Blue tie. The tribute by Giovanni Gastel to Richard Avedon, for Style Magazine (2010). “Severe” light, off-white background. The models’ action counterposes the solemnity of the tribute of a great photographer to a popular predecessor. The models, like they’re dancing, seem not to care about the mess they create in the clothes: the movements dissolve the severity of a normally impeccable attire as the tuxedo is. Out of the fashion sets, in real life, we can imagine a similar ease choosing a different way of “wearing the evening”: for example, breaking black with blue.

Facing the style. “A well-cut suit makes you look thinner, taller and sexier” word of sir Paul Smith, a real expert of menstyle. Menstyle, one word that contains the emanation of what a man would like to be and own. The Style. One Style. One, because it changes depending on the person. But, overall, a Universal Style exists, and it refers indeed to the suit, that can even modify and improve the corporeality better than a plastic surgeon and has the power of adding an appeal that is not possible to reach otherwise. Fashion trends are almost a negligible detail; there’s the year of the narrow lapels, then the year of the peaked lapels, like in the 40s: here the proportions come into play. If you are short, the width of the “peak” worsen the situation, for example. Tricks that men have learnt to consider. I don’t think we still need the columns that teach how to tie a tie. We’re much sharper than in the past. Or not? We are, come on.

Yacht club. That kind of menswear inspired by the sea can be easily defined as timeless. Yes to jackets (for the yacht), windbreakers (for the sailing boat), pullover made of cotton (for both), accessories for watersports. And, for the most elegant, yes to the classic double-breasted blue navy blazer with contrasting buttons for the happy hour. Why are they timeless pieces? The striped sweater reminds us of the pictures of Dalì with Garcia Lorca in the 20s. The windbreaker reminds us of the legendary Jacques Cousteau in the documentaries of the 60s/70s. Actually, the steel cronograph can be also worn in the city, as the white trousers, that perfectly match red and blue (but never wear them all together, they immediately make think about the french flag). In terms of shoes, espadrilles are allowed only at the seaside. Jacques Cousteau on the Calypso, ex minesweeper of the Royal Navy, after a diving exploration.

The Norfolk jacket. Contemporary menswear often brings back to fashion an archetype of the past. This doesn’t mean that we can’t find anything new in shops neither that today’s clothes are imitations (this is a totally different matter). What designers – since ever – have done is to draw inspiration from a certain era, keeping its charm untouched, but updating the reference model according to the new rules of menswear, starting from fabric and colours. In this week’s picture we can see a Norfolk jacket, a kind of blazer that was very popular in the upper bourgeoisie in the last 20 years of the 19th century. It was worn especially for hunting, with the knee-length knickerbockers and riding boots. Let’s see how to wear the Norfolk jacket’s reinterpretation: not an accurate quote, but with a bit of dandyism. The actor Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes in a movie of the 40s.

Divergent thinking. Wide trousers with turn-up, maybe intentionally turned on a leg for this picture, pullover with a wide oval neckline worn on the bare skin, watch with a round clock face, penny loafers and…white, short socks. The etiquette of menswear has very strict rules, and one of them is about socks: they mustn’t be white nor short. But history of fashion and style icons prove just the opposite. The picture we are talking about is from 1951. More than sixty years have passed by, but this is here, flawless, to show us that the charm of some men and of a certain movie iconography is timeless. Is breaking the rules a luxury allowed only to movie, literature and art stars? Maybe. But the temptation to revalue that casual-chic look, which is so “imperfect” in its elegance, is really strong: try to add some garments, to set the tone of the outfit, and see if it works. Gene Kelly in 1951, picture by Alfred Eisenstaedt.