Style Essentials | Brown Tassel Loafers featuring Beckett Simonon

Getting a grip on all the “essentials” in menswear can give you a headache. Headaches aside, one piece of footwear that I swear by is the brown suede tassel loafer. The loafers featured here are the Venza Brown Suede Tassel Slippers by Beckett Simonon (available online here).

I wear loafers year-round and a pair of brown suede tassel loafers are always in my rotation because of their workwear to streetwear versatility. Don’t let the term “streetwear” automatically conjure up images of guys lined up outside of a sneaker store, waiting for the launch of some retro Jordans. Streetwear to me pertains to the clothes you wear when you’re not suited up and tip-toe the line of casual and dress.

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| Look 1 | Keeping It Casual

 Venza Suede Tassel Loafers – Beckett Simonon (available online here) | Grey Cotton Double Breasted Blazer – Sottono | 508 Slim Taper Jeans – Levi’s | Short Sleeved Henley T-shirt –Barque New York 

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There’s something about pairing dark brown suede loafers with a pair of light washed jeans that says “Yeah, I wearing loafers with f*cking dad jeans” and I don’t care. That being said, there’s a slight science to executing a casual look with loafers without falling into the #normcore.

• Tassel loafers can give off a formal feel even when pair with casual jeans. Adding a cotton blazer bring in enough of a formal element, but, complements the rest of the casual pieces with its worn look.
• A dark brown loafer is muted and doesn’t bring attention to itself (which is a good thing). This under-the-radar shoe will be used as the refined grounding element of your look.
• During the summer month, rock some no-show socks or ditch them all together. Also, anyone giving you grief for not rocking socks can go to hell.
• A tapered jean is the most flattering with any loafer. If the leg opening of you jeans hit the vamp of your shoe, they’re TOO DAMN WIDE!!! Find a tailor to have your jeans/pants tapered from the knee down. For reference, I have most of my pants tapered to a 15 inch opening.

Pre-Fall Trend | The Black Double Monk Strap

Like most things, fashion & menswear are cyclical. Over the last few years, black shoes were said to be boring and it’s chestnut colored counterpart was getting all the shine (“just like Puff Daddy, all up in the videos” – Suge Knight). This fall, black shoes will be taking hold of the season in all varieties from sneakers through wingtip Oxfords. My personal standout pick for the fall is the black monk strap shoe. Not matter if is single or double, the black monk strap is a definite pick-up.

This post features the Hannigan Italian calfskin black double monk strap shoes byJohnston & Murphy. Detail-wise these kicks are packed with;

• Italian Calfskin Leather
• Leather & rubber combo sole. The rubber is applied to the ball of the shoe, which is what take most of the daily beating as you walk
• Brogued Captoe
• Silver buckles
• Bondwelt constructions

Don’t Forget To Select Your Favorite In The Poll Below

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Look 1 | Military Inspired Monochromatic

 

Military-inspired shirt – J.Crew | Gap x Todd Snyder Cargo Pants – GQBestMenswearDesigner | Hannigan Black Double Monk Strap Shoe – Johnston & Muphy | Joseph Marc Aviators – Coastal.com \ Belt – Frank & Oak | Silver Face, Mesh Band Watch – Timex

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 How To Go Monochromotic

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The monochromatic or the “solo color” look has been something I’ve wanted to toy around with for some time on Men’s Style Pro, however; I didn’t want to go with completely suited look (if you want to see a great suited example, check out Dan of TSBmenall-blue everything looks). Since I have a deep appreciation the Armed Force, I pulled inspiration from the US Army and they’re uniforms.  Here are a few tips to executing this look and how black monks pull it all together.

• It’s easier to work with neutral color as your base. Army green, navy blue or black are example (see look 3 as well)
• Pair your black monks with this belt is a smart move because they become the focal point of the look without obnoxiously standing out (think neon sneakers with this look)
• The Belt: Because you don’t want to look like a Ghostbuster or adult toddler rocking a one-piece, the black belt gives you a define middle/waist, plus it complements your shoes. 
• If you’re layering the look, opt for subtle color gradients to add some dimension & depth. This just means you’ll want to stay in the green color family but not be wearing the same exact color. Go with a darker green as your outerwear option. 

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Look 1 | Military Inspired Monochromatic

Get a pair of the J&M Double Monk Strap Shoe Here. 

Allen Edmonds Giveaway & Custom Shoe Configurator

The storied American footwear maker, Allen Edmonds, recently release their custom shoec onfigurator system. This new configurator gives you the power to design your own custom shoe from 16 different classic styles and thousands of intricate details. Think about mixing materials like leather & suede, creating the ideal golf shoe or your perfect boat shoe. The possibilities are infinite!

A few weeks ago, I did some digging around the configurator, where I designed a ton of shoes. After much deliberation, I’ve come up with an amazing shoe that I call The Warner (that’s just a working name on my end). 

Here’s the specs on this custom shoe that I design (aka The Warner):

• Style | Strand 
• Vamp – Captip – Foxing – Eyestays & Tongue – Alpine Brown Grain Leather
• Quarters – Brogue Suede
• Welt – Natural Standard
• Stitching – Tone On Tone
• Sole – Oak Leather
• Insole – Leather Wrapped Poron

We were able to partner with Allen Edmonds to give away a pair my custom designed shoes (aka The Warner) for one of my readers. Below are the rules of entry. Good Luck. Click Allen Edmonds Configurator to design a pair of shoes for yourself. 

 Rules Of Entry

• Use the Rafflecopter Widget Below To Enter
• The more entries you submit, the greater your chances are of winning
• Only open to residents of the United States
• Giveaway opens September 30th. Closes October 7th, 11:59 pm EST
• There’s only one grand prize winner that will be announced on October 8th at 12pm EST
• Winner will receive 1 pair of custom designed Allen Edmonds Shoes by Men’s Style Pro (valued at $385)

KARL LAGERFELD PICKS HIS MODELING INDUSTRY SUPERLATIVES FOR 'V' MAGAZINE

Bella Hadid, aka "Most Likely to Succeed." Photo: Karl Lagerfeld for "V"

The spring 2016 issue of V — the magazine's 100th — is shaping up to be a big one. Not only does the inimitable Britney Spears star on three separate coversshot by Mario Testino, but the inside pages boast some impressive photography features, including a story shot by Karl Lagerfeld featuring models he handpicked as his industry superlatives — high school yearbook-style. 

Among the designer's pets are (unsurprisingly) Bella and Gigi Hadid, who he anointed as "Most Likely to Succeed" and "Class President," respectively. The sisters, who have both graced the Chanel runway, are joined by fellow "Instagirl" Kendall Jenner (Lagerfeld's "Team Captain"), as well as some well-loved industry vets, like Jerry Hall ("The Graduate") and Stella Tennant ("Homecoming Queen"). A number of up-and-comers also make Lagerfeld's list, but perhaps the highest honor goes to Joan Smalls, who was named "Valedictorian." Well deserved, we'd say.

Head over to V's website for more, and pick up the new issue when it hits newsstands on March 8.

Joan Smalls, "Valedictorian." Photo: Karl Lagerfeld for "V"

SORRY, FRANCOPHILES: THE LEMAIRE DESIGNERS CONFIRM WE SHOULD STOP TRYING TO DRESS "FRENCH"

#couplegoals. Sarah-Linh Tran and Christophe Lemaire. Photo: Imaxtree

As you're hopefully aware, Lemaire's second collaboration with Uniqlo hit stores on Friday, and once again, design duo Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran appealed to the aspiring French minimalist in all of us with a range of lightweight, preppy knits and sleek linens inspired by summer vacation and French new wave cinema.

To celebrate their deuxième collection launch, the enviably chic couple held court at the Uniqlo store in Paris's Marais neighborhood on Thursday night, just 24 hours after presenting their own fall 2016 collection as part of Paris Fashion Week (which is going on right now if you guys didn't know). Before buying just about all that was left in stock at the private shopping event, we chatted with the designers-slash-Yeezy fans about what inspires their untouchably cool aesthetic, the secret to that specifically French insouciant way of wearing casual clothes — and why we Americans shouldn't bother trying to attain it — and the very unique way they instructed the models to walk at their runway show. Read on for their responses, which we suggest trying to read with a French accent.

Aside from it being for spring weather rather than fall weather, how did the preparation for this collection differ from the first one?

Christophe Lemaire: Summer is not easy because you just want good shirts, good pants. We started from the style of our summer vacation. Very much inspired by some new age movies, some French '60s movies. This feeling of stylish but very easy, effortless, so it was very much about looking for good textures of cotton. Oxfords, washed poplins. And the colors were very much inspired by these specific movies. These burnt yellows.

Sarah-Linh Tran: Faded colors.

What inspires your design process in general? Is it a lot of movies and things like that, or do you think about what you and the people you know want to wear?

CL: Both. We start from reality because we are interested in creating good clothes. We're interested in the intimate relationship we have with clothes. So it starts from very concrete things: what we need everyday to wear, what we'd like to have in our wardrobes, the functionality of it, how to improve the comfort. But then you need to bring a little bit of a dream. So that's always the balance: between dream and reality.

Do you feel that the clothes you design are very specifically French-inspired? I feel like the French — and your brand specifically — have a way of doing casual clothes in a very chic way that you don't see anywhere else.

ST: The French are really thoughtless and chic at the same time. They never do too much. And I think they have this good balance of dressing. It's more about the personality and the gesture and the intelligence, for example, than having the proper clothes at the right time. So it's good if you feel that.

So it's about thinking less?

CL: And I think really good design is very difficult to capture. That's why it's very difficult to be.... To kind of pretend being someone that you aren't. And I think it's the roots [of the French]. The cultural roots are important. But we're not very conscious of that.

DIOR SUCCESSFULLY KEEPS UP APPEARANCES WITHOUT A CREATIVE DIRECTOR

A look from Dior's fall 2016 collection. Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

I probably shouldn't admit this, but as excited as I was do go to my first-everDior show in Paris, I was slightly (like, minutely) disappointed that it would take place while the house is between creative directors. However, that nauseatingly #firstworldproblem was mitigated as soon as the first few looks appeared on the futuristic, spaceship-like runway erected in the Musée de Louvre.

The show began with a series of dark navy and black looks in classic silhouettes that were anything but simple, thanks to eye-catching details like a brocade crisscross on the bodice of a dress and sparkly embroidered patches down one side of a skirt. They were followed by busy-yet-beautiful abstract floral prints, more colorful embroideries and bold accoutrements, like big ruffles and puffy sleeves that added dimension in clever ways. 

With accessories — from bags to rings to earrings — piled on, a few looks were a bit too busy, certainly busier than any Simons would have shown. But most of the print and fabric-mixing totally worked, and the accessories added a sense of individuality to the models, whose slicked-back hair and dark lips gave them a cool-girl sophistication. As with the brand's spring 2016 couture collection (also designed by a team), the asymmetrical off-the-shoulder detail was big, seen on everything from dresses to blazers to fur coats. However, the fit and execution, as far as we could tell, was much better this time around.

While it may not have pushed the fashion conversation forward in the same way Raf Simons's designs often did, this was a beautiful collection that clearly displayed the talent of Dior's design team — led by studio directors Serge Ruffieux and Lucie Meie — and will not disappoint customers. As Dior continues its search for a permanent creative director, they've done a great job maintaining the quality and elegance we expect from such an illustrious house.

The Menswear Trends To Skip This SS16 (And What To Wear Instead)

Menswear might move at a fraction of womenswear’s breakneck pace – its seasonal shifts more subtle than seismic – but that’s not to say each season doesn’t birth new trends. New modes of dressing. New ideas.

Like all ideas, some of these trends are commendable, and some, well, some are crap. Which is why we’ve compiled a list of trends to skip if you don’t want your style to suffer. Thank us later. When you’re returning that puce-coloured embroidered silk suit.

Skip: (Unacceptably) Short Shorts

There are limits to athleisure. While sweatshirts, sweatpants and trainers may be tolerable, nay stylish, junk-exposing 1980s gym shorts most definitely aren’t. That didn’t, however, stop Topman Design from trying to make them happen, showing a series of neutral and neon styles cut so short we feared Dick Owens 2.0.

Christopher Shannon, the Scouse designer celebrated for his tongue-in-cheek approach to style, also showed shorts that skimmed groins. And were perhaps a little too cheeky.

Fix: Mid-Thigh Shorts

To air your legs without indecent exposure, opt for shorts with a little more surface area. A mid-thigh chino or tailored pair looks neater than a longer, baggier style but still stops short of baring all. Which is – I think we’re all agreed – best for everyone involved.

(Related: The Dos and Don’ts of Wearing Shorts)

Key Pieces

• J. CREW 9 STRETCH STANTON SHORT
• ASOS SKINNY CHINO SHORTS IN LIGHT KHAKI
• RIVER ISLAND PINK SLIM CHINO BUCKLE SHORTS
• RIVER ISLAND GREY SLIM CHINO SHORTS
• AMI SLIM-FIT COTTON-TWILL CHINO SHORTS
• RIVER ISLAND TAN SKINNY CHINO SHORTS
• UNIQLO MEN CHINO SHORTS
• NEXT CHINO SHORTS
• TOPMAN NAVY CHINO SHORTS

Skip: Full-On Floral

Call it the Gucci effect: ever since creative director Alessandro Michele took the helm of the Italian label, menswear across the board has become enamoured of the designer’s lavish head-to-toe florals.

Which are, it should be said, fine to wear if you’re an off-duty mafia don looking for something to set off the stuccoed walls of your Tuscan palazzo. Less so if your name’s Derek and you’re looking for something to throw on to meet your mates camped out in the beer garden.

Fix: A Floral Focal Point

Punchy and poles apart from the austerity of athleisure, floral patterns are the point of difference your warm-weather wardrobe needs.

But go easy. Limit your foliage to one piece – a tee, jacket or a pair of trousers – and make it the focal point of your outfit to avoid looking like a V&A exhibition gone walkabout.

The Lightweight Blazer

Stuffy wool blazers and summer heat do not mix, making a lightweight, unlined jacket a priority addition to your formal wardrobe this season.

Opt for breathable linen, cotton or linen-cotton blends to ensure comfort in high temperatures, and stick to versatile shades such as navy or beige that you know will match with everything you already own.

Dress it up with sharply-cut trousers, a white Oxford button-down and textured tie for a summer wedding, or combine with lightweight denim and a plain tee for a night out.

IMAGE: J.CREW 2015

Recommended

Ludlow Sportcoat In Italian Cotton, available at J.Crew, priced £114.

5. White Trousers

White trousers are a menswear classic than many guys continue to shy away from.

Setting aside the practicality aspect, white trousers are extremely easy to wear and will anchor every colour under the sun, from primary red and yellow to sky blue and mint green.

The ideal way of making a statement without trying too hard, combine them with your linen shirt and lightweight blazer for a Riviera-inspired aesthetic, or team with a white piqué polo and minimal trainers for an on-trend all-white look.

It’s imperative you get the fit right with these – aim for a slim-cut style that hits just around the ankle.

IMAGE: REISS SS15

Recommended

Hampton Slim-Fit White Trousers, available at Reiss, priced £75.

6. Suede Loafers

One of our five footwear styles every man should own, the suede loafer is arguably the perfect smart-casual silhouette.

Lightweight, breathable and versatile, the suede loafer – whether tasselled or penny – looks just as good with a linen suit as it does a simple shorts and shirt combination. It’s also the perfect design for going sockless, helping bring a touch of continental flair to your summertime looks.

Opt for a pair in tan, beige or light brown for maximum wearability.

IMAGE: SUITSUPPLY SS15

Recommended

Brown Suede Tassel Loafer, available at Suitsupply, priced £199.

7. The Breton T-Shirt

Originally introduced as the official uniform of the French Navy, the Breton tee has gone on to cement itself as a true menswear icon over the past 100 years.

Now considered a wardrobe essential, this easy throw-on piece works seamlessly within a multitude of looks, from authentic nautical getups to smart Riviera-inspired ensembles.

With everyone from Picasso and James Dean to Ryan Gosling and David Beckham having been spotted in this classic, you’ll be in good company.

3 classic summer 2016 wardrobe pieces

To help get you through the summer months in style, we’re set to highlight ten warm-weather classics that should be in every style-conscious gent’s capsule wardrobe.

If you don’t already own all of these, it’s time you added them to your shopping list.

1. The White Linen Shirt

Light, airy and breathable, the linen shirt is a definite must-have when it comes to keeping comfortable in the heat.

Not only will a white option work with a knitted tie for hot days in the city, it’s also ideal for rolling up and throwing in your suitcase for a summer getaway – wear it to the bar or by the pool, it will see you through any holiday scenario in style.

IMAGE: MANGO MAN SS15

Recommended

Slim-Fit White Linen Shirt, available at Mango, priced £22.99.

2. Slim Chino Shorts

As the mercury rises, you’re going to want to let your legs breathe in a pair of shorts. And the most versatile style on the market has to be the slim-cut chino short, which looks just as good teamed with a short-sleeved shirt and pair of leather loafers as it does a plain white tee and trainers.

Opt for a pair in grey, khaki or navy and we guarantee you’ll be living in them for the next few months.

IMAGE: NEXT SS15

Recommended

Chino Shorts, available at Next, priced £15.

3. Tailored Swim Shorts

Swimwear has come a long way since the garish, baggy board shorts of the nineties, with many contemporary brands now producing designs that could quite easily be mistaken for chino shorts.

Typically cut slim through the leg and featuring an adjustable waistband (rather than a traditional elasticated drawstring waist) for a better drape, these tailored swim shorts not only look suave down by the pool, but can be paired with your linen shirt for sunset drinks at the bar.

Prioritise quick drying options to ensure comfort, and pick a timeless hue such as navy or black for ultimate versatility.