Metallic Toes

Metallic toes are going to be a big hit this season, adding a glamorous touch to any high heel.  Some shoe designers opt for the metallic toe in aid of creating a more durable shoe, but these metallic toe shoes are solely intended for fashion purposes.

Braided Sandals

Braided sandals are making a huge comeback this season.  Colourful braids and unusual braiding techniques are incredibly hot and on trend. 

Mega Platforms

Super mega platforms are not very comfortable and they do not exactly look the most feminine, but they are certainly a statement item. 

Transparent Shoes

Last year plenty of designers tried to push for transparent shoes, but their attempts were futile and they were not taken seriously.  This year however, the amount of designers creating this look has increased dramatically and sheer vinyl is sure to be in all the stores.

Rivets

Rivets are set to be a great hit this coming spring/summer.  These rivets will be apparent in all styles of shoe, from high heels to biker boots.  Whether it is small almost invisible rivets or large attention grabbing ones, whatever your preference, make sure you find a way to incorporate rivets in to your look. 

Bright Colours

Bright colours will not just be adorning our clothes this season, but our shoes as well.  From bold blues to garish greens, these shoes are certain to become a focal point for any outfit.

Shoe Sensation

The designers have been keeping this in mind when putting together their spring/summer collections, and a statement knit has been worked in to cater for this British style dilemma.  Who said a novelty jumper was only for Christmas anyway? 

Matt Damon, Justin Bieber and Ferne Cotton are just a handful of the celebrities that have been keen to display their knits this winter.  From animal prints, chunky designs, and even pom-poms, there is no limit to these novelty jumpers.

Some online companies will take specific orders and create you your own 100% unique and individually designed knit, which could be a great addition to your wardrobe this season and next.

Novelty knitwear

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

Many may think of shoulder pads as a fashion from the past yet many of today’s blazers still pack pads. Slimmer men should look for blazers that have some light shoulder padding. However, they should avoid opting for blazers with huge shoulder pads; a little padding can go a long way. Small shoulder pads will make a skinny man look bulkier but still in proportion.

Tailoring is a great asset in clothing for the skinnier man. Whether a man is choosing blazers or trousers, proper tailoring can ensure that clothing fits correctly and looks more flattering. Tailoring can help eliminate loose fabric under the arms or in the shoulder area. 

Skinny men should avoid very tight shirts. Shirts that are too clingy will fail to look flattering. Rather, just as with blazers, men should aim to purchase shirts that fit properly. A shirt with less elastic will prove more flattering. 

When it comes to trousers, flat-front trousers are a good bet for slim men. A classic cut and a simple flat front will flatter a skinnier man’s shape. Straight leg and boot cut pants are appropriate shapes for this body type. Skinny jeans, while currently popular, are not as safe a bet. Skinny jeans on a skinny man will only draw attention to how slim he is. 

Another tip for trousers is to look for pockets. Pockets are functional in more than one way. Pockets can help to add a little bit of volume, as can patterns, lines and cuffs.

Firstly, large men should avoid clothes that are too tight. A tight fitting shirt that looks great on some guys may just highlight lumps and bumps on others. Larger men should refrain from choosing very tight clothing and look towards looser clothing able to smooth out their bodies instead.

Another tip for larger men is to avoid clothing with sloped shoulders. Clothes with naturally sloped shoulders can draw people’s eyes down to the area of the stomach. For larger men, square shoulders are better. Square shoulders will draw people’s eyes to the chest and face.

Bold patterns should ideally be avoided by larger men. Big, bold patterns add bulk to the silhouette and draw unwanted attention to troublesome areas. Instead of bulky patterns, men should try vertical lines. Vertical lines will make the body look longer and leaner. Solid, dark colours tend to work best on the larger man as dark colours make the body look slimmer.

Men with larger frames should always be sure to empty out their trouser pockets before leaving the house. This simple task can remove considerable bulk from the silhouette. Men who carry bulky personal items, such as mobile phones and wallets, in their trouser pockets add unnecessary lumps and bumps to their physique.

Finally, larger men should opt for low-rise trousers or jeans. Low-rise trousers sit on the hips rather than the waist. However, larger men should ensure that their low-rise trousers flatter their stomach. Larger men should also avoid pleats as pleats can make the pelvis area seem larger.

It’s always good to have a good pair of blue 883 Police jeans in your wardrobe, however there is nothing wrong with mixing it up this season and adding some colour. Look towards reds, greens and yellows in more earthy tones to keep with the masculinity.

Colour blocking can also be done successfully, if you don’t like making too much of a statement with your clothing then go for more muted tones rather than brights, or colour block with black, grey or brown. As a final note if you want a look which is smarter then look at coloured trousers, mustard, and greens are popular and look quite dandy with turn ups worn with an equally colourful jackets!

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.

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

Garavani Valentino was born in Italy in Many 1936.  He took an interest in fashion early on, and learned French and fashion design at the Accademia dell Arte in Milan.  Following this he went straight onto the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.

Garavani Valentino’s successes started early.  When he was just a student Valentino won a prize by the International Wool Secretariat for fashion design.  This prize was later awarded to both Karl Lagerfeld and Yves Saint Laurent.  In 1950 Garavani Valentino took his first job with the couturier Jean Desses.  Garavani Valentino was just 18 at the time.  Following this job he worked for Guy Laroche.

Garavani Valentino’s first collection was started in Rome in 1960, and he became famous for full length skirts, and he was quoted as saying, “I don’t think any man in the world wants to go out with a woman dressed like a boy”, as a result of his distaste for mini skirts.

To mark the anniversary of 30 years working within the world of fashion, Garavani Valentino hosted a party to celebrate.  The party lasted for three days and had 1600 guests.  It is said to have cost £2.5 million.

Then in 1998, Garavani Valentino sold his company for £211 million.  To mark this occasion he threw another party.  The party was in Rome, and it was here that he announced who his successor would be.  Alessandra Facchinetti, former designer for Gucci, became Garavani Valentino’s successor.  He was awarded by President Chirac of France  the Italian Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur in 2006.  He then retired in 2007 at the age of 75, having led a successful career within the fashion industry.  Garavani Valentino then chose to settle down and relax with his pugs.

Valentino

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.