Summer in Florence
Guides
By: Ludvig Sandell • 8 min"An Italian city break starts with espresso and ends in gelato. Everything else is a welcome surprise!"
Florence is an incredible city, particularly in the summer. The cobbled streets maintain a vibrant glow and are full of great food, architecture, and people. In our recent visit to Florence, we met with some wonderful friends during Pitti Uomo 102 to capture the magic of Florence. We chatted about the beautiful city, their favorite things to do there, and – of course – what to wear.
How do you style a summer look?
For me it's all about comfort while maintaining an element of elegance. When it's hot outside I'm big on not overdoing it, instead I keep it simple: garments of good quality and a stylish hat.
— Karl-Edwin Guerre, Founder and Creative Director of No Chaser Magazine
What are your must-do’s when visiting Florence?
When it's hot I try to drink as much water as possible (I fail miserably every season), the other thing that has become a ritual is going to a fruit stand and purchasing fruits to last until I travel again.
“I'm a print type-of-guy. Warm weather calls for creative prints and items that exude a carefree spirit.”
"Coming from New York where there's constant noise and movement, it's nice to juxtapose those few days in Florence. In Florence I'm drawn to the quality of life. Good food, good people, and great energy."
“The history of the city can be seen around every corner: the little cobbled streets, the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, all of it.”
— Jamie Ferguson, Photographer and Author specialized in menswear
What do you appreciate the most with Florence?
The food. One hundred percent. One of the main reasons I'll always look forward to travelling here is the trattorias. Sostanza, Coco Lezzone, Camillo, the list goes on. It does of course mean having to exercise that little bit more when you get home to make up for all the pasta that was eaten!
How would you describe your style?
Pretty eclectic, I guess! I like taking inspiration from a variety of sources and mixing different styles in a way that suits me. Mainly it's trying to play around with high/low; casualizing formal pieces and formalizing casual ones.
”Walking over the bridges and especially Ponte Vecchio is something I very much enjoy.”
– Justus Frederic Hansen, Inspirator
Tell us about your look
I went for the light blue shirt in cotton linen, as this is the perfect hybrid between a perfectly sharp business shirt that has got the looks to style it with a suit, but at the same time has a degree of breathability and comfort due to its linen share.
I paired it with a dark blue patterned tie, as I absolutely love color gradings! The combo of light blue & navy paired with the camel tone of my suit is very Italian and suits the Florentine vibe perfectly.
What are your recommendations when visiting Florence?
I love the Trattoria dall‘Oste (Centro) in the Via Dei Cherchi - phenomenal steak! Also, on the way to the Fortezza da Basso, there is a restaurant called Trattoria Nerone in the Via Faenza. Very corny interior but that makes it a character place and the food is good to. Other than that: Espresso Doppio - anywhere! The coffee in Italy is great everywhere you go.
"Few things in life excite me more than the site of ingenious structural engineering combined with detailed yet grandiose architecture. Sitting underneath the world’s largest brick dome ever constructed, The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the best examples of this in all of Italy."
— Milad Abedi, Photographer
“The romance that exists in almost every piece of brick and stone. I could walk around in awe of the architecture and views for days.”
"I tend to stick to one core color, or tonal variants thereof, whilst simultaneously mixing in subtle elements of pattern or texture into an ensemble to add richness and depth."
— Richard Biedul, Model and Creative Director
How would you describe your look?
"Here I’ve chosen to pair the black linen shirt with black microchord flared trousers. The orange pique polo is paired with a 1970s inspired brown suit. The blue fine twill shirt and tie is partnered with a denim Silk DB suit with high waisted trousers….And the green t-shirt worn with an unstructured cotton linen blend suit."
What do you appreciate the most with Florence?
The city is bursting with art and culture on every corner. The food is incredible, and the people are warm and welcoming. This time of year, however, more specifically, there is an incredibly unique feeling in the city. One full of optimism and enjoyment as the world of menswear descends onto the Fortezza de Basso.
