What Is American Style?
USA vs. Euro style differences
What distinguishes American from European style?
This was a question put to me last week during my “Leisure: The Basis of Culture” retreat here in Italy. My co-host, O.W. Root, is a well-known proponent of classic American style, and does great work online encouraging others to dress with dignity. He and I have much in common, but there is one area in which we differ substantially: our personal style.
We both dress in light of the cultures we have inherited: O.W.’s style is American ivy prep, while mine is more Anglo-Italian. Since we both follow classic rules of style and proportion, however, much of what we wear is similar. But as you can see, it’s also clearly different:
You know the difference when you see it, but to put that difference into words is difficult. No, it’s not simply a matter of a suit, cuffed trousers, or a pocket square. Nor is it the cut of our jackets or the length of our trousers. What, then, is the difference?
In today’s article, we look at what distinguishes American from European style. We’ll look at what makes each style unique, as well as what they share in common. No matter which style speaks to you most, you’ll learn how to dress more authentically in light of each one.
So without further ado, join me and O.W. Root on our trip to Italy, and discover what makes style on each side of the Atlantic truly unique…
