Spalla Camicia...What is it?
Soft Shoulder and Shirt Sleeves
We love soft tailoring. Having a garment that moves with you and flows is a revelation. Tailoring that is relevant and timeless is more about toying with small elements and playing with proportion and style. And this, in part, is driving the global market towards softer styles of tailoring.
The English history of tailoring has always been closely linked to the military. This produced a quite heavy suit with a fair amount of structure. However, today demands a softer, more gentle suit. More and more people are dressing casually and incorporating elements of casual wear into their wardrobe... and demanding a softer feeling suit.
So what is a soft shoulder? Or as the Italians call it, "Spalla Camicia"?
Spalla Camicia or Shirt Sleeve Shoulder
Spalla Camicia roughly translates to 'shirt sleeve' in Italian and is a shoulder style created and popularised by Neapolitan tailors. The name 'shirt sleeve' was so coined due to the characteristic shirring found at the sleeve's head where the fullness of the larger sleeve collapses. Rather than having the head of the sleeve turned back and stitched inside, the head is lapped under and stitched along the top.
Strictly speaking, the term "soft shoulder" is more to do with the shoulder line and construction itself, whereas "spalla camicia" refers to the sleeve head. However, more and more we hear people refer to them as one, and use the term 'soft shoulder' to request the "spalla camicia" shoulder.
This shoulder type follows the natural lines of the body and produces a gentle, flowing shoulder that falls away naturally. It works especially well on casual jackets but is equally at home on a soft 3-piece suit.
Pair the spalla camicia with 3-roll-2 button fronts, slightly shaped foreparts, and a half lined jacket for a truly awesome look.
Available from Colmore Tailors today.
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Scott & The Colmore Tailors Team
t - 07847 483867
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Colmore Tailors are specialists in men's tailored suits, made-to-measure and bespoke. Covering Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, Solihull and Lichfield.
