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Logan's Style Watch
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Men Just Want to Have Fun
by Logan Bentley Lessona
ROME -- Men just want to have fun, with their clothes, that is. And we won't let them. For formal evenings they have to dress like identical penguins, and in the serious work world, they are clones in dark blue suits, white shirts, and verrry conservative neckties.
Ah, but there's still hope for our beleaguered male. Besides lining a classic blue suit with bright red silk that only he knows about, much as a woman wearing naughty underclothes, men can express their individuality and have some fun with sweaters.
Never have they had so many opportunities to express themselves and their taste while remaining outwardly fairly conservative in their dress if that is what their character or job requires. Let's start with the lowly vest. If it's chilly, instead of the vest that comes with the classic three-piece suit, our hero can wear a knitted vest of wool, cashmere, cashmere and silk, cotton, or silk.
It can be in a solid color, or an argyle pattern, plaid, jacquard, striped, paisley, flowered, or whatever suits his fancy. It won't show as long as he keeps his jacket buttoned, and when it does he can express his individuality. Vests can either button down the front (more chances for fantasy, in the buttons!) or be pulled over the head.
Next come pullovers, with v, crew, or turtlenecks. They usually are lightweight, have long sleeves, and come in a variety of fibers. They can be worn against the skin, over a T-shirt, or a regular button-front shirt. Everyone from pop star Ricky Martin to Paul Newman wears them, often ribbed versions.
French intellectual Bernard Henri Levi wore a pale lilac Armani sweater over his bare chest to participate in a televised debate causing a bit of a stir with his attitude of "Being so casual is chic."
Calvin Klein makes a version in the dark brown of monk's robes that is very popular, and the Malo' stores can't keep the two-ply cashmere version in stock.
Speaking of cashmere, my daughter gave me a hint about washing them from a saleswoman who used to work at Prada. After washing the sweater (gently) in a liquid soap such as Woolite and rinsing it well, put it in the washing machine and turn on the spin cycle no longer than a minute. Take the sweater out and place it, patting it into shape, on a large dry towel. It works!
For country and casual wear nothing looks so sexy on a man as the classic Irish fisherman's sweater, hand-knit with its traditional and original patterns. A product of the Aran Isles off the West Coast of Ireland, the sweaters are very warm and also water-resistant.
Now we come to cardigans, and this is what separates the men from the boys. Just kidding, the cardigan (named after the 7th Lord Cardigan of Great Britain who led the charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in the Crimean war) reached its zenith when Missoni created cardigans for men in the most imaginative color combinations and patterns.
Italian movie stars helped to popularize them by wearing their Missonis to TV talk shows and interviews, and they became a must-have for every Italian man who considered himself elegant. Of course these thick cardigans, some of which zipped up the front, were designed for casual wear, but some guys who work in chilly offices keep one handy.
Of course the ne plus ultra is to be able to have your cashmere cardigan made exactly to order, in whatever ply you want, and the thicker the better, to your exact measurements, in the color you choose. I am indeed fortunate in that Gianetta Roni and her husband visit Rome four times a year with their samples, and take orders, which they fulfill in less than a month.
I wanted to give a special present to a man who had done something extremely special for me. He's a zillionaire, and what can you give a zillionaire? I ordered a four-ply cardigan to below the hips in cream, with a few cables running down the front and the back, in cashmere as soft as a baby's cheek. He was thrilled, and so was I.
© 2000 Logan Bentley Lessona
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