Almost 40 degrees, 50 per cent humidity, a flurry of flashbulbs - and yet the Italian model Francesca Sofia Novello looks deeply relaxed - that's Sprezzatura!
From our editorial team
A small style manifesto from the country where nonchalance became an art form.
Italy and the Dolce Vita - this is a pair of terms like Pasta and pomodoro, like Vespa and Via Appia. Every tourist who has ever strolled through Rome with sunglasses on has at least tried to get an idea of the lifestyle: sweet idleness, a Cappuccino on the piazza, a smile from the signora at the next table. Dolce vita, that's the obvious. But there is a second Italian art of living that is more subtle, deeper - and perhaps even more fascinating: sprezzatura.
- Favourite place Tuscany - and what's really behind it
- The 60-second quiz: How quickly can you recognise Italy?
What does Sprezzatura mean?
The term sounds like it could easily roll off the tongue - and that's exactly what it does. But sprezzatura is not just a word, it is an attitude. It was coined in the 16th century by the Italian writer Baldassare Castiglione, who recommended in his work Il Cortegiano - "The Book of the Courtier" - that everything should be done with "a certain nonchalance": in other words, as if it were effortless, even if it actually requires the utmost artistry and concentration.
Ad
🎒🔐 Safe travelling - with the anti-theft backpack from travelite! Lightweight, clever and stylish - your new Favourite backpack for travelling! ➔ [Discover here at Amazon]
The elegance of the effortless
"Sprezzatura" is the subtle difference between well-dressed and stylish. Between rehearsed charm and natural attraction. Between the staged photo and the perfect snapshot that just happens. A man in Milan casually throwing his jacket over his shoulder - that's sprezzatura. A woman in Naples balancing on high heels through the maze of alleyways without losing a glance - that too.
The secret of Italians is to always look like they haven't put in much effort. And that's precisely why they look so effortlessly beautiful.
Sprezzatura is not negligence
The important thing is: Sprezzatura has nothing to do with indifference. It is the opposite of sloppiness. It's not about not investing any effort - it's about making the effort invisible. Anyone who wears a perfectly coordinated outfit that looks as if it was created by chance has understood what it's all about. Anyone who surprises their guests with seemingly improvised but perfectly coordinated antipasti - also. It is a form of sophistication that hides behind the appearance of nonchalance.
Ad
🇮🇹☀️ Perfect for your beach day in Italy: this super large one, sand-free Beach blanket (210 × 200 cm) from SKYREH accompanies you relaxed to the sea. ➔ [Discover here at Amazon]
Dolce Vita is the goal, Sprezzatura the way
You could say: Dolce Vita is the state. Sprezzatura is the technique. The art of making life look easy, even if it is sometimes difficult. Those who have mastered this no longer need perfect Instagram filters - because the attitude to life is already in the posture.
And how do you learn that?
The bad news: you can't learn Sprezzatura like vocabulary. The good news: you can get closer to it. By stopping dressing up. By starting to find your own style - not in the sense of fashion, but as an expression of your own attitude. Anyone travelling through Italy with open eyes will see sprezzatura everywhere: in the gesture of the barista, in the scarf of the market trader, in the smile of a grandmother. It is not a look. It is a lifestyle. And like so many things in Italy: not to show off, but to savour.
