Style: Trends for Men
Story by Lindsey Chester. Photos by Hal Goodtree.
Cary, NC – In Part 1 of the summer style series, we talked about Summer Fashion Trends for Women. In part 2, we turn our focus to Style Trends for Men.
An Afternoon on the Streets of New York
Last month, CaryCitizen Publisher Hal Goodtree traveled to New York City to speak at WordCamp 2012. While he was there, he spent a couple of hours photographing style on the street. Lindsey Chester, formerly a fashion designer in NYC’s Garment District, explains the style trends for men.
Neatness Counts
Fashion is not all about the ladies. The guys were also sporting some forward looks on the streets of New York. And the key word was NEAT.
Mad Men Rule
Gone were the low riding, boxers revealing giant, slouchy (need I say sloppy?) jeans. They have been replaced with a neater, closer to the leg casual pants. Thank Goodness! Almost all the men (maybe not the tourists) have donned this decidedly “Mad Men” influenced 60’s silhouette. Very flattering, and looking pulled together and sharp.
Clothes are closer to the body, and the look is Neat and Trim for men’s fashion going forward. Maybe the guys need to start hitting the gym, cause you can’t hide that beer belly in these shirts and pants. City folks do tend to walk more and get more exercise than us car-bound suburbanites. This trend may take a WHILE to catch on here in the South.
Plaid Everywhere
Plaid shirts crossed the line from fall to summer, and created a great casual Friday look with rolled-up sleeves. Plaid accessories were also a hit.
Bye-Bye Backpack
Favorite accessory? The Man messenger bag. Bye-bye backpack for toting the laptop. Replaced with the satchel or side hanging messenger bag.
You Can Leave Your Hat On
Hats off to hats being seen on guys of all stripes. Fedoras are the favorite. Porkpie Hats came in a close second.
As we noted in the women’s fashion report, the Hat trend is unisex. This one will travel to NC.
Nerd Out
And then there’s the “Nerd” trend. Guys are abandoning their contacts in favor of thick rimmed eye-wear, often in bright shades or tortoiseshell, for a decidedly Clark Kent look. This look has been seen on many NBA players the past two playing seasons (LeBron, Dwayne Wade and Russell Westbrook, to name a few).
Color jeans are in for the more avant guard guys (read: never traveling to NC) but even khakis get an update, going a little more yellow and pairing them with comfy Hush puppies. A look that will definitely work for Fall. Add on the “Mad Men” slim one button blazer and you are cutting-edge but still not way out.
Setting the Trend for Men
Whether you work in a casual office wearing jeans or one that’s more buttoned-up, the influence of the 1960’s is coming your way. Its time to ditch those baggy pants!
Related
