With the summer only a few weeks away, it is time to dig out your swim trunks and hit the closest lido.
However, if like us you need a new pair make sure to check out one of our favourite swim trunk brands, Orlebar Brown. The swim trunks come in a variety of lengths (including some very short shorts for those of you who want to show a little extra skin) as well as a great selection of vibrant colours and patterns. Shorts start at £125 and are available here.
Last week Brandish was invited to celebrate 135 years of Jockey Underwear, at an impressive international catwalk show. The show saw the brand go back to its roots, showcasing a number of heritage pieces from its original collection in 1879, before introducing some of Jockey’s more updated collections for A/W 2011.
GQ Editor Dylan Jones, hosted the night and provided the audience with product highlights from Jockey’s 135 history, from its beginnings with predecessor Samuel T Cooper and classic all-in-ones, to the space underwear created for NASA and the 3D Innovations collection of today.
The Models moved through different eras through in a highly choreographed show, that even featured dubstep at one point. The new collections that were revealed within the catwalk, included the latest USA Originals range, meant to encapsulate the ‘American Way of Life’, the Urban Luxury range and Countryside range, representing the North American outdoors.
Overall it was a great night and a really fun way to not only see how Jockey have grown as a brand, but how their product has really developed over the years. Trust me, I am glad no one is rocking the onesy anymore!
The Alexander McQueen brand’s first foray into underwear has just dropped on Oki-Ni. The signature print, most synonymous with the silk scarves produced in previous seasons makes an appearance. If you have a spare £50 you can pick them up here.
Made from 100% cotton, these shorts blur the line nicely between casual shorts and swim-shorts. At the cheap price of £20 these are a must have for the beach. Available in a red or blue colourway, these have limited numbers so get there fast.
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 word sarong is synonymous, at least in the UK, with David Beckham. One of his key fashion moments, he popularised the formerly little-known ethnic printed wrap and inspired, if not a generation, then at least a summer’s worth of Essex lads to don the said item on the beaches of Spain. Dries van Noten‘s just-shown collection for SS10 featured ethnic prints such as the Indonesian ikat design and by next summer we could be much more familiar with prints from this part of the world. In the meantime, APC have this amazing sarong, with a contemporary twist on the classic Indonesian design. Sadly not available from their main site, this is the perfect beach cover-up being part garment and part towel. As an alternative, if you’re somewhere interesting this summer consider buying lengths of gorgeous printed fabrics for a DIY version.
Swimming trunks are often a cause for anxiety, fashions come and go as rapidly as elsewhere, leaving you rocking a baggy Speedo look whilst everyone else is in sleek mid-length shorts. Swim shorts are generally the more practical option, allowing you to step from pool to poolside bar with ease. These swim short designs by Paul Smith make a bold statement through print whilst keeping the shape flattering. Floral surf shorts are definitely having a revival, especially, as here, where the quality print suggests Hawaii’s heyday. Pair with perfectly tone-matched Havaianas (still acceptable for the beach) and a witty tote for Rio-class beach cool.
Make no bones about it, Spanx are for decreasing the size of your arse in fancy dresses, but the makers of Equmen proclaim that their Core Precision Underwear does all these whizzy things:
Improves posture
Supports core muscles
Controls body temperature
Visibly streamlines the body
Ha! I think it’s quite sweet that they have given the control top so many wondorous attributes, but let’s face it, if you’re in the market for one of these it’s because you’ve got a slight paunch and you can’t or can’t be bothered to shift it. One of the writers at the Times recently tried it out and he gave it a thumbs up, but would you give it a go?
Apparently men all over Japan are getting literally getting into bras as the man-bra takes the country by storm.
I’m not convinced by the hype, the man-bra looks like something that would fail to appeal anyone other than underwear fetishists. This just seems like a opportunity for a gratuitous “lawks ain’t Japan just crazy” story as we hit a post-Obama lull.
Anyway, if you need more info on the moob-tackling undies, the silky bras retail for twenty quid and come in white, pink and black from the Wish Room site. Akiko, Wish Room‘s owner, says that she hopes by wearing the bras men will become more sensitive and gain an insight into what it’s like being a woman.
Men are the new women. It’s a debate that’s been swirling around for most of the 21st century. As if Alexander McQueen’s mankini and last week’s guyliner/manscara affair weren’t enough of a devastating blow to defenders of manliness everywhere, along comes news of the next big trend…
Pictured from L-R: Giorgio Armani on holidays in Sardinia; Stefano Gabbana cruising in Portofino. [Photos: Olycom SPA/Fabio Piumetti/Rex Features]
Okay, so it’s not quite like perving on David Beckham or Cristiano Ronaldo on holiday but our designers deserve a break too you know. And let’s face it, if you’re a 74-year-old man (like Giorgio Armani) you could only wish to look as good as this. No… what worries me is the form of swimwear Armani and Stefano Gabbana have opted for – Speedos. Or what Aussies, like me, refer to as ‘budgie smugglers’. Whether you’re cruising the coast of Sardinia, or lapping up the waves in Portofino, there ain’t no excuse for ‘em. Full stop!
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I am going back to Mumbai mid-August and top of my WISHLIST are a pair of swimshorts. I would attempt trunks but don’t share David Gandy’s body (unfortunately) and want to be able to spend this summer without holding the stomach in and clenching the buttocks.
These shorts by Blend, and found at the shop Juju in Brighton (as seen on Mary Queen of Shops,), are perfect for an on-trend swimwear look. The monochrome palette tones down the loud print and suits the season’s minimalistic look.
So, after the Brandish Poll, 43% of you thought that ‘Worrelly’ is bound for disaster. But if these holiday snaps are anything to go by, the couple is going from strength to strength.
Decked out in slick black and porcelain skin, the couple were spotted on a beach in Malibu. After questioning their suitability, I have to admit that their matching sunglasses are pretty cute – and what’s not to like about their matching hats?
One thing I’m not too sure about is Luke’s sun exposure. What about his pale, peroxide, waif-like look? Is this the start of Luke’s descent into Rocawear and slicked hair? Let’s hope not – it just means we’ll all have to attempt the look next season…
Pink and red is one of my favourite colour combinations, it’s perhaps not the most classically stylish colour combination but the pairing of masculine red and feminine pink makes for a satisfying clash.
Now we come onto the fact that the item in question is a pair of Dries Van Noten silky boxing shorts (£205) and it becomes a little harder to wear. We’ve already written about pyjamas as outerwear so this could conceivably be the next step but to be perfectly honest I at a bit of a loss as to how you’d wear them… Any ideas?
Hopefully this summer will sound the sartorial death knell for knee-length boardshorts. They’re fine on teenagers and actual surfers, but on a twenty or thirty-something male the look is a bit tragic.
Something a little more tailored and fitted looks far more fashion-savvy, these Paul Smith shorts are a reasonable £45 and look a lot more stylish than post-pubescent baggies. The neutral colour combination is so chic people will mistake you for a classy European on the beach. Team with Reebok classics at your peril!
From:What David Gandy Can Do For Your Style