by J.J.Martin

WHEN AMERICAN MENSWEAR editors and retailers come to Milan for the biannual fashion shows, they get a double feature. The main event is on the runways, and the second act is found right on the city's cobblestone streets, where Milanese men put on their own display. Ever since Italians have been zipping home from the office or cafe on their Vespas, visitors have been studying them in an attempt to unravel their secrets.

What's behind the Italian man's fearless way with color? Where does he get his uncanny knack for combining pebbled textures with silky trimmings? How does he manage to be so secure in those slim-fitting clothes? And how does he put it all together with a refined sense of sprezzatura (Italian for "studied nonchalance")?

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Source: The Wall Street Journal