Friday, March 9, 2012

Sharp Stylings #30: Nicola Conte

We can learn so much from yesterday’s fashion icons.  And living in a post-Mad Men world means we can even enjoy aspects of current male fashions! Every Friday, I’d like to start your weekend off right with a little style inspiration from either then or now. Hopefully, my fellow Mod enthusiasts will find the whole or some detail of the whole to appreciate and maybe even adopt.
 
Sorry for the lack of posting lately but, well... sometimes when you get home from work you have the choice of sitting in front of a computer or sitting on the couch with a book. The couch and book have been winning lately.

But I always have time for appreciating good style.  And you know who has some slick style for appreciating? Why, Italian bossa nova jazz man, Nicola Conte:


However, it's not just his style worth digging, but how he carries it. Sure, he's got some nice threads on and all, but what really sticks out to me is how nonchalant he is in them. There's a certain casual elegance happening in this photo.

I don't know about you, but in the past, I have been accused of being... uptight. (I know, right?) Just because you toss on a tie with a suit jacket, people think you're as starched as the shirt you're wearing. Not true, baby... many of us know how to kick out a hang when necessary. Many of us like to mellow out easy.

Just check out Conte above, throwin' a cross-legged lean, ready to ease in to a night of good vibes. He's sporting a nice cream-colored jacket (3-button front, I think), dark pants, socks, and shoes, soft blue shirt (top button undone), and (my favorite detail) a patterned scarf tied round his neck. It's not often I do the scarf tied around the neck anymore, but it is something I need to revisit after seeing this photo. It's a fancy look but, at the same time, comes off looking a bit loose and easy.

Nicola Conte's wearing a look that just begs for a cocktail in hand and some swinging light jazz playing nearby. Well, what do you know? Here is his providing the soundtrack with vocalist José James:

2 comments:

  1. Conte's clothes and hairstyle is actually quite normal for a guy who dresses up in Italy, especially for passeggiata (sp?). The only thing deliberately retro, which you would never see in Italy otherwise, is the scarf.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That's what I dig about the look, too... the clothes aren't really 'retro.' This is a look that you could carry down the street and people won't look at you like you're from outer space. We were in Paris recently and a lot of snappy dressers out there! (Like that's any surprise.)

    ReplyDelete