This Guy…

photo credit: The Sartorialist

Milan is the most intimidating place on earth.

I’ve seen some stylish people. I’ve seen the effortlessly pretty Parisian girls whose red lipstick never gets on their teeth.  I’ve dined at Lotus, and seen the trying-very-hard-but-looking-good-model-types avec Vueve Cliquot. You know, I’ve seen hot people. But Milan is it’s own breed.

Look at this guy. Really stare.  As you can see from the cell phone, this is not a picture from the 1950s. This picture was taken last year, it is not an ad, he is not a model. This is what your Average Joe looks like in Milan. Apparently, Milan doesn’t have Old Navy.

I am captivated by this photo for so many reasons. Men (of today) aren’t often captured for their beauty and style, unless it’s in an advertisement with an oiled-up, perfect-looking David Beckham-selling-underwear-exploitation. The other side of the coin is that a man cannot and should be a point of reference for beauty, because that’s what ladies do.

Not so. This guy is just chillin’ in Milan, smoking a cigarette, wearing a string tie.

I’ve heard that fashion is for indecisive girls, but style is for self-assured women. Guess what, the same rule applies to men. Bravo,  Signore Bello!