Last SS, gladiator sandals were flirting around the fringes of mainstream fashion, with Acne producing one of the most popular styles and the high-street producing some relatively nice ones for around £30. They’ll be everywhere this summer and as always, the designers have raised the stakes. Lanvin have produced some lavish, rather effeminate ones, with bold colours and interesting fabrics, yet it’s not the gladiator which is the trend that appears to be emerging.
The lace up ankle sandals are a really interesting concept, because, unlike the gladiator which is a classic sandal style, the lace ups have the same silhouette as an ankle boot. LuisaViaRoma have by far the best range and feature ones by Sergio Rossi, Michetti Danielle and Miharayasuhiro.
They’re not going to be easy to pull off, but if you want to try out the trend, then I’d suggest cut-out shoes. Some of the styles I’ve seen seem really narrow and to be honest, not particularly nice. These ones are a winner though.
Shoes by B-Store £205
With summer fast approaching the wet should be behind us relatively soon. That means that suede in other colours than black and brown will be wearable. Many spring summer collections have featured bright, light brogues. An alternative to deck shoes, they incorporate the preppy trend continuing from SS/09.
The high street is catching on, with ASOS releasing affordable grey suede brogues with some pastel pink laces and even River Island releasing a rather tasteful soft blue pair.
Towards the higher end of the market, Reiss once again show their spring summer range to be very strong, and fresh from appearing in the Sunday Times Style magazine, the blue brogues with contrast laces look set to be popular this summer. Alongside these, Grenson, who were very popular last year, with their leather brogues and ankle boots proving a must have amongst the fashion forward, return this season with some light grey suede brogue shoes with cream laces and silver eyelet holes. All of the mentioned shoes and links on where to get them are available to see in the gallery.
It cannot be denied that the Sixties are having a moment right now. There seems to have been an upswing in media inspired by or set in the Sixties, from Mad Men gracing television screens to the year’s big awards contenders in film, A Serious Man, Nine and An Education. The recently released Youth in Revolt and this Friday’s A Single Man continue this trend and show that slick Sixties style is still a winner.
A Single Man based on the book by Christopher Isherwood, comes with flawless sartorial credit, being the directorial debut of the man heralded as the ‘saviour of Gucci’, Tom Ford. Colin Firth, as the main character George wears costumes designed by Ford throughout, a parade of sharp suits, crisp white shirts and slim ties. George describes his clothing as a kind of ‘armour’ that he puts on piece by piece, steeling him for battle with the world.
At first glance Youth in Revolt seems a world away from glossy, impeccable period detail of A Single Man. But note: gawky Michael Cera, in order to win over the girl next door, creates a dashing alter ego to give him the confidence to woo her. This alter ego, named Francois Dillenger and based on the French New Wave icon Jean-Paul Belmondo, rocks the causual Sixties look in a shirt by hip label Band of Outsiders.
There really is no better era for dressing to look sharp and well-put together and making you seem confident and a little louche. Granted, a new Tom Ford suit is a bit out of most people’s price ranges but you can easily recreate the look shopping on the high street. Try Uniqlo for affordable separates, especially their J+ range, their collaboration with designer Jil Sander.
Above all, never forget the accessories.
Try the ever reliable Top Man for skinny ties, Aspinal of London for pocket squares and Retrospecs for Anglo American glasses. Add a tie clip and a tumbler of scotch and you’re ready to go.
Spots, dots, patterns and checks are all very well, but let’s face it, you can’t beat stripes. Thick stripes, thin stripes, up stripes, down stripes, black stripes, white stripes…Here are some of the best stripes around.
Shorts have definitely become the fashion story of the summer, a trend that kicked off last year but is still gathering momentum. At MACHO CITY last night bare calves were definitely the norm, with pleated chino shorts and cut off denims (worn by the likes of Henry Holland) vying for top spot. In the on-going search for the wildest shorts of the summer, pattern and colour have stepped into the fray.
In New York, where a steamy summer is to be expected, Debonair reports that the psychedelic Batik-print shorts by Nolita store Unis are stealing the limelight. Cut high on the thigh and light enough to be worn as swimming shorts, I can see them working here too allowing for an easy transition from lido to London Fields picnicking. For an Anglo take on the trend, seek out wild prints from Liberty, Paul Smith florals or run up a pair in toile de jouy! Eyes and minds will boggle.
The second instalment of our summer picks from menswear buyer Lee Douros. There are some beautiful items that will take you stylishly into autumn including a wonderful pair of cornflower blue deck shoes.
Having made their first foray into menswear my-wardrobe have got some exciting brands on board for Autumn, can’t wait for their A/W picks!
You can rely on Alber Elbaz and Lucas Ossendrijver to deliver a great collection and they did. This collection for Lanvin was typically elegant affair, with the très chic suits and kimono-style jackets. Irreverent touches like trousers and suits made from tie silk reinforce Elbaz’s gentle sense of humour and sandals worn with socks gave a geeky twist to the look.
We’re still playing post-Glastonbury catchup with all the menswear shows, but the collections have set the cogs in the cranium a-whirring. First up is YSL‘s collection, which features the director, Samuel Benchetrit’s son lazing around a hotel room Nouvelle Vague style. The clothes themselves seem to be a mix of high-low tailoring and rock chic. Looking forward to seeing this in more detail.
As shorts continue to be major fashion news for men, the search is on for something that bit different. Oak NYC can usually be depended on to turn up something surprising, and with these leather-look shorts by Petar Petrov they’re definitely in the game for wildest shorts of the summer. Actually 100% cotton but in a glossy, leather-like finish, the combination of shiny, fetishistic fabric and the pleated, tailored style is genuinely fresh. Perfectly paired here with gladiator sandals, I’m just hoping the model has appropriate facial hair – this look is all about Roman centurion at a Berlin leather bar.
We’re still collecting our thoughts from all the GFW collections, Dulcie Dryde‘s sequinned trousers and feather headdress turned our heads, but it was the showstopping bondage jacket which really captured our hearts. Neat formal with a sportswear touch for Kayleigh Dunn, whose yellow jacket with herringbone underlay is a surefire winner. Maxwell Holmes handled a great colour palette and retro-influenced tailoring. Not pictured is Miriam Sucis‘ collection, which included a great latex parka, ingenious!
Spotted previously on the odd hipster about town, the vintage briefcase is definitely having a moment. On a recent journey from Soho back to Shoreditch, these battered but much prized bags were definitely evident on the street. We’re not talking the hideously square items that out-of-town businessmen carry their dreary worlds in – seemingly designed to collide with kneecaps on the Tube. Softer, roomier styles are the ones to look out for – including the daddy of all briefcases commonly known as ‘the doctor bag’ or Gladstone. And you don’t even have to get your hands grubby rummaging through charity stock as there seems to be a healthy selection available online.
Kingston University‘s show was a much-anticipated one, and the atmosphere was electric as the lights went down.
Philippa Jenkins showed smart adventurer looks, with great accessories, she obviously has a knack for colour. Myriam Saumtally focused on sports items and workwear, giving grey jersey a twist with embroidery and we particularly loved the semi-sheer nylon jacket, with houndstooth fabric just visible underneath. Alexander James‘ subtle moorish influences married perfectly with details like cummerbunds and we fell in love with the pleated grey harem pants. A big GFW trend, Eleanor Searle‘s sheer tailored boilersuit was the centrepiece of her sportswear collection.
Having just returned from a sunny holiday I’ve been thinking about ways to cover up in the evenings, when the temperature inevitably gets a little chilly but when a jacket seems a bit stifling. I’ve recently spotted fashion leaders Joe Casely-Hayford in a long chunky cardigan and Charlie Porter in a very fetching grey wool poncho, both great options for beating the chill factor whilst still proclaiming a bit of summer informality. Alternatively there’s the shawl.
The pashmina is a ubiquitous accessory for women, probably to its detriment, but hasn’t been accepted as a popular garment choice for men – yet. Scouring the web for pashmina alternatives, I came across these beautiful hand woven alpaca shawls and scarves. A bit hippy, yes but both models here actually look really elegant and the shawls would create a great contrast in an urban setting. See what you can find locally in terms of hand-made ethnic wraps, shawls and scarves if you’re traveling somewhere interesting this summer. You’re likely to turn things up in places from Morocco to South America and whatever it is has got to be more interesting than a nylon jacket.
Cycling through Bloomsbury last night, I was struck by the sheer number of other cyclists on the roads. Seriously, it’s like the bicycle M1 there in rush hour. When budgets tighten and the weather brightens (sorry), cyclists come out to play, so it looks like summer is definitely set to be based around 2 wheels. And for that, you need the right outfit.
While it’s a little too warm for full-length jeans, rolling up an old pair can work pretty well. Technical cycling trousers can be fairly awful (dayglo lycra with reflective patches is not a Brandish-endorsed look), but this pair from US brand Outlier fill a gap for neatly tailored, slim trousers that are also fast-wicking and breathable. If you can’t stretch to the required $220 (plus international shipping), ASOS’s £25 slimfit chinos come in a pretty array of colours (we rate the teal ones most). Somewhere between the two sit Acne’s lovely peppermint chinos for £135. If you really want to impress the traffic, try matching your trouser colour to your bike frame.
Parisians supposedly have a saying; you can never have too many scarves on your person. As summer heats up this side of the Channel, and sunburnt necks become commonplace, we’ve been seeing looser neckerchiefs and bandannas slung around the coolest collars. Taking inspiration from Lanvin’s SS09 show, via everyone’s favourite luxo-blogger 00o00 to Liberty’s new dedicated scarf room (and Scarf of the Week feature), it seems the summer scarf is destined to become a bit of a practical trend.
A simple bandanna (Topman have some great ones) knotted around the neck to make a triangle at the front is the simplest way to do this, but any light material can work. This is the place to experiment with unusual patterns, colours and fabrics, so get raiding your nearest charity shop/your Mum’s sewing box/old t-shirts/Berwick Street…
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