This is A Man's World // Getting to Grips with Menswear

If you're finding this resurgence of menswear somewhat overwhelming, be you male or female, and are looking for a bit of guidance through the plethora of newness displayed on the catwalks of London, Milan, etc. then this is the place to be.  Continuing our mini-series on menswear, I've condensed, sifted, and selected key elements of AW13-14 Menswear and created a beginners guide, if you will.

So, follow me as we dip our toes very gently into the rapidly expanding world of mens fashion...

The Classic Gent
If at heart, you're a traditional sort of a chap, who enjoys a well cut piece, a quality fabric, and resting safe in the knowledge that you look good, then allow some of the British and heritage brands to fulfill your wardrobe wishes.

Block colour tailoring at Paul Smith with natty ties to accessorise and classic camel and check at Burberry.


Relaxed Chic
When looking for casualwear that wont let you down, you can rely on these brands.  Using texture, layering and tonal prints creates an easy to wear wardrobe that doesn't scream anything, but quietly asserts itself as chic.

Missoni has surprised with this almost French looking collection; lovely woven woollen layered suits alongside the classic Missoni knits.  Effortless layers at T by Alexander Wang.


He's a Rock and Roll Star
If you prefer your jeans skinny and your hair quiffed, do not dismay, there is still a strong contingent within menswear who are designing especially for you!

Saint Laurent with Heidi Slimane at the helm showed us indie-boy fashion perfected.  Fitted forms and a greyed out palette at 3.1 Phillip Lim with Teddy Boy influences.


Pushing Some Boundaries
Not for the fainthearted, these collections are edgy, fun and pretty out there.  Looking to stand out from the crowd? Look no further.

Rei Kawakubo at Commes des Garcon keeps us guessing with Mickey Mouse ears and pastels.  Thom Browne plays with boxy shapes, checks and proportion and leaves us wondering why.


A Touch of Glamour
You can trust the Italians to deliver glamour, and why not?  They do it so well.  These well established design houses continue to produce fresh but dashing collections, that will give you that flash you're looking for.  Great for eveningwear.  Wear with confidence.

Gucci mixes tonal textures and gives us a relaxed, utterly gorgeous look.  Love this relaxed suit from Versace, very 80's, very Wall Street, but be warned, the rest of the collection strays into Zoolander territory!


The Modern
Super slick and almost uncomfortably sharp, this is not an easy to wear aesthetic, but one that can't fail to impress.

Jill Sander show us how to do clean cut, razor sharp lines and pared down smart beautifully.  Marc Jacobs delivers a London inspired collection of sharp suits and shiny boots.


Key hints for AW13-14: 

Play with texture - there was an awful lot of texture on the catwalks, and it's an easier way to experiment than colour or shape - try quilting, varied knits, woolen weaves, velvet, even fur!
Black - it seems, as ever in the fashion world, black is the new black.  Wear black with black, layer black on black, black is back.
Suit up - across the board, smartwear reigns.  Even the brands steeped in sportswear and streetwear are sharpening up.
Buy a bomber jacket - if you've been pining for one, this is the time to splurge.  And wear it with everything.

For more from the shows, go to Vogue.


Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, a girl or a guy, hopefully this super simple guide to the shows is just the start of your exploration of the exciting realm of menswear.

That concludes our by no means exhaustive guide.  We would love to know what you think of menswear, so get commenting!  If you want more on menswear, let us know, if you are not convinced, express yourself!


A x