In general, the Neapolitan style is “simple” – the Neapolitan gentleman will be not be perfect in every way, but he will be elegant and nonchalant. With that in mind, here are the five essentials of my wardrobe.
- Neapolitan Jacket, either in brown or blue. The Neapolitan jacket is unique in having a light, casual structure, which makes it perfect for both casual wear and tailored outfits. Many people love the soft, easy feeling of wearing one, as a good Neapolitan jacket is like a second skin.
- Striped Shirt, of which there are several possibilities. White and blue, white and light blue, and white and green are all very useful standbys, and are simple but never boring. Called bacchettato napoletano, these shirts are wearable on all occasions, with or without a tie.
- Madder silk tie, in beige, burgundy, dark green, or blue. These offer a versatile, colorful background that is easy to wear with an odd jacket and trouser, or with a suit. There are of course many other tie options, but madder silk is always a good choice.
- Pleated trouser, in any fabric. It should be 4 seasons-appropriate, however, because in Naples it’s warm through the winter. The accepted look is to have only a single pleat, and to accompany it with a 4.5cm cuff. This keeps the silhouette trim, while maintaining the relaxed shape and feel that Neapolitan style is known for.
- Loafer/tassel loafer in suede or leather. For go-anywhere, comfortable style, the tassel loafer is a great choice all year round. It’s also an excellent travel shoe, as it slips on and off and can easily be fit into your luggage.
You can find more of Nicola’s thoughts and writing at www.nicolaradano.com, where he discusses his youthful take on Neapolitan style. Nicola’s ties are available at Spacca Neapolis.
The following two tabs change content below.
Latest posts by Nicola Radano (see all)
- Primer: Neapolitan Jacket Shoulder Style - November 9, 2016
- 5 Essentials of Neapolitan Style - October 19, 2016
I thought pleats were out. Someone please enlighten me on that.
Pleats are definitely experiencing a resurgence. The trend has not really reached past the “enthusiast/early adopter” level yet, but it will soon.
I guess I hadn’t noticed. I had got rid of all my slacks with pleats a while back. I do have three suits with pleats, an Oxxford from about 3 years ago, a recent Hickey Freeman and an Isaia. My other suits about 8 of them are flat front slacks.
In classic menswear pants should be “always” double pleated. Always.
That’s simply not true, and has never been, except by (your) definition. The number of pleats has increased and decreased for decades, and despite the menswear copy from each trend cycle saying why one, or two, or three, or no pleats, are best, there are functional advantages and disadvantages to each. It’s difficult to make any credible argument that there is anything objectively and inherently more aesthetically attractive about any one style.
The idiotic watch cap in picture #1 indicates to me that the wearer
lacks the minimum dignity to display style advice. I am disappointed that
SF uses such a poor example to illustrate Neapolitan Style.