Sometimes I worry that this blog is turning into one of those sites that only talks about extravagantly expensive things. Things that very few people can afford, and thus, is little more than “lifestyle porn” (as one friend put it). Which would be a shame because I think one of the great things about blogs is that you can write about real style that real people can afford. Isn’t that, after all, what made menswear blogs so great three or four years ago? Before people were writing about million dollar brands that sounded like gelato flavors? So, in the effort to round things out a bit, I thought I’d talk today about Tagliatore.
Tagliatore, which means “cutter” in Italian, is a mid-tier manufacturer of men’s tailored clothing. The pieces I’ve seen by them, and tried on, have been of impressively decent quality. Styles here are what you’d expect from a Southern Italian company - slim, soft-shouldered jackets with 3/2 rolls and double vents. Inside, the make is half-canvassed, half-lined, and finished with taped seams. Nice to see that kind of investment from a manufacturer. My only quibble is that they run a touch short. Nothing as egregious as some of the fashion-forward brands, but something to note if one is a hard-line traditionalist.
In Italy, Tagliatore jackets cost about 500 euros (~$650), which hardly makes them a bargain. On the upside, however, they go for as little as $59 on Yoox.
Yes. That’s right. $59. These two linens at $75 and $85 seem like they could be especially good. Granted, those are spring-summer clearance prices (which end this Friday, incidentally). The fall-winter stock is less heavily discounted, but still well priced for what they are. Most run about $300, which is about half off their retail price (assuming you can even find them stateside). My only advice is to beware of jackets with too visible of pick stitching (fake pick stitching, in my book, is the sartorial equivalent of fake boobs) and those made from an odd blend of non-natural materials (polyester is probably a bad idea).
Now, before you go crazy, let me give a disclaimer: I’m completely unfamiliar with Tagliatore’s lines and models. I tried emailing them to get more information, but to no avail. Thus, I don’t know if they have diffusion lines, various models, or whatever else one might need to know to make an informed purchasing decision. I can only say that I’ve seen these jackets around Italy, sold at fairly reputable stores, and tried a few on. The ones I’ve handled were pretty nice and something I could see working well for a young man (especially one on a hard budget). Whether what I’ve seen translates to what’s on Yoox is another story.
Still, if they are the same, a $75 linen jacket in the model and make I’ve handled would be a pretty fantastic deal.
Now you can’t say I’ve never been a man of the people.
(Pictures below mostly from Rione Fontana)
