While winter may have its hold on Australia, the warmer months will soon return. And it's for this reason that it’s time to dress smart that looks both soothing and stylish.
But when it comes to men’s fashion, not many men are willing to invest building a trendy wardrobe. Then again, it doesn’t mean you cannot keep on top of menswear trends without being bankrupt each season. After all there is nothing wrong in enslaving yourself to the latest style trends.
For men’s summer fashion 2015/16, a lot of key trends from the previous year continue to dominate the menswear industry. This means you don’t need a complete wardrobe overhaul as you are more likely to already have a few items already in your possession to look on-point; with a few additions and a bit of a tweak and you'll be set to rock this season.
Vivid Prints & Patterns
Men's fashion comes to life during summer. From Louis Vuitton and Hermès to Valentine and Ami, vibrant and colourful prints and patterns are also in trend this summer. Florals are particularly high in demand this season. In fact, they breathe new life into men’s wardrobe staples. From subtle prints to bold patterns, designers are manipulating floral prints for relaxed shirting and jackets as well as for more formal, tailored suits.Big brands like Katie Eary, A. Sauvage and Topman Design are featuring florals for their Spring/ Summer 2015 collection. The pink, orange and purple motifs from Katie Eary are vibrant enough set the right mood for a summer pool party. On the other side of the spectrum, we have bright-leaf print shirts from A. Sauvage that looks punchy enough with lightweight tailored outerwear and suiting.
Apart from florals, camouflage is also popular this season. While keeping things traditional, designers like Mark McNairy and N. Hoolywood are using khaki and blue camo prints for tees, shirts and trousers.
Italian luxury brand Valentino, on the other hand, has applied a rich burgundy variant to this timeless military motif for their classic tailoring and evening wear. Though florals and camo are not very easy to incorporate into your wardrobe, they look devilishly stylish if worn right, apart from being available at all price points.
Wear White, Head To Toe
Here is one style you can steal for both formal and casual dressing. All-white, minimalist looks is in stark contrast to bold patterns and colours we have discussed so far. From white men’s tailored suits by brands like Jil Sander, Dolce & Gabbana and Berluti to white-on-white sportswear-inspired items from Emporio Armani, men are increasingly adopting all-white trend this season.If you are up to it, go for white-wash denim jeans and jackets and pair them with off-white/ cream or lighter shades of custom-made shirts for a more casual summer look. For formal evening wear, sharp-white tailoring is a timeless item and is still in vogue. Additionally, you can wear tailored separates in white for formal events or soften to creamier shades; with white sandals the look is simply classic.
However, remember that all-white is an ambitious look. Men with a fairer skin tone should be very careful with this look. A better option is to opt for tonal shades of off-white and beige.
Reinvent Denim
This hard-wearing fabric is quite popular with men. For summer 2015, renowned designers like Prada, Andrea Pompilio, E. Tautz, and Saint Laurent etc. delved head-first to redefine this denim and reposition it in the style-meter.Denim jackets, which remained a casual wardrobe staple for many years, have become smarter this season. Trim and lightweight denim jackets are replacing button-down shirts for stylish men and are being paired with layering: blazers, denim trench overcoat and statement scarves.
If you want to play safe, use your denim jacket as a layering piece and you have the total freedom of being a little unconventional with it. Besides, there are denim bombers, overshirts, blazers, varsity jackets and gilets that make great contemporary workwear.
Alternatively, you can invest in a denim shirt. It is a solid wardrobe addition and you can wear it year-round. And of course we have the denim jeans, which are the new trousers this season. Team up your blue/ indigo or black slim-fit jeans with opulent suit jackets to look more contemporary.
Red Is The Colour This Summer
Although deceptively difficult to wear, red is a bold and uncomplicated colour. And this summer we are going to see a lot of it. Why? Probably because red suits almost any skin tone. From Dolce & Gabbana to Gucci, this colour made its place in key collections of all major brands.To add this colour to your wardrobe, you can either start small or make the biggest statement a man can possible make with a red suit. No, we are not suggesting a tomato-red (though few men can actually pull it off seamlessly); slightly darker shades are certainly doable. You can even opt for rich-berry shades, burgundy suits and lighter pastel hues for a killer, high-street look.
Since red is a high-impact colour, keep your accompanying pieces muted and pared-down. A crisp white or off-white shirt looks best with this bold colour. The same rule applies for accessories as well. Keep it minimal with a white, silk pocket square or a solid, dark tie.
Alternatively, you can wear red as a part of your attire such as a red blazer and combine it with blue and white shades for any warm-weather event. You may also add a pair of bold, red trousers, red polo shirt/ tees to your warm-weather wardrobe.
If you are not a braveheart, yet want to add this hue to your collection, consider incorporating small flashes of red as accessories like tie, pocket squares, lightweight scarves, belts, bags and shoes.
There will be slew of new trends and concepts each season, but scrapping your current wardrobe is hardly a good idea. You need to be smart and be aware of the trends to make your wardrobe ‘current’ without breaking your bank. Buy a few key pieces and combine them with your existing collection to look on point.
