Standing outside a café in Florence, Italy three years ago. I was nursing an espresso and watching two American men buy aggressively at one of the small clothing stores in the street. It was right before they walked inside where their wives impatiently waited, but the pair were standing across the street scribbling notes into tiny black books about Italian men who were casually walking by.
One of them kept whispering something about “unconstructed jackets” and “authentic European tailoring” as an Italian businessman with shoulders so broad and squared you could practically land a plane on them walked past us wearing that exact silhouette. Honestly, I almost spit out my coffee laughing. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full”><img src=”http://joewears. co.uk/wp- content/ uploads/2025/04/im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 1df28 72f-ffa4- da313 641-819581a98 96c_1.jpg” alt=” im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 1df28 72f- ffa4- da313 641″ class=”wp-image-14258″/><figcaption>im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 1df2872f-fffa- 4da3- 816a-819581a98 96c_1</figcaption></figure></div> That trip took place just months after I finished my own deeply embarrassing wannabe-European-style phase, fresh off my move from Europe back to America. Like any dude trying to figure out his personal style I’d gone down the rabbithole of style blog articles and stumbled across “sprezzatura”.
Immediately thinking I needed to learn how to channel my inner Italian when really I just looked like someone playing dress-up in stereotype clothing. Spoiler alert: It didn’t go well. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full is-resized”><img src=”https://cdn.substack.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.substack.com%2Fimages%2F2019%2F3%2F28%2Fa2899ba8-177b-4399-b6ea-73697c474394.gif” alt=”im1979_What_American_Men_Get_Wrong_AB” class=”wp-image-14745″/></figure></div> But spending that time in Florence is where I really learned <a href=”https://joewears. co.uk/american-regional-style-how- geography- shapes-men-s-fashion- choices/” data- wpil-monitor-id=”65″>the biggest misconception we have about European men’s style.</a> That we’ve essentially created this fantasized ideal version of how European men dress.
Influenced by fifty years worth of suave cinematic leading men.
Except it’s not actually how European men dress IRL. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full”><img src=”http://joewears. co.uk/wp- content/ uploads/2025/04/im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 1df28 72f-ffa4- da313 641-819581a98 96c_2.jpg” alt=” im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W _da98 81″ class=”wp-image-14259″/><figcaption>im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W _7296c_2</figcaption></figure></div> Case in point: my first work trip to Milan. I spent weeks obsessing over what I was “allowed” to wear now that I was “going European” with my style. Packing every slim chino, spread-collar button up shirt, prohibitively priced loafer, and knit tie that I had diligently practiced tying while staring into my mirror for weeks.
Got on the plane feeling like James Bond….only to reach Milan and look like a costume dude who raided the Billy Reid showroom. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full”><img src=”http://joewears. co.uk/wp- content/ uploads/2025/04/im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 1df28 72f-ffa4- da313 641-819581a98 96c_3.jpg” alt=” im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And We at J” class=”wp-image-14260″/><figcaption>1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And We at JWears</figcaption></figure></div> Reality is most American dudes who talk about “European style” are really just talking about a very specific type of rich dude’s fashion from northern Italy. Photographed in spreads all over fashion magazines and staring back at us from flashy branding campaigns from heritage retailers. Americans think Europeans all dress like Ralph Lauren models because we’ve spent enough time watching rich people hanging out in the Hamptons wearing boat shoes and tweed jackets.
When in reality we have thousands of Philadelphians that look just as ridiculously white bread. This leather shop owner Marco that I met outside of the Duomo in Milan put me in my place over dinner one night. I was complaining about how intimidating it was to dress well in Europe and how everyone just naturally seemed stylish.
He laughed as he took a sip of wine and said “the only difference between us is our clothes fit our bodies.” Damn. He was right. So what’s the thing American men totally miss about dressing European?
Fit. We drool over red bottoms and dry-clean only suits that Italian stylist picked out for Ryan Gosling in Roman holiday but will wear our exact versions three sizes too big because that’s what “fits comfortably”. We’ve been brainwashed to think American brand = big clothing.
News flash dudes: Europeans don’t wear their clothes big. It’s called FITTING YOUR CLOTHES NOW ILLEGIBLE. Look at that Italian dude from earlier with the sexy European shoulders.
His jacket fit him. That right there is the biggest difference. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full”><img src=”http://joewears. co.uk/wp- content/ uploads/2025/04/im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ ba101ede-97ae- 4282- bc70-713bbf366205_0.jpg” alt=” im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ bafb f366205 0″ class=”wp-image-14261″/><figcaption>205_0</figcaption></figure></div> Here’s another thing about those stanky Old Spice Italian shoulders. Shoes.
I’ll never forget watching this random Roman shopkeeper roast a customer. I was in his store buying a belt and browsing when this well-dressed dude walks in. Nice suit, great shirt, nice watch.
Everything seemed high quality and expensive. Except his shoes. They were hideous Ferrari loafers with these giant square toes.
The kind you could only find at Dots or Sears and got every time you bought shoes online in 2003. You should’ve seen the face that Italian shopkeeper made when he saw them….ugh. I’m Italian by association and that looked like someone pouring ketchup all over Leonardo DiCaprio’s fancy abl t.
It’s these basic elements American dudes fail at when we think about dressing European. We’ll spend all this time worrying about what pocket square to cuff our jeans and where to buy the waxed cotton shirt with the french laundry tag but wear boat shoes with them. Ok but it’s not all bad….there are things American men do better at dressing than Europeans.
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Let me say that again real quick. There are certain things American dudes excel at style wise and my European friends agree with me when they’ve had too much wine. Comfort.
Americans have learned the value of clothing that fits our lives and body better than any European country has. I lived in Rome for years and Italian dress clothes make me miserable in the summer. I would sweat through meetings in July while Italians walked around bundled up in wool suits.
Americans understand comfort. American brands are also constantly pushing the boundaries of what men’s clothing can be. We’re always innovating with new fabrics and fits – even if we don’t always nail it.
The Japanese have learned this secret decades ago. They know Americana style better than most Americans. They make superior versions of American workwear that we sell to them.
Europeans have amazing clothes….but they don’t change. Ever. So here’s my solution: steal from both.
Love European style? Learn what makes them dress well – tailored trousers that fit perfectly, beautiful shirts, leather shoes you can’t replace. But keep buying American t-shirts that don’t autumn off your shoulder when you put your arms down.
A few myths I want to bust now because they’ve been burning my European-style-stealing butt. Ok maybe some Italians DO get their suits tailored. But they still buy most of their clothes off the rack.
Not all European men wear jersey shorts and baggy adidas when they workout. My German friend shops in Old Navy. European dudes don’t suddenly know how to pick clothes that match just because they wear suits and fancy shirts.
I’ve seen French dudes wear purple corduroy trousers with green plaid shirts and bright orange socks. Don’t act like Americans are the only ones that wear fanny packs and sweats. American dudes obsess over “rules” like you can never button your suit jacket bottom button or wearing brown shoes in the city.
Actual Europeans don’t care about this stuff. Same goes for “European style”.
We’ve made it into this weird rigid thing that you need to study and learn the secrets to.
Reality is Europeans dress however they want too. Just like we should be doing. <div class=”wp-block-image”><figure class=”aligncenter size-full”><img src=”http://joewears. co.uk/wp- content/ uploads/2025/04/im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W_ 45 77b686-c197- 491b- a3bb-54 10 982cb592_3.jpg” alt=” im1979_What_ American Men Get Wrong About European Style And W _cb592″ class=”wp-image-14262″/><figcaption>686_c197-491b_3</figcaption></figure></div> Here’s the best part about understanding style from both continents. Once you do, stop trying to dress like “Europeans”.
Buy English wool that feels amazing. But get that blazer tailored to fit you like Italian clothing is supposed to. American men have some of the best tailors in the world (Harvey NYC if you’re wondering).
Use them. American style will never be better than European style because they’re two completely different things. But that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from each other to dress our best. …Asian style too.
Own what makes you feel good dudes no matter where it’s from. Trust me, it took me learning what NOT to wear from “going European” to figure that part out.
