What is about Italians that make them look like they have just stepped off a movie set?? I snapped these two guys as I floated by them on a traghetto on the Grand Canal in Venice. They could have stepped out of 'The Tourist', Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie's latest film or The Talented Mr Ripley. I have long studied the way Italian men put themselves together. It is a photographer's dream as though a stylist is always on set especially when they are standing in a classic Riva boat on the Grand Canal in Venice.
Here's my list of what makes Italian men stand out from the rest!
Sunglasses are at the top of the list, they are worn everyday of the year even if it is raining, snowing or they are in a night club. They always have this season's Gucci, Prada's or Persols.
Plain colours An Italian man would rather throw away his passport than wear a print shirted. Only block colours and they have no fear of pastels. Somehow with their mahogany skin and dark glasses pastel somehow translates to Rockstar.
Hair Italian men have hair and love it!! No short back and sides or crew cut for this race. The students have long luscious hair, wild and curly. Middle aged men slick it back like millionaire magnates or they let it grow just touching their collar kind of like Jude Law. If you have ever wandered around an Italian village you will see that the number of barber shops almost outnumber the hairdressers, these guys are into their hair.
Pressed For every good looking well ironed shirt on the back of an Italian man there is a devoted woman with Olympian ironing skills behind the scenes. When I first arrived in Italy I would wander around in a daze asking 'where are all the women'. The men were hanging around chatting in piazza's and I soon learnt that the women were home ironing and cooking. That's why the guys look so good.
Linen I have never known any other race to embrace linen like the Italians and god they look good. On my first visit to Florence I remained gob smacked at the linen suits cycling by me in summer in all gorgeous shades of beige. The Italians know how to drive linen, they aren't worrying about it getting creased, they let it be and yet look so elegant and stylish. And they are brave enough to wear it in white.
Anti Sloppiness In these two words I am trying to sum up numerous things. No slouching, no eating standing up and no dribbling down the front on their perfectly ironed shirt. No sitting down without checking the state of the seat otherwise how would they keep all that white linen clean!!
I love Italian men and thank all of you over the years who have contributed to the beauty of my photos with your elegant ways and natural styling .. Grazie.. Carla xxx
