5 New Ways To Wear A Suit | Summer 2015 fashion trends men

Breathing Life Into The Suit

Buying a suit is the most important sartorial purchase a guy can make. But it’s also one of the costliest, which means it’s important you know how to get as much mileage out of your tailoring as possible.

Start by thinking of it as the modern man’s armour: an indispensable piece of kit that forms the backbone of not just your formal wear arsenal but your casual wardrobe too.

With that in mind, take a look at a five modern ways you can wear a suit for the season ahead.

1. Checks And Basics

We’ve already extolled the virtues of the check suit and its ability to turbo-charge your formal wardrobe this spring, but patterned tailoring, by its eye-catching nature, is notoriously difficult to pull off.

So, we suggest keeping things simple by eschewing the customary shirt and tie combination in favour of a neutral crew neck T-shirt or polo shirt.

As seen in the Canali AW15 show, when a large windowpane motif is set against the backdrop of a plain tee, the suit takes on a reassuringly minimal look – ideal for a spring wedding that doesn’t have a strict dress code.

2. The Shirt & Tie Replacement

Sure, it’s March and our sights are fixed firmly on the arrival of balmy summer days. But it’s hardly linen suit and poplin shirt season yet.

In terms of smartening up your transitional wardrobe for the changeable spring months, opt for lightweight roll necks in natural fabrics under your suit. Not only does this look sharp, but when it’s too warm to wear your suit jacket, yet too cold for just a shirt, exchanging your button-down for a merino knit offers just the right weight and gauge to keep you cool and comfortable.

Consider light grey, blue or mustard versions for a fresh, non-Dermot O’Leary take on the trend.

3. Black-On-Black

Despite the all-black everything trend’s refusal to die, wearing a black shirt with a suit of the same colour is still perceived by some fashion insiders as a step too far.

However, we’re here to silence the haters (we’re looking at you, John Varvatos), put our full weight behind the trend, and let you guys know that suiting up in the dark stuff looks seriously slick and sophisticated.

The important thing here is to ensure the shirt is exactly the same shade of black as the suit. Any variation in tone will make whichever item is lighter appear as though it has faded.

4. Suits & Sneakers

Done wrong, pairing some box-fresh sneakers with a suit can make it look like the only thing standing between you and a midlife crisis is a new Porsche.

Yet done properly, swapping your smart shoes for a pair of trainers appears cool and effortless. The key is to pick a ‘grown-up’ pair: minimal, neutral and preferably leather.

For the more adventurous among you, try dressing down a dinner jacket by swapping the tux trousers for a pair in flecked charcoal wool and then finishing with some crisp Stan Smiths.

This is the kind of thing that Kanye and A$AP do regularly on the red carpet, but is a look you can easily replicate for dinner at a high-end restaurant.

5. Switch The Blazer For A Leather

The idea of separating your suits may be nothing new to you, but switching your blazer for a leather jacket probably is.

It’s a look we’ve seen time and time again over this awards season, with everyone from Ewan McGregor to Justin Theroux partaking in the trend.

Ditching your suit jacket in favour of some lambskin channels an effortlessly cool rockabilly vibe, and is a smart choice for men who want to bring an edge to their formal wear.

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Men’s SS15 Fashion Trends | Men’s Spring/Summer 2015 Fashion Trends | Fashion Trends Preview

IMAGE: CALLIOPE AW14

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5 Trends To Master For SS15

From vibrant orange outerwear to suits with trainers, 2014 has been a year for breaking new ground in menswear.

As we close the doors on 2014 and dive head first into the start of a new ‘fashion season’, we thought it fitting to highlight the five key trends you need to be familiar with for spring/summer 2015…

1. Statement Stripes

A mainstay of both the casual and formal sides of our wardrobe, stripes are (as usual) expected to be big news for SS15.

The stripe was given pride of place in collections from Gucci and Jonathan Saunders to Casely-Hayford and Emporio Armani, where they were applied to a wide variety of garments including both tailored staples like smart trousers and shirts, as well as more relaxed jumpers and accessories.

With stripes a perennial spring/summer trend, there will be no shortage of options this year. If you already own a classic Breton top, our recommendation would be to branch out into striped tailoring, legwear (shorts or trousers) or knitwear. Also consider opting for a thicker block-stripes or bold coloured motifs in order to bring a modern twist to this timeless pattern.

To put stripes into practice, try teaming your essential Breton tee with a pair of tailored chino shorts and loafers for an off-duty, summer-ready look, switching to slim pinstripe trousers, a navy two-button blazer, white shirt and monk-straps for something that’s more evening-appropriate.

Note: Before you rush out and purchase, it’s worth remembering that different stripes will have different effects on your overall size and shape. Horizontal stripes tend to make you look wider by breaking up the vertical silhouette, while vertical stripes draw the eye down quickly, giving the illusion of length/height. With this in mind, if you’re short and squat, you’re better off avoiding the former, while lankier gentlemen would do well to stay away from the latter.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

• BOSS ORANGE SLIM SWEATPANTS WITH FINE STRIPE
• ALLSAINTS BRAMFORD BRETON POLO
• TOPMAN MULTI COLOURED STRIPED SOCKS
• AUSTIN REED VIYELLA BOATING STRIPE JACKET
• RIVER ISLAND NAVY CONTRAST STRIPE SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT
• M&S COLLECTION PURE COTTON MARL STRIPED POLO SHIRT
• REISS SANDY CLASSIC STRIPE T-SHIRT ORANGE
• REISS SKILLS STRIPE CREW -NECK JUMPER CHARCOAL
• GANT RUGGER STRIPED COTTON-OXFORD HALF-PLACKET SHIRT
• POLO RALPH LAUREN STRIPED WOVEN-COTTON SHORTS
• GANT RUGGER STRIPED WOOL SWEATER
• CLUB MONACO STRIPED COTTON-JERSEY T-SHIRT

2. Double (Denim) Duty

From Tom Ford to Gucci, every designer and their denim-clad dog seemed to be celebrating this versatile, hard wearing fabric for spring/summer 2015.

Whether you like to keep things casual or refined, quality denim is a solid foundation for a multitude of looks. Simply team your favourite pair of jeans with a well-fitted T-shirt and some low-key trainers – à la James Dean – for coffee with friends, or pair your trusty denim trucker jacket with a knitted tie, Oxford shirt, crew neck jumper, trousers and loafers for a more relaxed take on tailoring.

If that sounds a little too safe for your liking, try doubling or tripling up on denim. Take a look at Tom Ford’s spring 2015 collection to see how he combined a denim shirt and jeans with a simple navy blazer and black leather boots. You could try that combination on for size, or look to pair a washed denim jacket with your favourite indigo jeans, broken up with a plain tee and pair of suede desert boots.

Note: When it comes to denim, taking the cheapskate’s route will inevitably spell ruin. Invest in quality selvedge or raw denim – available from specialist labels such as A.P.C., Levi’s and Nudie – for something that looks the part and is built to last more than one season.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

• ALLSAINTS CORMORANT DENIM JACKET
• ASOS DENIM SHIRT IN LONGLINE WITH MID WASH
• HE BY MANGO SKINNY BLACK JUDE JEANS
• NUDIE JEANS THIN FINN JEANS IN DRY TWILL
• PAUL SMITH JEANS DENIM JACKET
• REISS ROYCE WASHED DENIM SHIRT INDIGO
• RIVER ISLAND LIGHT WASH SHORT SLEEVE DENIM SHIRT
• RIVER ISLAND BLACK ACID WASH SKINNY STRETCH SHORTS
• CHEAP MONDAY DENIM HOLDALL
• FOLK REGULAR-FIT WASHED-DENIM SHORTS
• MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA WASHED-DENIM OVERSHIRT
• OFFICINE GENERALE SLIM-FIT SELVEDGE DENIM SUIT JACKET

3. Seeing Red

Bold, vibrant and bound to get the blood pumping, red is the definitive colour of SS15.

Dolce & Gabbana’s matador themed collection was brought to life by a wide array of tailored and sportswear-inspired separates, all rendered in shades of red, from blood to brick.

Often considered a tricky hue to carry off (particularly for fairer skin tones), red is best kept to one statement-making element – giving a punch to both casual and smart looks. For example, try a simple crimson crew neck t-shirt or pair of cherry chino shorts, anchored with neutral warm-weather staples.

For those unafraid to properly immerse themselves in the trend, a deep red suit worn with a white button-down shirt and black leather loafers is an outstanding evening wear choice for any warm-weather event, which cannot fail to get you noticed.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

• POLO RALPH LAUREN T-SHIRT WITH CREW NECK & LOGO
• HE BY MANGO WOOL-BLEND CABLE-KNIT SWEATER
• URBAN RENEWAL VINTAGE SURPLUS HARRINGTON JACKET IN BURGUNDY
• UNIQLO MEN EXTRA FINE MERINO V-NECK SWEATER
• HARTFORD REGULAR-FIT COTTON SHORTS
• TOPMAN RED LUREX POCKET SQUARE
• REISS MONTREAL SLIM FIT TWILL JEANS RED
• REISS WILSON PATCH POCKET POLO SHIRT CHERRY
• REISS OUTKAST CONCEALED ZIP COAT RED
• UNIQLO MEN EXTRA FINE MERINO V-NECK CARDIGAN
• CAR SHOE SUEDE DRIVING SHOES
• GANT RUGGER BUTTON-DOWN COLLAR SLUBBED COTTON-FLANNEL SHIRT

4. Florals

Having seen a slow but sure increase in visibility over the past couple of years, floral is once again integral to the contemporary gent’s wardrobe for 2015.

Spurred on by the success of high-end fashion houses like Givenchy and readily available labels such as Hype, more and more brands are offering up their own unique takes on this pattern. Put simply, whether you prefer to stand out or blend in, finding a floral motif that fits your personal style is now easier than ever.

Need some best in class inspiration? Pore over the collections from A. Sauvage and Topman Design. The former’s offering saw florals inspired by African landscapes applied to sportswear classics, including bomber jackets, tees, shorts and basketball trainers, while there was an unmistakably 1970s flavour to the daisy-covered bell bottoms and lightweight knitwear on show at the latter.

To incorporate this trend into your own wardrobe, remember to make your floral printed piece the focal point of your look, and frame it with less attention-grabbing neutrals.

For daytime beach parties and holiday day wear, a statement floral shirt or tee goes particularly well with beige chinos and sandals, while summer evening engagements call for sharply cut, ankle-grazing floral trousers teamed with a white short-sleeved shirt and tassel loafers.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

• JACK WILLS AMBERHURST SWEATSHIRT WITH FLORAL PRINT
• GANT RUGGER SHIRT WITH FLORAL PRINT
• HE BY MANGO MODERN SLIM-FIT FLORAL SHIRT
• TOPMAN DARK GREEN FLORAL PRINT SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT
• HE BY MANGO FLORAL-PRINT CHEST-POCKET T-SHIRT
• TOPMAN GREY SKINNY FLORAL DENIM SHORTS
• HE BY MANGO FLORAL PRINT T-SHIRT
• TOPMAN BLACK FLORAL SNAPBACK CAP
• J. CREW COTTON POCKET SQUARE IN LIBERTY EMMA & GEORGINA FLORAL
• RIVER ISLAND BLUE INDIGO FLORAL SHORTS
• TED BAKER FLORTRO FLORAL PAISLEY CHINO
• HARTFORD FLOWER-PRINT MID-LENGTH SWIM SHORTS

5. Green And Blue

It may once have been said that blue and green should never be seen together, but in 2015 it’s a match made in heaven. Baartmans & Siegel, Pringle of Scotland, Gieves & Hawkes and Hackett all combined blue and green pieces within their SS15 collections.

At Gieves & Hawkes, a lightweight belted parka in sea green was styled with a crew neck jumper and chinos (both in navy), giving a polished but not stuffy effect. Elsewhere, at Hackett, these two masculine hues formed the basis for even more experimental colour play, with a navy double-breasted jacket teamed with green trousers, a pale pink shirt, orange tie and white tasselled loafers.

Note: The key to carrying off this pairing is to limit the number of other colours you add to the mix. Dark neutrals like brown and black don’t work well with bold blue and green combos, so try slate grey and white to tie it all together.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

• TOPMAN WASHED GREEN TWILL LONG SLEEVE SHIRT
• ASOS SLIM FIT BLAZER IN JERSEY
• ASOS CREW NECK JUMPER IN COTTON
• ACNE STUDIOS EDDY COTTON-JERSEY T-SHIRT
• FARHI BY NICOLE FARHI COTTON POLO SHIRT
• MARC BY MARC JACOBS COTTON CHINOS
• HE BY MANGO SILK WOOL-BLEND SWEATER
• HE BY MANGO UNSTRUCTURED JERSEY BLAZER
• HE BY MANGO SLIM-FIT GARMENT-DYED CHINOS
• REISS WILSON PATCH POCKET POLO SHIRT BLUE
• CLUB MONACO COTTON JERSEY T-SHIRT
• RIVER ISLAND BLUE CHINO SHORTS

Final Word

With the end of year sales well under way, now’s a great time to start building your new season wardrobe, given that you’ll find many of these trends’ key pieces – denim and green/blue items, for example – already in stock (and hopefully generously discounted!).

But now we want to hear from you – which trends do you love or loathe? Will you be wearing any of them this coming year?

Let us know in the comments section below…

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