Habits change. Every year, in this season, I dedicate an appointment of Schema Libero to beachwear: I looked for them, working backwards on my blog The Men Issue (you’ll find it on Style Magazine website, in the “Moda” (“Fashion”) section). In Five years I’ve always recommended to wear on the beach an appropriate, chic, maybe a bit retro attire, inspired by Marcello in La Dolce Vita. And I’ve always suggested to use swim shorts. This year I do an about face: is it for that annoying invasion of skinny guys that is accustoming us? I don’t know. Now there’s a desire of more vitality, of beautiful bodies – slim but defined – of hair whitened by dried salt, of suntan. After all, changing is beautiful. I linger only on two factors, that make me say no: coloured tank tops and slippers. Yes to flip flops, espadrilles. But no to slippers, please.

Nerd R-Evolution. If we Google “Nerd”: “A young man, who is insignificant and not attractive, that repairs his lacking attractiveness with an obsessive passion and a great tendency for new technologies”. There are several theories about the etymology of the word “nerd”: we only know that it was coined in the UK around the 50s. It was used at first with derogatory meaning. But during the decades, being a nerd has become a style. It initially was that style for brains, a bit losers, that became cool thanks to Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs. Now, the nerd look has evolved: from the minimal T-shirt, jeans and sneakers of the past, today the nerd is also a businessman dressed with formal tailored classic.

Work in progress. -Style is also interpretation, expression of identity and personality. And fashion is desire of new, of “not seen yet”, maybe funny. A kind of game that, if played with intelligence, makes the daily routine of getting dressed more enjoyable-. Words by Giorgio Re, expert in history of fashion and writer of the column “Ieri & Oggi” (Yesterday & Today), very appreciated appointment on Style Magazine, that talks to those interested in this subject. But not only. Some suggestions are useful for everyone. Among the macro-trends there’s a hidden trend, not so showy. The author is Tomas Maier, that celebrates the 50 years of Bottega Veneta and 15 years as its creative director with this collection. The s/s 2017 explores the 30s and the 40s, concentrating on the worksuits used in those years. And he matches them with clothes printed with geometrical patterns with optical or camouflage effect. The wide volumes don’t leave doubts: this is a style for few.

The bridge dedicated to PPP. Ariola is a district of Gerocarne, in the province of Vibo Valentia, in Calabria, with 500 inhabitants in 1960. That year, a certain writer and director that made history arrived thereabouts: Pier Paolo Pasolini. He started the research for the location of “The Gospel according to St. Matthew”, 4 years before the first action. At that time, Ariola could be reached only with a mule track: Pasolini promised to contribute to the building of a bridge, in order to make the life of the inhabitants easier (today they’re around two hundred). The bridge was built and the director kept in touch with a family living there through letters: that, unfortunately, were lost during the emigrations in the following years. In that small town there are four workshops of ceramists that, probably, wouldn’t have existed without that bridge. 57 years later- maybe a little too late- in march, the bridge was dedicated to Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Travelling with fashion. “The only rule of travel is: don’t come back the way you went. Come back changed.” says Anne Carson. If it’s adventurous and includes exotic places and countries, the travel can change our habits. And eradicate the occidental materialism. Off course, we’re talking about fashion, and fashion – probably – doesn’t interest Anne Carson, one of the main canadian poets and essayists. But fashion has almost ever inputs coming from art, literature, different ethnic groups. Basically, the travel clothing doesn’t exist anymore, since when it’s an inspiration for the creation of new collections. And it’s a mix: of military, sporty, technical fabrics and even trekking accessories, as seen at Prada’s, emblematic and excellent example. My suggestion is, as always: don’t repeat the styling you see on the catwalks, that are a form of spectacularization of fashion. But tone the strongest pieces down with something more classic.