With the likes of Primark and River Island bringing the newest trends to the High Street within a shorter space of time every day, at knock off prices and not to mention knock off quality, it is necessary now more than ever, to try and stay just that half beat ahead. Not only that, there is also a risk in getting too comfortable because you never know who will be wearing the same outfit within the month. Think about it…the looks that have gone from the frontier to the mainstream within the past year or two; high cut leather boots (laces undone), allsaints tshirts, drops crotch trousers…once extremely cool, but now the reserve of the cast of Geordie Shore. Or the denim shirt and chinos? Now the staple of every man in a clubs wardrobe! A few years ago it was unthinkable to consider most men out on the town wearing much else other than jeans and an Abercrombie t-shirt, or a best a checked shirt, but now trends are hitting the High Street at an ever-increasing pace. Granted the man wearing the oversized vintage denim shirt, buttoned up, paired with skinny ankle length chinos will outshine an ill fitting denim shirt from Burton together with a pair of baggy chinos with cuffed ankles, but still, standing at a bar together the color combination is inescapable and is undoubtedly something that is becoming more and more frustrating for the fashion conscious.
So here are a few insights to my opinions on current style.
Jeans – I prefer skinny but not in the spray on style favoured by the likes of Frankie Cocozza, instead any slightly tapered version of straight legged. These are to be worn above the bum; having discovered that wearing your trousers below your bum orginated in prison to show sexual availability that is from now on a no-no. Jeans always look better with a belt (excluding those with big plaques for buckles). Others things to avoid in my opinion are garishly colored jeans simple dark blue or black – at a push dark purple. An extreme pet hate of mine if cuffed jeans, which I think look terrible – even worse when coupled with an elasticated waist, although this may be comfortable it makes for a terrible fit.
Shirts – Today i think it is better to go one size up than one size down with a shirt, you do not want to have the buttons pulling across your chest. Buttons all done up? I am undecided on that one but if not then one undone - maximum two – men who still wear their shirts half done up in a vain attempt to show muscles should be banned from any respectable establishment. If you are really that muscly it will show through a nicely fitting shirt without you bursting out of it! Shirts are a good excuse for pattern or brightening an outfit but be careful not to stray into James May territory. A look I’m enjoying at the moment is button down collars with a pin between with no tie I don’t know where it sprung from but it looks cool and I hope it stays around a while before it is adopted by the mainstream.
T-shirts – Again I feel these are now better to be over sized with a low-ish (emphasis on the ish) neck line either in a V or scoop. The reason behind this is that extremely tight t shirts with plunging neck lines are now the uniform of those partaking in steroids, fake tan and wetlook gel. The cut of a t-shirt is important, and i favour those with wide set shoulders and longish sleeves, without which one is at risk of the short sleeves pointing out to the sides. T-shirts are another excuse for color, move away from white t shirts with big black prints on the front and maybe try block colors or patterns.
Aside from these general points a few specific looks that I’m liking at the moment are:
Double breasted blazers as part of a suit or dinner suit.
Bow ties or medium classic sized neck ties. Skinny ties are old-hat as are over sized ties with big collars and bulging Windsor knots. Classic is best.
Thick soled canvass shoes (Vans) are about the only thing I don’t find wholly objectionable about Frankie Cocozza.
Flat peaked caps. Change from block color stretch fit to retro snap back with bright colors and motifs.
A Polo necked jumper. If you can pull off a polo neck with a pair of jeans and leather shoes then you’re a real man.
really cool website I like at the moment, although very hip-hop orientated, is:
or for smarter things if your really looking to break the bank then i suggest you visit:
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