Cowboys, pastels and rain couture: The street style of Pitti Uomo

At Pitti Uomo there is not only a lot to discover in the exhibition halls and at the stands of the brands represented, but also the style of the visitors offers plenty of inspiration. While the winter editions of the Florence-based menswear fair usually feature an array of tailoring, the hot summer months are often a bit more casual – but this year rain threatened to throw a spanner in the works for Fortezza Basso guests.

The weather forecast, however, did not deter anyone from delivering fashionable feats of brilliance and the gentlemen at the fair were in agreement on one or two trend pieces.

Bandana bandits

The guests at the Florence Fair proved to be real ‘knot’ artists this year. Not only did they manage the perfect tie knot effortlessly, they also know how to use a neckerchief skilfully. Bandanas and scarves adorned the necks of the men at the fair and in some places replaced both the otherwise popular pocket square and the tie, which was still considered one of the main players in winter.

The scarves were often seen and worn with shirts with open collars. Whether discreet and in monochrome tones or as a colourful statement depended entirely on the outfit and the colourful nature of the wearer.

Crochet and knit artists

Knitwear in summer always sounds a little contrary at first, but at Pitti one could catch glimpses of some airy knitted and crocheted tops that proved to be an interesting alternative to the T-shirt.

Whether as a knitted polo, a coarse-meshed top under a jacket, or as the main protagonist of the outfit that catches everyone’s eye – the trend wowed at Pitti with its versatility. Don’t be fooled by looks that are usually reserved for the world of women’s fashion – or granny’s curtains – because it’s precisely these variants that can look really cool with the right attitude.

Tailoring in pastel shades

Tailoring cannot be missing from any edition of Pitti, after all the fair is known for its ‘Pitti Peacocks’ – birds of paradise in suits. This summer, however, it was not the dapper gentlemen in classic three-piece suits who particularly stood out, but those who opted for pastel and candy-coloured jackets and suits with a relaxed fit.

Pistachio green, lavender tones and soft yellow were just a few of the colour variations reminiscent of gelato in an Italian ice cream parlour. Paired were the jackets made of airy linen with either trousers in the same tone, or complementary colours.

Pitti cowboys

Florence may not be the Wild West, but there were a few cowboys on the grounds of the Fortezza Basso. The cowboy hat was definitely in the foreground, but boots and spurs complemented the look of one or two visitors to the fair.

The outfits of the fair cowboys differed greatly in their formality. There were casual versions of jeans and a white T-shirt with a hat, bandana around the neck and tattoos as accessories, but also in the form of light-coloured jeans with a matching metal chain on the belt with a wide gilet, striking sunglasses, bandana and hat. More extravagant was a version with cowboy boots, a denim shirt, tie and pocket square with a light-coloured suit, colour-coordinated with the hat.

Rain couture

The gentlemen of Pitti did not only demonstrate their fashion skills and creativity in the sunshine. They also knew how to help themselves in spontaneous rain showers. White trousers and suede loafers were unceremoniously wrapped in plastic and saved from ruin, plastic tarpaulins became capes and hairstyles were protected from the weather with raincoats.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.DE. Translation and edit by: Rachel Douglass.