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Lisa Bathurst has a lifestyle consulting service for men called Urbanity, so who better to give us a run-down of what's coming with men's fashion?
Following an exciting glimpse into the style future with London Fashion week, can the man about town translate the usually outrageous collections into a wearable wardrobe?
The spring/summer 2008 collections were positively sizzling, dominated by geek chic and an array of clashing genres.
The catwalks adorned patchworks of luxury sportswear layered with tailored pieces. The simplicity of the clothes means the purchase of just a few key pieces can refresh any man's wardrobe.
But before we get into it, my top 5 staple items for spring/summer 2008:
The trends seem to be the casual layering and mixing of clashing fabrics and styles. Plenty of greys and whites mixed with energetic yellows, greens and baby blues. Perfectly tailored shorts worn with slouchy tops were evident in Carolyn Massey's show, and low-slung tailored trousers turned up at the ankle proved a hit on Kim Jones catwalk showcasing his new KJ line.
Trousers and shorts were creatively mixed with waistcoats, the bright shirts and simple tank tops providing a more casual sporty look. There were also vibrant neons with the brightest sweatshirts showcased in Cassette playa's show. Mixing more neutral trousers and shorts with these sweatshirts could create a more wearable outfit with a sporty influence. If bright sporty tops are too much, striking visible zips and cuff details would still provide a pronounced splash of colour.
There were plenty of over stretched cardigans on the catwalk, paired with slouchy cropped trousers or jeans. Denims have certainly moved away from the worn and torn look, making way for cleaner, skin skimming cuts as seen at Peter Jensen. The rest of Jensen's collection took on a rebellious streak with gawky Scandinavian charm and bad boy style, with the leather biker jacket a season must-have.
Formal trends
Sleek, slim-line and clean are the new formal trends with tailoring at the forefront. Inspired by the simplistic elegance of previous Prada and jil Sander collections, Cos showed a minimalist selection of modern cuts and wearable fabrics. Black suits that were softly tailored were the order of the day, with trousers cut slightly shorter, merely grazing the ankle bone paired with bare skin and shiny lace-ups.
Coat tails, bow necks and bib fronts, as demonstrated by Carolyn Massey, are perfect to be matched with a pair of smart shorts and a suit jacket. Tonal layering was seen throughout fashion week, particularly the combination of same colour ties and shirts.
Although the skinny tie is still a fashion must have, neckerchiefs looked surprisingly smart when paired with fitted shirts and smart suits.
Macs and parkas are the more formal coats for spring, and should be mixed with smart shirts and neckerchiefs. A navy double-breasted mac will be a great addition to anyone's wardrobe and an easy compromise from the PVC kagouls as seen in the Topman design show.
Accessories
On the shoe front, canvas pumps were seen with everything. Usually white with the occasional burst of bright colour, pumps complimented the cropped trousers and shorts that will be popular next season.
The man bag still reigns and the bigger the better. Models trundled down the catwalks sporting doctor-style holdalls; some neutral canvas ones as well as smart classic black leather bags that seem to have replaced the briefcase.
Like big bags, big sunglasses featured on the catwalk. Aviator in shape but more bulky and the darkest of shades were a popular accessory.
The greener trend
Proving rather popular for next season are ethically friendly and 'green' collections. Unconditional showcased a winning combination of laidback and edgy. The layering of various fabrics was again evident with beautiful tonal mixes of cotton, cashmere and silk.
Junky styling also produced ethically friendly lines from recycled suits and wools, again with choppy fusions of fabrics in grays and whites.
The spring/summer 2008 collections were positively sizzling, dominated by geek chic and an array of clashing genres.
The catwalks adorned patchworks of luxury sportswear layered with tailored pieces. The simplicity of the clothes means the purchase of just a few key pieces can refresh any man's wardrobe.
But before we get into it, my top 5 staple items for spring/summer 2008:
- Softly tailored suit with a slightly shorter leg length
- A Cardigan
- A skinny tie
- A bright sweatshirt
- White canvas lace-up shoes
The trends seem to be the casual layering and mixing of clashing fabrics and styles. Plenty of greys and whites mixed with energetic yellows, greens and baby blues. Perfectly tailored shorts worn with slouchy tops were evident in Carolyn Massey's show, and low-slung tailored trousers turned up at the ankle proved a hit on Kim Jones catwalk showcasing his new KJ line.
Trousers and shorts were creatively mixed with waistcoats, the bright shirts and simple tank tops providing a more casual sporty look. There were also vibrant neons with the brightest sweatshirts showcased in Cassette playa's show. Mixing more neutral trousers and shorts with these sweatshirts could create a more wearable outfit with a sporty influence. If bright sporty tops are too much, striking visible zips and cuff details would still provide a pronounced splash of colour.
There were plenty of over stretched cardigans on the catwalk, paired with slouchy cropped trousers or jeans. Denims have certainly moved away from the worn and torn look, making way for cleaner, skin skimming cuts as seen at Peter Jensen. The rest of Jensen's collection took on a rebellious streak with gawky Scandinavian charm and bad boy style, with the leather biker jacket a season must-have.
Formal trends
Sleek, slim-line and clean are the new formal trends with tailoring at the forefront. Inspired by the simplistic elegance of previous Prada and jil Sander collections, Cos showed a minimalist selection of modern cuts and wearable fabrics. Black suits that were softly tailored were the order of the day, with trousers cut slightly shorter, merely grazing the ankle bone paired with bare skin and shiny lace-ups.
Coat tails, bow necks and bib fronts, as demonstrated by Carolyn Massey, are perfect to be matched with a pair of smart shorts and a suit jacket. Tonal layering was seen throughout fashion week, particularly the combination of same colour ties and shirts.
Although the skinny tie is still a fashion must have, neckerchiefs looked surprisingly smart when paired with fitted shirts and smart suits.
Macs and parkas are the more formal coats for spring, and should be mixed with smart shirts and neckerchiefs. A navy double-breasted mac will be a great addition to anyone's wardrobe and an easy compromise from the PVC kagouls as seen in the Topman design show.
Accessories
On the shoe front, canvas pumps were seen with everything. Usually white with the occasional burst of bright colour, pumps complimented the cropped trousers and shorts that will be popular next season.
The man bag still reigns and the bigger the better. Models trundled down the catwalks sporting doctor-style holdalls; some neutral canvas ones as well as smart classic black leather bags that seem to have replaced the briefcase.
Like big bags, big sunglasses featured on the catwalk. Aviator in shape but more bulky and the darkest of shades were a popular accessory.
The greener trend
Proving rather popular for next season are ethically friendly and 'green' collections. Unconditional showcased a winning combination of laidback and edgy. The layering of various fabrics was again evident with beautiful tonal mixes of cotton, cashmere and silk.
Junky styling also produced ethically friendly lines from recycled suits and wools, again with choppy fusions of fabrics in grays and whites.
Here Is The Writer : lisab1
Following an international modelling career, and after meeting some of the world's most successful men, Lisa Bathurst learnt the secrets to success. Understanding what differentiates the ordinary from the extraordinary, Lisa helps men create an image congruent with the lifestyle they strive for through her lifestyle consulting service, Urbanity. Lisa has lived in more than 10 countries, and is an expert at overcoming language, cultural and class differences, with an impressive ability to cope in varying social situations whilst always oozing and maintaining confidence and sophistication. Not only does she have extensive knowledge in the fashion industry, she also brings the added benefit of a network of experts, having worked with some of the worlds best stylists, hair and make up artists. Lisa studied Psychology and has undertaken various counselling courses, and brings a professionally empathetic approach to provide a supportive, understanding life coach role, putting to good use her specialist training.
