Pitti Uomo 96: Outfits Review
Updated: Jun 17, 2019
It's always great to attend Pitti Uomo.
Whether it is to catch up with other classic menswear enthusiast friends or to see what my favorite brands are going to launch next year, this biannual event has so far never failed to disappoint me.
Then, of course, it is also the perfect occasion to wear something more expressive and experimental than my everyday navy suits.
So in this first blog entry of the event, I'll be sharing with you all the outfits I've worn during my stay in Florence. Let me know what you think about them.
My first outfit for this Pitti takes a twist on the trend of safari jackets.
While a conventional safari jacket could be quite versatile in terms of being the appropriate outerwear for a Friday/ Weekend attire or a relaxed office dress code, it is still rather casual in essence. So this is what I wanted to change here.
By having the jacket cut in an English way with sturdier canvas and a strong (shoulder) roping, as well as choosing a more military-like olive shade fabric, the formality of the jacket instantly increases.
That doesn't mean it couldn't be dressed down, however, as exemplified in the picture above.
While the cream cotton/ linen trouser showcased in the picture brings back some summer vibes to the outfit, the mechanical owl lapel pin works to add a touch of playfulness to the whole ensemble.
Elsewhere, I should also emphasize that this pink shirt works particularly well here. Not only does it serve as a high contrast color to the olive green, but also it compliments my skin undertone.
Definitely seeing myself wearing this ensemble many more times.
Jacket by Whitcomb and Shaftesbury, Tie by Gentlemenclover, Lapel pin by Deakin and Francis, Hat by Lock & Co
Fast forward to the second day. Day 2 is about redemption.
This red jacket from Tai Pan Row (TPR), as shown in the picture above, has got so little love from me for quite a long time, especially considering I tend not to dress very 'peacock-y' anymore these days.
But it is a wonderful jacket regardless, since TPR’s level of craftsmanship is undoubtedly one of the finest in Hong Kong.
So given its lightweight nature (a 130s fabric from Reda in 260gsm), I decided to give this piece a second chance by pairing it with a pair of trousers that has a rather muted shade; namely this Natalino linen trouser which I have previously reviewed.
With extreme caution, I was able to avoid myself from looking like a Christmas decoration (say, if I pair the jacket with a darker olive like the previous one) or like one of those very 'colorful' gents wandering around the Pitti Plaza.
On top of that, I also tried to keep it as simple as possible by not wearing pocket squares. After all, you don't want to have too many colors when there's already one predominant vibrant color.
While the most elementary white linen hank might work in this scenario, I feel that its associated formality would be too much to pair with the Baudoin & Lange Sagans featured in the photo; especially since I went for a sockless attire.
But I know some of you may think it would be too empty when there's nothing accessorizing the area around the chest.
So as a matter fact, I decided to wear some silver jewelry that could counter the warmth of the jacket. A little bit unusual, but it works!
All in all, the end result was pretty satisfactory. It's not for everyone, but at least it's an example of 'how to wear bright color without looking too much like a peacock'.
Jacket by Tai Pan Row, Jewelry by Paolo Penko, Trouser by Natalino, Shoes by Baudoin & Lange, Hat by Lock & Co
Day 3 picks up the trail of the first day with more of that cream and olive colonial colors.
In case if you think the olive trousers share a similar shade with the safari jacket which I've worn for Day 1, that's because it is a part of the suit that Whitcomb & Shaftesbury had made for me. (Check out the article on the fitting process here)
The reason why I was wearing the trousers separately, nonetheless, was because they are a pair of ghurkas which works better by itself as a statement piece.
In any case, I'll be featuring more pictures on the safari suit itself in another piece. For now, let's move onto the outfit itself.