Under the Shade of Umbria

Located in central Italy between Rome and Florence, Umbria derives its name from the ancient tribe, the Umbri.

The Umbri are one of the oldest tribes that settle central Italy in the 6th century BC.

The Umbri were invaded first by the Etruscans and later by the Romans, who established the colony of Spoletium, or Spoleto—my first stop on this trip.

Although Umbria passed from the Romans to tug-of-war between the Byzantines and Ostrogoths, the region finally fell under the rule of the Pope.

Besides Spoleto, other prominent cities of Umbria include Assisi and Perugia, where Men’s Fashion by Francesco will kick off the festival tour called Fashion Jazz, in conjunction with Varna International.

Photos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

Etruscan Men, Etruscan Fashion

While there is a notable Roman influence to be found in Perugia, what I like most about the city is its Etruscan past.

Although little is known about ancient Etruria, we do know that the Etruscans had developed an extensive civilization before the Romans conquered the peninsula.

Historians pinpoint the Etruscans’ arrival to the Italic peninsula as early as 1,000 BC, originating from Asia Minor and bringing customs and costumes that were similar to those of the ancient Greeks.

In Greek, Etruscans were known as Tyrrheni, from which we have derived names like Mediterranean and Tyrrenian Seas. The Romans called them Tusci or Etrusci, leading to names like Toscana or Tuscany in English.

Etruscan men wore loin skirts and tunics similar to that of the ancient Greeks. They also sported a short cloak made out of wool that was called a lacerna.

Later in history, the Etruscans donned something called a tebenna, which entailed a long cloak-like garment that was draped across the left shoulder and pulled around the chest to be tucked under the right arm.

Often the tebenna was striped with assorted colors according to the social status of the man who wore the garment. Historians think that the Romans actually modeled the toga after this Etruscan garment.

Jewelry was very common among Etruscan men. Hair was often braided.

Photos Public Domain.