What will the older man of style be wearing in 2013? In my search for style as a middle-aged man, I keep an eye out for trends, inspiration and influences. How do I, very much a fashion outsider, see tastes and fashions moving? What fashion themes might be suitable for the 40-year-old plus man?
The new year brings a rash of men's fashion shows, firstly London Collections: Men, with Pitti Uomo, Milan and Paris coming hot on its heels. I don't report on the detail of these shows, unless something has caught my eye. There are scores of blogs and websites you can visit for detailed reports (visit GQ magazine for example). There is much to inspire us.
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| Photo Tommy Ton, taken at Pitti Uomo, 2013 |
What follows is a very personal selection, use it as you will.
- Dressing sustainably is becoming more important. It's not always possible, but buy locally-made or designed products. Readers of this blog will recall the exciting voyage of discovery I embarked on in September when I reported on just a small selection of British designers and manufacturers of interest to the stylish man. If you don't live in the UK, see what you can find in your own country.
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| Made and designed in UK, tweed woven in London S.E.H Kelly |
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| Made on Savile Row |
- Dress classically, but add a twist to lift the look above the merely conventional.
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| Hackett |
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| Richard James |
- Try drab background colours with bright accents in trousers, knitwear and socks - oranges, corals, pinks, yellows.
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| Hackett |
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| Rake |
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| Richard James |
- Pocket squares.
- Slim cuts. Try garments that follow the line of the waist and body.
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| The Sartorilist |
- Tweeds. There's a move towards larger checks. Suits are more frequently used in informal situations, so designers are exploring bolder looks; I like it.
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| Richard James |
- Polo neck (roll neck) jumpers, worn under jackets, blazers, coats.
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| Hackett |
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| Image Tommy Ton, Pitti Uomo 2013 |
- Brogues.
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| Rake |
- Knitted ties.
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| Drake's |
- Blue evening suits.
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| Richard James |
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| Hardy Amies |
- Double-breasted.
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| Oliver Spencer |
- Pinstripes. Once the preserve of lawyers and car salesmen, pinstripes are making a welcome comeback. Nothing is more flattering.
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| Savile Row |
- Traditional knitwear.
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| Margaret Howell |
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| Tom Ford |
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| Image Tommy Ton, Pitti Uomo, 2013 |
- Planks on heads. It's amusing to see people's reactions to the more outrageous shows. 'I'd never wear a plank on my head/ male boob tube/ orange trousers/ bowler hat', were comments made by many shocked men this January. However, these eye-catching displays are simply the efforts of designers wanting to stand out from the herd - and shocking a gullible press works every time.
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| Craig Green - image The Guardian |
British and Italian men have a flair for doing just what you suggest, accenting an otherwise somber pallet with bold colour. I absolutely love that splash of confidence and pure joy. something we don't see enough of here on the other side of the Atlantic.
ReplyDeleteGF - an excellent post. I've tried to live with these principles over the last decade when I turned 40. I have found that I tend to get more "looks" now than when I was at 25 (especially from my wife ) My approach is exactly as you say --- Happy new year Dimitrious
ReplyDeleteCome on Grey Fox, you have to admit that although the clothes in this post are great,the young pretty boy models just dont do it justice. Look at the difference with the older "grey hair 5" men, full of character, class and natural style... makes you feel good about aging !
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comments. Mathy2012, I agree, but as no older models appeared in these shows we haven't been given the opportunity to see the advantages of maturity on the appearance of the clothes.
ReplyDeleteI still have no idea why all the models were so young - maybe someone will explain. GF.
As a grey vixen ? My favorite is the polo neck jumper with jacket look . Least favorite is the pinstripe suit - has the dodgy look of a certain antique dealer to me . I like the splashes of colour but my conservative fox won't oblige , he can cope with differant textures as long as they are various shades of black grey or navy . I battle on , gently . Thanks for the help
ReplyDeleteWendy
Thanks, Wendy, for your comment. Pinstripes are like Marmite, I wore them as a lawyer where they were the professional uniform - but they are also the preserve of car salesmen and antique dealers - on reflection I suppose those three professions have other common features too!
ReplyDeleteCould your grey fox be persuaded to start with a soberly-coloured pocket square? That's the foot in the door for more colourful accessories.
GF.
Ah, so true about pinstripes. They too are the stereotypical uniform of bankers, and even though I preferred solid coloured suits, found a way as I progressed in age and career to update my use of them. I incorporated lighter, steel-grey suits with an even paler contrasting fine stripe, a longer and more fitted jacket cut and narrower trouser legs which when paired with a pointier cognac coloured shoe, worked well for me.
ReplyDeletePinstripes don't have to look stodgy anymore; the fabric range nowadays is enormous, and they can make the wearer appear taller (the same way horizontal stripes might make the wearer look wider.)
Grey Fox - could I ask a dumb question? I am afraid I'm grey but with an ever receding hairline. What would you (or other readers) suggest for a 51 (former lawyer too) year old ? I've taken to keeping it short and wearing classics (plus hats in winter!) Dimitrious
ReplyDeleteHi Dimitrious, thanks for the query. I'll post this as a separate post sometime, I'll give my thoughts and we can see what others think too.
ReplyDeleteGF.
GF thank you! Enjoy your evening D
ReplyDelete