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
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.
