Posts filed under 'Men'
It’s no secret that we’re fans of J Crew’s classic American style. We’ve reviewed their Fall 2009 collection and edited it down to the staples that you’ll be reaching for over and over again. Here’s our six favorite picks from J Crew’s Fall 2009 menswear collection:
Fatigue Jacket | $168 at J Crew
How to wear it? Wear your fatigue jacket with a bright color inside to get a look that’s thoroughly inappropriate for boot camp.
Cotton Cashmere Cardigan | $69.50 at J Crew
How to wear it? We’re loving a fitted navy cardigan worn just as it’s shown - with a pair of white jeans. So fresh and so clean.
Thermal Henley | $42.50 at J Crew
How to wear it? Pair this supersoft henley with your rugged fatigue jacket for a look that mixes soft and hard.
Solid Tweed Sportcoat | $265 at J Crew
How to wear it? Mustard yellow (as shown) or blood orange, with a splash of pure white, will make this grey tweed sportcoat shine.
Secret Wash Button Down Shirt in Scholar Tartan | $59.50 at J Crew
How to wear it? The pattern of the season, tartan plaid, works great under a fitted cardigan and dark rinse jeans.
Straight Fit Jean in Black Resin Crinkle Wash | $98 at J Crew
How to wear it? Take a break from your standard blue jean, and try these inky black jeans. Best paired with vibrant colors, like this bluish purple.
Thoughts on J Crew’s Fall 2009 collection? Share your style with us in the comments!
August 12th, 2009
Bright socks? Yes, you read that right, and yes, you can wear them without looking like you stepped off the runway. You can incorporate brightly colored socks into your regular wardrobe. The key is to keep the rest of your outfit simple so as to make your socks stand out. Here’s how to get the look of bright socks:
1. Start with your foundation: a plain white button down shirt and a pair of jeans. As usual, fit is key here so that the look is sophisticated, not sloppy. (Alternatively, sub in grey trousers for the dark straight leg jeans, if you’re going for a dressier look.)
2. Add the key element: a pair of bright orange socks. We chose orange to complement the dark blue jeans.
3. Finish off the look with a brown belt and wing tip shoes, for a dressier touch.
How would you wear brightly colored socks? Share your style with us in the comments!
August 5th, 2009
Who says that monochromatic dressing is boring? Just because you’re constraining your color palette doesn’t mean that you’re reining in your style. There’s more to an outfit than color–there’s silhouette and texture. Mix up the rest of these elements, and you get an outfit that’s subtly stunning. Here’s how to get the modern monochromatic look:
1. Pick a color to build your outfit around. We chose brown, a nice neutral that works in dark and light shades. The button-down shirt is a nice medium brown color that the rest of the pieces will play off of.
2. Okay, so white isn’t really a shade of brown, but it Is another neutral. We paired the brown button-down shirt with a pair of straight-leg white jeans.
3. Layer on a blazer in beige, a cross between the medium brown shirt and the bright white jeans. Note the nice linen texture on the blazer–a great foil to the brown cotton poplin shirt.
3. Finish off the outfit with accessories in rich shades of brown: a belt (yes, keep that shirt tucked in) and a pair of leather flip flops. The flip flops help the outfit relax; if you’re wearing flip flops, you probably don’t take yourself Too seriously.
How would you make monochromatic dressing fun again? Share your style with us in the comments!
July 28th, 2009
No matter how popular the color becomes, purple still tends to strike fear in the hearts of (some) men. Dust off your worries of wearing what some may consider a feminine color–and remember that purple was worn proudly by men before it was co-opted by the fairer sex. Here’s Omiru’s primer on how to wear purple for men:
1. Start with a basic foundation: a fitted button-down shirt in white, and a pair of grey jeans.
2. Layer on a purple cardigan, allowing the white of the button-down to shine through. Note the grey cuffs on the cardigan, which tie in nicely to the grey jeans.
3. Finish off the outfit with a brown belt and loafers. The brown contrasts nicely with the purple; together, they all feel richer.
How would you wear purple? Share your style with us in the comments!
July 21st, 2009
While it’s easy to pair tops with blue jeans (e.g. almost anything goes), it’s not quite as simple to pair pants with a jean jacket. What are the rules for wearing a jean jacket? There’s really only one biggie: Don’t try to match your jean jacket with jeans in a similar wash. Too matchy matchy. You can pair denim with denim, but make sure that it doesn’t look like you’re itching to match. Beyond this, you’re pretty free to experiment. We crafted a look that pairs a jean jacket with a pair of khaki pants. Here’s how to get the jean jacket look:
1. Start with a pair of straight leg khaki pants.
2. Add a button-down shirt. A fun blue and yellow plaid and the two front chest pockets make this standby a little more visually interesting. Note how the yellow ties in with the warm undertones in the khaki pants and the blue echoes the blue in the denim jacket.
3. Slip on a jean jacket, allowing the plaid button-down to peek out. Feel free to turn up the sleeves for effect.
4. Finish off the outfit with a belt (yes, tuck in the shirt) and a pair of loafers.
How do you wear a jean jacket? Share your style with us in the comments!
July 15th, 2009
We’ve gotten mail from a number of men about how to wear color. If you’re hesitant about trying bright color–but you’re interested in giving it a shot, we recommend wading into the color pool by trying it out on one piece. Here’s how to create an outfit around a splash of color:
1. Start with a neutral base: a black and white striped polo (try a fitted-but-not-too-tight cut for best results) and a pair of dark rinse straight leg jeans. To pair with the black and white polo, we chose jeans that are nearly black.
2. Add a punch of color with a brightly colored belt. Note how the bright blue striped belt echoes the stripes in the polo shirt, creating a sense of continuity.
3. Continuing on with the blue color scheme, add a jacket (for nighttime) in a more muted shade of blue. We love the richness of the blue jacket–deep but not attention-grabbing–and how it pairs with the bright blue striped belt.
4. Finish off the outfit with a neutral: a pair of bright white sneakers.
How do you wear color? Share your style with us in the comments!
July 8th, 2009
Sure, jeans are versatile and can go almost anywhere. But instead of tossing on a pair of jeans, why not reach for a pair of khakis? Khakis are another style classic, but they’re having their fashion moment this year. We haven’t seen so many khakis since the dot com days! But you don’t have to pair your khakis with a blousy blue button-down shirt. Instead, dress them up with tailored items: a navy blazer and a sharp pair of oxfords. Here’s how to dress up khaki pants with a navy blazer:
1. Start with a pair of khaki pants. Straight leg, flat front, classic style.
2. Add a fitted, button-down shirt to pair with your khaki pants. We’re loving the bright color of this shirt - it really warms up the outfit.
3. Top off the outfit with a crisp navy blue blazer. The bright color of the button-down shirt will peek out from under the lapels of the blazer.
4. Finish off the outfit with a pair of classic oxford shoes and a canvas belt. Notice how the belt beautifully echoes the stripes in the shirt–without being too literal.
How do you wear khaki pants? Share your style with us in the comments!
July 1st, 2009
Nantucket Reds are classic prep - and absolutely perfect for summer. Why are they so great? The beauty of Nantucket Reds is their unique faded salmon red color that gets better with age. The original Nantucket Reds are made by Murray’s Toggery Shop, but the resurgence of preppy fashion means that you can get them in a variety of styles from other retailers. Here’s how to wear Nantucket Reds:
1. Start with a pair of Nantucket Reds. You can try a short or a pant, cargo pockets optional.
2. Add another preppy classic: a casual gingham shirt. We love how the navy and white plays off of the salmon red shorts.
3. Finish off the look with a pair of bright white sneakers (worn sans socks) and a canvas belt.
How do you wear Nantucket Reds? Share your style with us in the comments!
June 24th, 2009
Guys, our favorite way to wear whites this summer is to pair them with bright colors. The look is casual, chic–and more than a bit playful. Here’s how to wear your summer whites:
1. Start with a pair of white, straight-leg jeans and a brightly colored tee. Look for a fitted tee to pair with your white jeans, for best effect.
2. Layer on a hoodie. With this hoodie, you’re getting an extra trend: horizontal stripes. Plus, we’re loving how the vibrant orange shirt perks the blue stripes right up.
3. Finish off the outfit with a pair of sockless shoes–like these classic moccasins–and a belt to match.
How do you wear your summer whites? Share your style with us in the comments!
June 16th, 2009
Mens fashion trends for Summer 2009 range from the tailored to the rugged to the preppy. Think white jeans, pocketed parkas, classic slim fit v-neck sweaters, moccasins, sharp blazers, and classic Ray Ban Clubmaster Sunglasses. But what are our favorite items that actually deserve a place in your closet? Omiru’s guide to summer 2009 mens fashion trends cuts to the chase to deliver the five items you’ll be reaching for over and over this summer.
Baseball Jacket
Baracuta G10 Slimfit Sport Harrington Jacket | $130 (approx) at Baracuta
Is there anything more reminiscent of Americana than the classic baseball jacket? Brings us back to the good old days - when the sport was more about the players and less about performance drugs. For those of you who want to evoke that Americana spirit, we have a classic baseball jacket (though ironically made by a British company) that’s even better than the original. We’re digging the slim cut on Baracuta’s Harrington jacket–it puts the style back into the sport.
Lightweight Shawl Collar Sweater
Linen Cotton Caine Shawl Cardigan | $88 at J Crew
You loved shawl collar sweaters last Winter in chunky knits. Now, continue your love affair with the shawl collar with a lightweight cotton version of the sweater that’s destined to become a classic. Perfect for those balmy summer nights—or days in heavily air conditioned rooms. BTW–these sweaters have to be our favorite 2009 mens fashion trend.
Horizontal Stripes
Lightweight Cotton Wool Admiral Stripe Crewneck | $62 at J Crew
We called Horizontal Stripes as a key menswear trend way back when, in April 2008. But it’s just as relevant now as it was then. Not to mention that The Upgrader over at men.style.com featured these stylish stripes last month in a horizontal stripe trend report piece (btw, we love the tongue-in-cheek “cost per stripe†calculation on each item). The key takeaway? Wear these horizontal stripes—on t-shirts, sweaters, and even hoodies.
Madras Plaid Shorts
Olive Madras Club Short | $59.50 at J Crew
Crisp and light, Madras plaid is named after its city of origin, a warm city in Southern India. True to its roots, Madras plaid is carefree, youthful, and colorful. Add in a dose of preppy—and they’re the perfect fabric for a pair of summer shorts. Get your plaid on with a versatile green-and-blue pattern from J Crew. Fun fact about Madras plaid? In the US, Madras plaid is a popular summer choice for both men and women. But back in India, it’s worn almost exclusively by men.
Aviator Sunglasses
Selima Optique for J Crew Aviator Sunglasses | $198 at J Crew
Aviators have been popular since the 1960s, but they’re back with a Top Gun like rage this summer. The teardrop shape of these sunglasses is flattering on a variety of face shapes. Plus, their oversized style makes them a celebrity favorite. Grab a pair of designer aviators for a price that’s somewhat less than designer (though still not cheap, we know). It’s worth it though – Selima Optique is known for their luxury sunglasses.
Tell us, what Summer 2009 mens fashion trends will you be wearing? And which trends will you be steering clear of? Share your style with us in the comments!
June 10th, 2009
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