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 |