Monsoon Coco Hawaiian Shirt

Summer usually brings out the worst fashion sense in men – Shorts, flip-flops, silly hats, socks with sandals etc. But no more keenly is this felt than the desire to wear the gaudiest, loudest and most embarrassing Hawaiian shirts not seen since a Rodney Dangerfield wardrobe auction.

Luckily Monsoon are on hand to provide this subtle yet unmistakably Hawaiian Island shirt (£35). 100% cotton, it’ll keep you nice and cool on the beaches of Wai Kiki (you wish) without looking like your dad on holiday.

Adidas red leather jacket

I love a good sale, maybe it stems from being dressed in the finest Cromwell’s Madhouse had to offer as a child but I rarely see the point in spending obscene amounts on clothing. This Adidas jacket is on sale, reduced by almost half it’s still £240 so I won’t be buying it but if you’re a little more free and easy with your cash it’s a great purchase. It’s leather but kind of looks like nylon and the bright colour is bang on trend.

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Zoo York Preston Polo

I know I had a bit of a rant about polo shirts a few weeks back, but then I remembered I actually owned this one shown and probably should have added Zoo York to the list of designers who make decent polos. The Preston Polo (£37.50) is nothing short of perfection – Thick, good quality materials and a flattering cut means this will look good on anyone, and the green/stripe colour scheme is great for Summer. You can also smarten it up a bit with a black V-Neck or cardigan for a bit of geek-chic.

Topman Striped Shirt

Lime isn’t an easy colour to pull off by any means, but this Topman shirt (£28) seems to combat that trend by offsetting an otherwise sickly hue with black stripes and a tailored, army cut that’s complimentary to anyone’s wardrobe.

Combine with a pair of khaki shorts and some flip-flops for ultimate Summertime casual or with a darker denim for a smarter night out.

River Island blue cardigan

Preppy is one of my favourite looks, especially when you have a bit of a subversive edge to it. Short of getting some dreaded deck shoes and writing swear words on them in tippex (hang on… I quite like that idea!) you can buy River Island’s bright blue cardigan with contrast piping for £29.99. For the full-on preppy punk effect wear with aforementioned deck shoes, bleached hi-top and a confident swagger.

French Connection lavender shirt

Lavender is a wonderful colour, gently bringing out the peachy aspect of your complexion. If this all a bit too flowery bear in mind that lavender looks great with grey, so this French Connection shirt (£50) is perfect for adding a bit of individuality to a suit. Similarly, if you team the shirt with jeans some grey canvas pumps will bring a more sober feel to the outfit.

Whatever you do don’t add anything silver to the mix otherwise you’ll look like a teenage girl’s bedroom circa 1998.

Return of the Dandy

Just last week I wrote about the return of the Dandy at
Kingston University’s graduate fashion show where Joshua Kane presented a
collection of menswear inspired by the 1800′s style icons. It is definitely
emerging as a big upcoming trend within menswear and is sure to cross over in
to elements of women’s wear too.

The look, pioneered by the likes of Baudelaire, is about
originality and style. It is often slightly rebellious and traditionally
strives for aristocratic lifestyle. The current twist on the classic look is the
‘urban dandy’. Think Russell Brand or David Bowie, it’s quite a feminine look
but can be made slightly tougher as seen on the comedian David Walliams or
musician Mark Ronson.

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Bright Chloe inspired outfit

Chloe’s Spring womenswear collection featured lots of neutrals mixed together and enlivened with coral, mustard, aqua and cobalt blue. You don’t need to be a woman to get in on this trend, Topman’s coral shirt looks great when teamed with the different browns and greys in the trousers, shoes, blazer and tie. Some bright blue socks add another cheeky flash of colour to keep things perky rather than drab. See after the jump for product details.

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Perry Bible Fellowship Tees

No, this isn’t a post intended to insidiously recruit you into the Christian ranks via the medium of men’s fashion. It’s an attempt to get you to buy one of these nutty tees ($20) depicting images from my favourite comic strip.

The Perry Bible Fellowship is actually a series of surreal, smutty and downright sick cartoons by Nicholas Gurewitch, who’s artistic style is amazingly diverse – The man is talented. The tees shown are from the Unicorn Power and Skub strips, which are as funny as they are bizarre, but while you’re there buying one, check out all the other strips.

Topman painted tee

Hats off if you can create your own homemade version of this t-shirt with a few paints, some brushes and sponges but for those less creative types it will cost you £14 from Topshop. Lollypop colours give this tee a summer feel but the black keeps it tough. Using as a hangover top to induce queasiness in your friends is not recommended!

Penfield Tee

I’ll admit that I have a penchant for t-shirts with huge logos and mad prints – the more convoluted and archaic the design, the better – Just see my Terratag tee review.

However, it looks like in my old age I’m becoming a bit more conservative. I love this smart Penfield t-shirt (£19.99) in charcoal and yellow. You won’t get noticed wearing it, but you sure won’t get pointed and laughed at either. Team up with a pair of jeans or black slacks and some classic Vans slip ons for an understated skater look.

Penguin checked shirt

If grandad retro is your thing then you will probably already be familiar with Penguin clothing, and this madras check shirt ($69) is perfect for the ageing golfer look.

Team it with slip on Vans, check Farah slacks and a cap, but if you want something more subtle I’d say pick a slim pair of grey trousers that tone with the lightest shade of green on the shirt and pick up some white pumps for a sharp
outfit.

Lee check shirt from ASOS

I’ve got a feeling that gingham might be becoming the new stripes, but maybe it’s just indigestion. Either way gingham, the check most associated with girl’s summer uniforms, gives a quirky twist to menswear.

For just £14 you can get your hands on a Lee check shirt which will give you a fresh look for summer, without sacrificing any noir tendencies you might have. It’s great for a rock look with slicked back hair, black jeans and cowboy boots, and will look equally good as a chic touch to a work outfit. It also comes in Lavender which will look good teamed with navy and grey.