Men’s Changing Style
We began to see changes in men’s fashion before lockdown and the pandemic only brought further development. The suit and tie fell out of favour in business a few years ago due to the rise of button-down shirts combined with smart casual jackets and trousers. Following this, the jacket was often discarded and in many industries the polo shirt became popular.
It was during lockdown and the enforcement of working from home, which brought a big shift. With the chaos at the of the start pandemic, I remember seeing men and women appearing on screen for business meetings in T shirts bearing logos, items that they would never have worn to the office. As life settled into more of a routine, these tended to evolve into smarter tops and jumpers.
And two years on, the pandemic has certainly not left us where it found us, the comfort of the clothes we enjoyed wearing for months has seeped into post lockdown fashion, probably altering the way we dress for good. As Alice Hinds in The Sunday Post wrote, ‘workwear has morphed from smart and sleek into soft and stretchy’. Just try searching for trousers on the John Lewis website and you’ll find that about half of the items listed are now made from jersey, in both the men’s and women’s sections.
Understandably the shift has left many men wondering what they should currently wear, especially for work. Guys are asking me, in my role as a Personal Stylist, how to dress now that they have returned to the office or are seeing clients. This depends of course on the nature of a business but generally formal suiting has been outgrown and the jogging bottoms of lockdown put away so what can this be replaced with?
Layering
Layers provide numerous options as a shirt may be worn on its own, over a T shirt or under a smart jumper, jacket or gilet. Layers are a great way to deal with changing weather too as light layers can be worn in a warm office and along with extra pieces on a cold day. Interesting layers in a combination of colours will offer a modern, multifunctional wardrobe.
Colours and Visibility
Wearing colours that mix and match makes combining items easier and provides a capsule wardrobe. Several pairs of trousers in colours like navy, grey and tan can be mixed with a number of coloured tops and up to date jackets, providing many outfits. Through a process of colour analysis, I’ll show clients the shades that suit them personally and those which help to make them appear more visible and vibrant - visibility being important as we are seen regularly on screen. My clients are provided with a palette of their own colours which blend together beautifully, making shopping and dressing become and more productive.
Accessories
Accessories will make or break an outfit therefore consider the ones you choose, especially for work. It’s worth buying good quality pieces like shoes, bags and watches and keeping them maintained as they will make your outfits appear more groomed. Accessories in contrasting colours will also help to update your outfit. If you wear glasses, there’s now more choice in colour and style so why not have several pairs to give variety to your look. Interesting frames offer more definition and visibility to your image on-line along with your profile photograph.
Continental chic
Having worked in men’s fashion for several years, I love to browse the shops selling menswear in European cities. Frequently, the clothes are of better quality and the outfits more stylish and possibly be cheaper than you’d pay back home. When visiting Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands I’d suggest taking a visit to the shops and to gather fresh ideas to add to your own wardrobe.
The Future of Men’s fashion
Many articles are suggesting that men want to look smarter than during lockdown but not in the stiff corporate style as in previous years. It appears that smart casual is here to stay and don’t forget that a jacket can upgrade an outfit. It will interesting to see how men’s fashion involves and if you feel as though you need some guidance just send me a message and I’d love to help This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Suzanne