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.
Working within the confines of the grey suit Miuccia Prada played around with masculine conventions. Slashed shorts and sleeves nodded to a violent outburst against formalwear. Shoulders are very much the focus, even without jackets they were shown off in tank tops and sleeveless cardigans. Textured tops and greyscale prints conveyed the feel of newsprint.
This isn’t the first catwalk show where we’ve seen sheer tailoring, it looks like SS10 will see lots of sharp, sheer menswear pieces on the high street.
Clean, clean, clean. The Jil Sander show featured neat boys with bowl cuts in pale summer colours and dark, sharp suits.
Shoulders are wide, fabrics are sheer and there is only the merest hint of print in a few drawn-on pieces. Raf Simons focused on details, but they were never bitty, things like pockets visible through shirts, short shorts and racer back singlets all added definition to this simple collection.
Best worn: on a blustery northern French beach in Spring.
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.
However hesitant the sun may be about sharing its rays with the good folk of Britain, with a little imagination you can step right into summer by wearing the latest sun-bleached, faded colours and prints. Imagine the pink suggested by the red heart on an IheartNY white T-shirt seen inside-out, and you have the shade. Pink, ironically, has a recent association with hooligan chav-dom in the UK, but faded back to barely-there, fleshy pinkness it loses it’s Casual associations and becomes something more nostalgic.
ASOS are big on faded prints and colours this summer, from the faded floral of these shorts, to the bleached out brick tones of their chino shorts. Meanwhile, ever colour-conscious American Apparel‘s super-pale pink V-necked T-shirt is an old favourite that always charms.
We all know that by now shorts have staked their claim on the fashion map, and rightly so, until men can wear skirts in the street a la most recent Fantastic Man issue, the options are fairly limited.
So praise be to Angus Young for rocking shorts since before I was even born, which is a very long time. I’m not a 100% sure the utilitarian Clarksalike trainers and white sports socks is what I’d team his suit with, but not everyone can understand a trailblazer. You’ve now got a model to copy for summer, go forth to the office in your shorts suit!
These marvellous shorts are the union of two happy coincidences: OkiNi starting to feature some little known, (often Japanese) labels and a certain trend for kerrazy 80′s style pattern. Everything is great about these short trousers by Humor, the mix of colours, the brand (you’ve got to love a label that is ‘heavily influenced by the metropolitan underground music’), the cute, turquoise drawstring, THAT print. Like something spawned by a meeting of Timmy Mallet and Jeremy Scott in an elevator (actually, don’t linger on that thought) these shorts have got to bring a smile to your face, and at such a good price.
Serving Suggestion: wear with the finest of hi-tops, a sleeveless white T-shirt and some badass tattoos whilst listening to Arthur Russell on headphones.
With a month long holiday in India coming up, I knew I had to get some stand-out holiday wear. I thought about the different eras of recreational wear and began racking the (fashion) history books for inspiration- jumpsuits, capri pants, high-waisted slacks, kaftans, tunics, dungarees…the list goes on. But then, as with all moments of fashion genius, America’s Next Top Model came on the telly and I was reminded of the genius that is Jeremy Scott.
As a result I was led to a picture of a friend wearing a pair of Jeremy’s cropped print trousers and I fell in love. In order to recreate the look, I bought a pair of Topman’s cartoon-print pyjama bottoms (£15) and tied bits of string around my lower legs. I then folded the pyjama fabric under the string to achieve a cropped effect.
Because the print is so loud, you should stick to basic items in muted colours. And even if you don’t get the look that you wanted, I assure you that making the trousers is almost as much fun as wearing the finished edition anyway.
Off to a sunny climes for an Easter break? Here’s a head to toe look to get the locals talking and keep you cool. The seersucker blazer from Topman makes a change from the blue or grey fine stripe associated with this fabric. The pink of the blazer sets off nicely the deeper red of this colour-banded vest by Jil Sander. I love these wide-legged shorts (also by Jil Sander), which will definitely air you to the best advantage if you’re heading somewhere steamy but equally, look classic enough to wear in town as well as at the beach. Finally, some classic espadrilles grounding the look with a touch of Mediterranean tradition, in black .
As a final touch you could add a Panama hat – this year’s trilby – casting a shadow over that mysterious (and possibly sunburnt) visage.
Blazer, Topman, Vest and shorts by Jil Sander from OkiNi, Espadrilles from ASOS
Saturday’s oh-so-welcome sunshine provided a first opportunity for 2009 shorts sightings with Hackney’s Broadway Market being an ideal setting. Amongst the tangled limbs of pram central, shorts were very much in evidence. On the lithe and louche, high jean cut-offs (a la Fantastic Man‘s guide to making your own) were a popular option. The plentisome SYD‘s (that’s sexy young dads if you’re not sure) meanwhile were a tad more modest with the long and narrow shorts style being popular – often teamed with plaid, deck shoes and a serious beard.
An emerging shorts trend however is old-school khaki shorts – rugby shorts length – that add a certain David Attenborough touch to your summer kit. Look out for vintage Ralph Lauren for a quality look – best avoided if your lallies are more Charles Hawtrey than Lawrence Dallaglio though.
If you’re off on your first break of the year somewhere warm shortly you may be considering short trouser options.
The revitalised ASOS store has some great shorts on offer, ticking various trend boxes.
The slim jersey pair here are in line with the overall smart sportswear trend, the rib detail adding a touch of smartness to what could otherwise be a very casual look. The draped front pair by Unconditional meanwhile makes much more of a statement, especially if teamed with a similarly draped front or deep scoop neck T-shirt. Throwing caution to the wind, the dropped crotch shorts in black linen have an air of Thai fishermen’s trouser about them, an exotic note that could look great teamed with leather thong sandals or brown Oxfords.
Of course, the crucial factor with any shorts purchase this early is how to ensure its your outfit that dazzles rather than your milky white calves. Run for the sun at the earliest opportunity or slather on a bit of self tan to help you blend in with swarthy locals.
If you’re dateless for Valentine’s Day the you should just take some tips from Rufus Thomas on this video of Stax Record’s music festival in 1972. Just don a pair of pink shorts, matching pink shirt with ruffles and do the funky chicken, it worked for him and the crowd of 40,000 people and I’m sure it will work for you.
I wouldn’t recommend doing this anywhere except your front room or bedroom, but it will definitely beat sobbing against a rainy window to the Smiths.
Way back when (honestly Cristiano,) at the peak of the short-shorts trend, Brandish was rife with talk of Wham!, a model short-shorts wearer and metallic fabric. In an awfully weird way, Cristiano Ronaldo looks like a mixture of about three weeks worth of posts.
In case you haven’t already been blinded my that horrific pic to the left, I’m talking about this week’s latest fashion crime: those tight, silver short-shorts. Ronaldo was snapped while shopping at theChristian Audigier boutique in Beverly Hills, perfectly tangoed and crutch-ridden. Unlike that signature white suit, I can’t even bring myself to jokily utter that infamous question- Yay or Nay?
This new feature highlights the looks we love. Whether it be charity-shop mannequins or fashion week-shots, we will tell you which outfits are rocking our fashion-obsessed world. The first post of this feature looks at Richard Chai’s collection and the one look that I would literally kill for. (Okay, maybe not kill but beat up that glossy male model for sure.)
The whole collection had the feel of street-style and with increased ethnicity in the models used by different labels I think it is clear that the industry is beginning to move away from high-gloss and fake tans. Why go for prissy Versace-boy when you can be an adventurous Dunhill-man?
Check out those high-tops and that two-tone shirt and I doubt you will be able to resist the charm of a young designer only in his second season. I would say ‘out with the old’ but then again I believe it unnecessary to have yet another look at Yohji Yamamoto’s ghost model.
Sales are getting larger by the minute which, depending on your financial situation, may be a great excuse to blow your earnings or some more online window shopping. The Matches sale is the largest yet and to accommodate its size, I’ve decided to focus on a designer at a time. This post will focus on Phillip Lim. Check after the jump for info on these items.
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.
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