiders, Brooks Brothers and others have white denim this spring.  But our favorite is American Eagle, they have a natural white denim jean that is only $39 and looks as good as any of the other top designers.  It is in a straight cut and for the cost, just can't be beat.