Spring/Summer 2012 Trends for Men

We love what is happening with men’s fashion this season. It is fun, exciting and delightful. Colours can be found everywhere. The linen suit has made its comeback and skinny pants are the wardrobe staple of the season. We have broken down the top 10 trends for men, who should wear the trend and a few trends no one should even consider walking near.

Let’s begin…

1. Colour, colour,colour. Did we say colour? What we see in stores are  beautiful strategic placement of colours in men’s garments. The colours that are big this summer are blue (any shade)…light navy, azure, sky blue,  red, orange. The range is wide and there is a shade for every gent. We see the colour trend in trousers, specifically chinos and denim and we are getting taste of it in shoes. From vibrant orange boat shoes to red bottom brogues…the trend is deeeelicious.

2.The Lightweight suit or blazer: linen, cotton and lightweight wool are great for the summer months. Play with colours. Much like the coloured blazers for women, men now have a range of options beyond dull black and grey.

3. Beige/Neutral/ Light Grey Suiting: Best suited for warmer complexions you will see a lot of beige, sand, cream in summer palettes in stores. Perfect for that summer wedding. For cooler complexions, the shade of the season is light grey. It’s everywhere and can be highlighted with the most flattering colours.

4. Slim fit trousers with rolled cuffs:  you’ve got to know when to roll ‘em. No need to take an intro course in pant cuff rolling, just grab the fabric and roll above your ankle. For a dressier look, neatly roll the cuffs.

5. Short breaks in trousers- we’ve gone european folks. Lift those pant legs up. Be careful though, too far above your ankle and you may be mistaken for a vagrant. You don’t want that look.

6. Print shirts: hawaiian prints, shark fins, paisley, you name it, they’re printed onto shirts. This trend is for the gent that is confident with his style. Be wary of the floral trend though, I’m still not a huge fan. To play it safer…try a contrasting colour gingham check in your most flattering colours

7. Shorts: time to hit the gym and get those legs in shape. Shorts are going to be big this summer.

8. Shoes in every colour and texture: deck shoes, suede brogues, neon sneakers. Men have more options today than they could ever have dreamed of.

9. Mix and Matching prints, textures: knit ties with linen suits, suede brogues with cotton trousers, leather and denim. Be bold and mix those textures up.

10. The double breasted suit: Not the one that your dad or your uncle use to wear with jackets that grazed their kneess… NO. This double breasted suit is slim fitted, clean and absolutely dapper. When worn, it speaks to an air of sophistication about the wearer. Contrary to old school belief, not the greatest look for the portly gent. So if you’ve got a big gut…pass this one up.