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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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