The discerning male knows that the right footwear completes the whole outfit and this is something the fashion houses have always known. The fast-moving trend that is men’s footwear is therefore regularly updated with the latest styles for the man of today. From calf-length rigger boots to hardwearing military-style ankle boots complete with reinforced uppers and well upholstered interior design, men’s boots are not only a fashion accessory but a necessity for the rough and tumble of daily life.
Whether you are a serious hiker or just enjoy having fun outdoors with the children and the dog, a good pair of boots becomes as comfortable as an old friend and is consequently one of the best value purchases your wardrobe will ever see. Other great footwear types in vogue include the reinforced lace-up, comfortable, low and light trainers and retro baseball boots in traditional black-and-white design.
Brands such as G Star Raw have a wide selection of boots and shoes to reinforce your individual look and style.
Men’s footwear has also enjoyed a rejuvenation, which looks set to continue into the summer. It comprises soft-topped nylon sneakers in the style of a baseball boot but with more ankle support, making them not only more comfortable to wear but more robust too. These gems are available in green and blue as well as the standard black.
The ever-popular suede shoes are back too, looking as classic as ever, and come in a range of fresh colours including navy, grey and brown.
Dresses from designer brands such as Glamorous, Lipsy clothing and Vila come in a range of different styles. A dress can be adorable and feminine or it can be sleek and trendy. Dresses can be short, hitting above the knee or long, falling almost to the floor. A dress is the perfect garment to wear on a date, to work or even just out running errands or doing the shopping.
Belted dresses are cute and casual and a great pick for a relaxing day. The belt provides definition at the waist, creating the illusion of curves if necessary. Some dresses are sold with a matching belt, but a woman always has the option of using a different belt or adding a belt to a dress that does not have one.
One-shoulder dresses are a popular designer clothing item. The one-shoulder look is slightly edgy but still conservative enough for a formal event. A number of one-shoulder dresses are made of soft and slinky material that looks lovely but is also very comfortable for moving and dancing in. Some dresses have details such as cut-outs at the waist or long, flowing sleeves that make the dress more attractive.
A ruffled collar or a Peter Pan collar is one way to add a bit of cuteness to a woman’s dress. The collar makes the dress more relaxed and casual, perfect for wearing to class or on a simple date. Cute dresses with adorable collars can come in a range of patterns, from polka dots to bold stripes.
If you want to bring out the feminine side to your style, clothing from Vila, feature feminine details and dainty prints. The clothing line includes basic items such as long-sleeved, fitted shirts, sleeveless tops, and strap tops. The brand also produces dresses in delicate floral prints and thin striped patterns as well as solid colour dresses. Furthermore, Vila makes blazers and coats as well as pants and jeans. Its jeans and pants are available in many colours and patterns.
Vila is targeted at women who are fashion conscious and like a particular style. The brand aims for the woman who also likes to try new styles as well as her regular standbys. The company has a team of designers who stay up-to-date on the latest trends. Vila clothes are inspired both by the looks on the runway and the trends on the street.
The clothing brand is reasonably priced and intended for women who like to purchase new clothes regularly so that they can keep up with fashion without spending excessively. Each item is affordable but not too inexpensive or poorly constructed.
Ralph Lauren may have just the thing if you are longing for some colour in your wardrobe to brighten up your style this spring. Traditionally, effortless elegance has tended towards favouring dark tones, as they are easier to wear, suit most people, and leave considerably less margin for disaster. However, the catwalks in 2011 suggested that 2012 would be a year for colour, and this new range is no exception.
The new styles remain faithful to the Ralph Lauren brand, with the famous polo shirts, jumpers and shirts all represented, but this time in far bolder colours than we are used to seeing.
The range, termed “Bright Escape”, includes light blues, bright purples, yellows and oranges, as well as a number of bright checked sports shirts. Sweaters are made in Pima cotton, making them suitable for a range of spring weathers, and the collection also includes several designs of swimming trunks and golf shorts which continue the bright colour theme. A lightweight cotton safari jacket completes the collection, although this is the exception to the bright theme as it is only available in aviator navy, although this of course means it teams well with pretty much anything else in the collection.
Colour really hit the catwalks big time for spring/summer 2012, with numerous designers featuring striking selections using neon, fluro and candy colours. Colour blocking moves on from autumn/winter with plenty of high voltage neon’s seen on the catwalks and now filtering down onto the highstreet, Republic clothing have a fantastic selection of bright colours as you can see from the picture below. Make sure you add these into your wardrobe and start working your colour blocking.
Designers such as Peter Som, Jason Wu, Rodarte, Ruffian and Nanette Leopre all chose the colour blocking route with their collections, the clothes were also teamed with brighter, than bright coloured accessories, so don’t be afraid to mix and match clashing colours.
It’s not just brights either which are dominating this season, candy colours also proved big on the catwalks. Jill Stuart, Max Mara, Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and Kurt Geiger are all making the most out of the candy pallet which has also filtered down to the highstreet.
Try mixing bold bright colours with more subdued candy colours for a stand out look, with shoes and accessories perfect to brighten up dreary days.
Colour burst
It is one thing to own a nice suit but it is quite another thing to keep it looking smart. A good suit should not only last a long time but look good for that entire time.
It is important to avoid pulling on the suit as much as possible. This can be done in some very simple ways, for example, avoiding placing belongings in the pockets. Placing belongings in the pockets tugs on the seams of the suit and loosens them up over time. Heavy items, such as keys and loose change, are known to create this type of wear.
Sitting down in a suit also pulls on the suit. This is why it is important for suit wearers to unbutton their suits before sitting. This allows the suit to stretch without being pulled and tugged.
When it comes to storing the suit, a wooden hanger should be used. Wooden hangers made specifically for suits can be purchased. They allow the suit to be hung in a closet without incurring damaged. A breathable garment bag can also be used to protect the suit from the elements.
Menswear tends to be simple in its style, focused and wearable for any occasion, this year mens fashion is all about keeping it simple and classic but with a modern style twist.
On the catwalks we saw different fabrics such as Lurex adding to a sporty look from Prada, Calvin Klein went for a modern Biggles look with updated bomber jackets and wide leg chino trousers and of course the trade mark scarf. Not a look every man can pull off all at once but pieces can be taken from this style and used in other looks. Other designer looks for spring/summer have a slight 90’s look to them Adam Kimmel went for distressed jeans and sweaters whilst Louis Vuitton went for varsity jackets and scruffy denim.
Continuing on from last year the ever popular preppy trend is still continuing into spring summer, make sure you have key pieces such as track tops, sweater and of course the varsity jacket, these work well with chino trousers or Republic jeans for an easy everyday look. Keep it casual taking style tips from Johnny Depp or Robert Pattinson who have both mastered this scruffy sophisticated style.
If your style is less scruffy and more; smart casual then there are other ways you can take the preppy look, swap jeans for corduroy trousers with tidy turn ups and varsity jacket for a blazer and add a fine check shirt and a dandy pocket square. Boat shoes are a classic smart, casual shoe but boots also work well. If you’re going for boat or deck shoes as they are also known, make sure your socks are tidy and match!
Updated classic styles for the modern man
Relaxed, oversized jackets are emerging as a fashion trend so it makes sense that relaxed, oversized trousers follow suit and it is true to say that the tail end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 will be a period of true experimentation with regard to the fit of men’s pants – from the very fitted to the very loose.
While you may consider it an easy task to simply go out and buy oversized trousers, there is much more to making a purchase than you might expect. While relaxed and loose trousers are easy to pick up, you need to look for tailored trousers in particular. This will prevent the trend from looking overly casual. When out shopping for loose trousers, you should look for versions that are loosely tailored throughout both the thighs and the crotch.
Once you have kept these elements in mind, you can drive your fashion status even further by adopting relaxed cut trousers that are the on-trend interpretations of the styles seen at the autumn/winter 2011 menswear catwalk shows. As you may already know, women’s clothing has been hit by the return of the pleat and menswear is not likely to escape this trend either.
Two types of pleats are making their way back onto the catwalk: forward pleats and reverse pleats. If you don’t recognise one type of pleat from another, forward pleats are pleats that open towards the centre of the pants while reverse pleats are pleats that open towards the pockets. Eccentric British designer, Vivienne Westwood, is just one designer who dared to experiment with both casually tailored waist lines and pleats in her autumn/winter 2011 collection.
So it’s the season of the jumper, normally worn as a necessity rather than as a fashion statement, however this season jumpers have come into their own. You know something is going to be hot when designers champion them on the catwalks, the likes of Missoni, Tommy Hilfiger and Givenchy all resurrected the jumper as a fashion statement.
This season you should be rocking bright knits, slouchy sweaters and in your face, patterned jumpers. Power jumpers will keep you snuggly and warm but also make you look hot, hot, hot instead of a throwback from your childhood. Many of the highstreet stores have a huge selection of jumpers, glitzy for the party season or slouchy for casualwear. Clothing from Vila offer a selection sexy jumpers, yes that’s right sexy jumpers!
This season you can easily find jumpers to work with all the trends, for day wear and for evening wear so there is no reason not to add some knitwear to your wardrobe this season.
Why not work boyfriend style slouchy, cable knits big and baggy, opt for leggings or tights and team with boots for a rugged everyday look. For a sexier look try teaming a sequined black jumper with black leather trousers, perfect for a kick-ass evening out. Motifs are also big so why not wear a jumper adorned with a furry friend, just like the celebs have been opt for horses, birds, dogs, rabbits and cats for a on trend cute look. Finally it’s time to embrace pattered jumpers, try Fair Isle or Native American patterns in great natural looking colours.
Music is always in fashion, indeed fashion and music go together. Band motif T-shirts and sweatshirts make an effortless style statement and give a simple essence of retro cool to any outfit.
Bands and genres define generations and set trends that are never forgotten. A motif T-shirt in tribute to a beloved artist such as The Beatles, The Stone Roses, Athlete or Snow Patrol is the music-lover’s ideal staple to complete an individual, casual look. This has not been lost on designers and retailers, and now there is no need to go to a gig to pick up a T-shirt.
These T-shirts and sweatshirts are generally not designed to look smart, so keep the rest of the look fairly crisp to give it the right balance. Straight-leg jeans in dark blue denim, worn with a dark blazer will work well. Finish with a scarf with neutral colours to give a stylish, casual look without looking scruffy. For smart, lace-up trainers, check out the range by Converse.
Rockin style!