Written by Alexander Patiño, Junior Editor, Men's Style & Product Trends
Saying one's adieu to the summer season is a bittersweet affair. With the withering of leaves comes the
layering of clothes, but fortunately for us, this fall season's top trends defy the droll bleakness that can
sometimes accompany the fall and winter seasons with sleek and trim fits, vivid colors, and the revitalization
of spruced up golden-oldies. Luckily, you don't have to go and start throwing out your tucked away winter
clothes. This season's trends are accents and are here to help men do something they're not given many
opportunities to do: accessorize. There's nothing like a good suit, of course, but why must it end there? Is it
hard to straddle the lines between classic masculinity and a little menswear showmanship? This fall get
ready to have a little fun with your wardrobe without feeling like you're taking a risk.
Grandpas and newsies - that's the extent of
the suspenders’ prior versatility. This fall, try
pairing your suspenders with a nice white
poplin collar shirt (poplins are great
because they're durable and hard to
wrinkle, which can help when suspenders
are pressing up against your shirt all day), a
tie, and a pair of slim-cut flannel or tweed
pants and you're set to go to the office. Or if
you feel like taking them out for a try out on
the town, skip the buttons and the knots and
try them on a fitted pair of slacks and a slim-
cut hoodie, as seen in Emporio Armani's
fall menswear collection. Don't shy away
from adding a bit of color either.
Suspenders in lavish fire engine red were
seen in Adam Kimmel's line and even in
braided leather on army fatigue pants in the
DSquared2 collection.
Emporio Armani
Shipley &
Halmos
Adam Kimmel
SUSPENDERS
Earth tones, black and white: signature colors
for the season that have been around since
time immemorial. Shirts, pants and coats in
any combination of these colors can be found
in any man's closet (as well they should - a
classic never dies), but there is room for
flexibility. Mustard, cerulean, moss, violet,
cadmium - they're all showing up, no - not just
in dress shirts, but in men's pants. Ralph
Lauren and Paul Smith both explored a fun
mongrelization of every man's favorite hybrid,
the "business-casual" look by going maybe
one step further. Blazers, collared shirts and
ties paired with very form-fitting, vibrant colored
pants added a most welcome pizzazz to a
golden oldie. If you're leaning more towards the
right side of that spectrum, make sure to style
those colors with a more loose-fitted pant and
try them with some lace-up boots (more on this
particular article a little bit later) and a knitted
jacket for a fun, sporty, ski-gear look.
VIBRANT PANTS
Paul Smith
Number (N)ine
Ralph Lauren
BOW TIES
Now, this we didn't really see
coming, but boy it works! The bowtie
is a welcome respite for those bound
to the 9 to 5 necktie day in and day
out. Finally the bowtie is now extricable from the
tuxedo á la Golden-Age of Hollywood. This fall,
the use of the bowtie rids itself of the suit jacket
altogether and finds a home in a more casual
setting. Wear your tie with a cardigan over a
buttoned-up collared shirts and tapered pants.
Make sure to add a print or design in there, either
above or below for a more faceted execution.
Tartans/plaids and bowties have become this
season's perfect odd-couple. Finish off your look
with a sleek pair of dress shoes. If you're
dead-set on wearing sneakers, a pair of John
Varvatos Converse shoes should pull the look
together perfectly.
Tommy Hilfiger
Viktor & Rolf
Shipley & Halmos
LACE-UP BOOTS
DSquared2
Neil
Barrett
designers that lace-up boots were in,
but boot-cut pants were out! Whether
the boots come halfway up your calf
or just above your ankle, make sure
of one thing: show those laces. Feel
free to roll those jeans up to expose
the sleekness and overt butchness
of the boot and pair it with a hefty,
lined parka or duster. Or, take a more
sophisticated route, as shown with
the most fatalistic aplomb by Neil
Barrett in his spy-game "Tuxedo Ski"
collection, where the tuxedo stayed
intact and the perfectly fitted pant hid
behind the boot. Sans the overly
formal jacket, heed Mr. Barrett's
advice and replace it with a shiny,
Lace-up boots stomped their way down many catwalks for this fall's runway
collections. It seems there was an immediate understanding amongst
DARK DENIM
Now that the intensely hot
summer sun has begun
to dissipate a bit, it is safe
once again to wear dark
denim. There was hardly
a piece of Donna Karan's
DKNY collection that didn't
come down the runway in
dark denim jeans.
Charcoal grays and
opaque, onyx blacks give
a certain sense of
sophistication when
combined with a blazer,
dress shirt and tie. It
provides a certain
sleekness without looking
uncomfortable and
compartmentalized in an
overly formal pair of work
slacks. But to offset the
dramatic effect of these
dark hues, make sure to
offset your outfit with at
least one colorful article,
be it a scarf, vest, or even
a belt.
rained-slicked motorcycle jacket. The look is to die for. And if those
picture-perfect Salvatore Ferragamo's are too far out of your reach, check out
Kenneth Cole's "Moonrise" boot pictured above in either brown or black. They
have an astronaut-skater sneaker look at the bottom and end at the shin in an
almost Doc Martin styled combat boot, lined in fleece fabric. They're a dream
and for $175...THEY'RE ALSO A STEAL!
DKNY
Continued on page 24...
Kris Van Assche
Ralph Lauren