25 Apr 2018

A Change of Climates | Genova Travel Diary with Ralph Lauren

mat buckets wearing ralph lauren mesh white polo shirt custom fit in italy
 Mediterranean mode was fully activated in Genova, Italy. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ralph Lauren
boccadasse fishing vllage in genova north coast italy
mat buckets wearing ralph lauren mesh white polo shirt custom fit in italy
mat buckets wearing ralph lauren mesh white polo shirt custom fit in italy
textures and colours in genova, italy
When an important anniversary rolls around it’s worth reflecting on the journey that we've took to this point in time. Pulling out all the stops to commemorate such an occasion is one of life's joys looking back on those memories that will cement themselves in time. It’s hard to believe that myself and Hollie will soon be celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary, it feels like yesterday!

But first, we have another event to get the party poppers out for. 2018 marks 50 years of Ralph Lauren: an iconic within pop culture. Which brings us to one of the brand’s most recognisable pieces, an item which constantly finds itself fitting into the category of timeless (and effortless if your initials are JFK): The Mesh Polo Shirt. Many menswear aficionados would consider the humble polo shirt as a staple in their wardrobes since they were yey high you'd be hard-pressed to find a gent who hasn't worn one at some point in his life.

To celebrate this anniversary we this we took a two hour plane journey, from Manchester, over to the historical Italy city of Genova - the birthplace of America’s founding father, Christopher Columbus, and home to one of the most significant port industries in the whole of Europe. Would you believe that our whole trip cost us less than a two-day round trip to London?! I think I'll be making similar excursions more often...

The city itself mirrors many of Ralph Lauren’s distinctively recognisable qualities; seldom effected by time, always improving with age, and at its core, charmingly simple.

boccadasse fishing vllage in genova north coast italy
cornflower yellow converse 70s in shadows and natural light
grand builing and home in genova italy
boccadasse fishing vllage in genova north coast italy, textures and colours
yellow and grey building in genova, italy with shadows and tradional shutters
rustic streets in genova, italy
mat buckets wearing ralph lauren mesh white polo shirt custom fit in italy
mat buckets wearing ralph lauren mesh white polo shirt custom fit in italy, iphone 6 and folk trousers
Mesh Polo Shirt c/o Ralph Lauren | Trousers by Folk x MR PORTER | 
Sneakers by Converse | Sunglasses by Moscot

One walk around the city’s historical quarter left me wondering why my only prior knowledge of Genova was from watching Football Italian when I was a young boy. Winding, narrow pathways seemingly leading to nowhere, shadowed by towering building, each showing signs of weathering from decades of bombardment from the Mediterranean sun. Look + listen; you’ll hear locals sharing conversations across balconies, unintentional beauty with colour-matching laundry hanging from washing lines, bleached-out power cables + everyday life barely altered by modernisation. Genova truly felt like "old Italy"; a close-knit community built on family values, hard work and honesty qualities which I know the Ralph Lauren the brand is centred around.

The Mesh Polo Shirt is a piece of clothing I’m revisiting at a time in my life where I feel at ease with my personal style. Experimentation from at early age saw me sporting polo shirts on countless occasion, but it’s an item that has eluded by wardrobe for half a decade.

The breathable qualities of the polo came in handy for the 30° heatwave we found ourselves in. I felt at ease knowing that my outfit would take me through the day; from a 9am breakfast of pastries + coffee, to a late night dinner at a local gem known as Groove Burger. Polo Shirt 1-0 Ketchup.

One feeling that did come over me when wearing the fresh white polo shirt was confidence. I'm not sure if it was the freedom of being somewhere new or the fact that I was pretty pleased with my styling choice, but everything about wearing the polo shirt just felt right. It's garments such as Ralph Lauren's lived-in Mesh Polo Shirt, worn-out blue jeans, sun-bleached baseball caps, classic Chucks or threadbare chinos that evoke what true Americana means to me; a honest reflection of an individual personality.

Photography by Jake Millers.

This post is an paid partnership with Ralph Lauren. Your support of the brands + businesses we work with helps make this blog happen.

14 comments:

  1. Such beautiful warm tones in all of the walls, the lighting... ah! Very dreamy. Thanks for sharing your experience there!

    www.houseofell.com

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  2. Thank you Katia! It was a really interesting place, felt good knowing nothing about the it before we went. Dreamy!

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  3. Genoa looks amazing! I love that you're matching the city's colour scheme.

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  4. Really enjoyed this post, Mat.

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  5. Such gorgeous photos, love the play with light and shadow! It looks like a beautiful city, I'll have to put it on my travel list. And can't beat a polo shirt, it's a classic!

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  6. I do seem to match yeah haha! Subtle. I loved all the pink tones.

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  7. Thank you Yasumi, I enjoyed the trip and putting it together. I was defo looking at things with my everyday eyes.

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  8. Thanks for coming over to check out the post, Cate, much appreciated.

    It really was, and soooo cheap to get there. Worth noted down.

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  9. Really loved these images and the whole composition / tones of it! Especially those 3 in a row are selected wonderfully! I have never been to Genova but you successfully make me wanna pack my things and go there!

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  10. Love the idea of also exploring somewhere a little off the tourist trap. Congrats to you and Hollie on your first year of marriage. I've recently just celebrated my 5th and yes we went on our hollibobs too as we always do. Whether that's abroad or a staycation, I think its important to always celebrate these milestones (and who doesn't love a cheeky break away?). Adore all those pretty pastel coloured houses, oh and everyone loves a good polo shirt. Looks like you got the combination of 'Old Cities and Old Fashion Classic's spot on.

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  11. Thanks Sophie, I appreciate you coming over to check my post out. Yeah I'm really enjoying the 3 in a row too, it's a great way of displaying extra images, that may overwise make the post too long.


    Looking forward to catching up with your blog!

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  12. Mat, realise this was a little while back - but looking at visiting Genova end of March next year.
    Have you got any recommendations on hotels/food/drink etc?

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  13. Hey buddy!


    Honestly I can't recommend too much stuff as we just wandered and found our way. It was all very rustic. Two places I would recommend: Groove Burger and Rooster Chicken

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