Winter brings with it some wonderful things. There’s the magical build up to Christmas, the lovely feeling of drinking Hot Chocolate on a cold day, and always pleasant realisation that winter is never as nice as you remember it being and that everything past the new year is a cold, grey, miserable experience that you cannot wait to be over. The most wonderful time of the year folks.
But, as there is still a month to go until the next season, now is the perfect time for you to start thinking about adding to your wardrobe certain items of clothing that’ll be more in tune with the lighter days and warmer weather. And that idea is exciting. It’s always nice to change and grow, and that is a sentiment that applies equally to the wardrobe as it does the man. Changing from the dull blacks and greys of Winter, to some more season appropriate lighter garments is a great way of revamping your mind set and getting ready for new events going forward. And, if you don’t know where to begin, I’m right here to help you.
First off, let’s talk colour. Since there’s an increased chance for sunny days (and I use the words ‘increased’ sceptically, we are in England after all), it’s best to let the outfits in your wardrobe get lighter as well. Of course the first option to spring to mind is blue, and for obvious reasons. It’s versatile, easy to find, and pretty much any clothing item looks good with it. For spring, I’d recommend experimenting with different shades and patterns in your shirts, whilst keeping the trousers (be they jeans, chinos, or anything else) classic and less attention grabbing. Aside from that though, I really recommend all guys to invest in a good pink shirt or t shirt. It’s a lovely, friendly colour, that immediately makes an outfit more casual and far friendlier. Pair a light pink t shirt with any colour jeans, and I guarantee a relaxed look that can still make you look like you’ve made an effort. I’d also recommend playing around with some shades of green or brown, not so much in a prominent role, but in subtler touches such as a light green T-shirt under a black leather jacket, or a dark brown jacket over some lighter colours. Use those to provide some nice contrasting looks.
Speaking of contrasting, if the weather is nice enough that you can get away with just a shirt and trousers combo, the best advice I can offer is contrasting the two in terms of shade. Make one of the items darker than the other, such as a navy pair of jeans and a light red shirt, and you have a look that makes the eye move around quite a bit to take it in, but results in a multi faceted look. This combo probably works better with a lighter colour on the shirt rather than the trousers, but the reverse can be a wonderful evening look. Just ensure the shirt has some sort of pattern or something (needs not be drastic), but to keep it looking interesting. Rule of thumb, draw attention to the chest more than the legs.
Instead of regular t-shirts, consider getting some short sleeve shirts as well. This may be more of a summer thing than spring, but it works just as well in this season. If you’re just casually hanging out with some friends in a bar, attending a lecture, or launching yourself onto the PoP and Neon dance look, the textured elements of a shirt combine with the causal nature of t shirt to elevate an outfit without becoming the main feature. This item works well with both shorts and jeans, and will nicely draw attention to the biceps I’m sure you’ve been working on. If you are more of a t shirt person, then try and get a T-shirt with a little bit of a pattern or decoration to it. Don’t go too loud, avoid band or tv show t shirt unless you’re at a concert or convention, and for the love of Christ don’t wear a t shirt with a funny caption. Try to get something with a light pattern, maybe some phrases if they’re ambiguous enough. Keep it simple, but added to.
I would really encourage more men to add a floral shirt to their wardrobe. Floral shirts are a staple of the warmer weather, and whilst they’re predominantly marketed towards women, I think it’s a look that can work great with men as well. It adds a nice design to a shirt, it can work well whether under a blazer or a leather jacket, and just gives off a calm, relaxed vibe. In picking which shirt to get, I’d recommend choosing a shirt where the colour of the flowers and the background colour of the shirt blend neatly together. You don’t want the design to be too bold, or it’ll look like you’re not wearing a shirt but a collage on cardboard. Get ones with different shades of the same colour, or different colours with similar tones of brightness.
Finally, let’s talk shoes. If you’re interesting in adding a dash of class to your look, I’d recommend getting some simple Brown Darby Shoes. They’re not as imposing as black formal shoes (which I think should never be worn unless with a suit), but Brown shoes have a casualness to them that you can easily pair with a pair of light blue jeans, or chinos, and it just blends together really nicely. If formal shoes aren’t really your thing, invest a good pair of casual and simple patterned shoes. Choose neutral colours that you can pair with practically anything (whites, taupe, grey) just so you can experiment with colours and so you don’t have to own a huge range of shoes. Don’t draw attention to the shoes, unless you want to.
So there you are. Remember these easy rules, and I promise you a ton of compliments and good sense of self regarding your clothes. Obviously these are just some objective tips trying to help though, so don’t feel like you need to be limited to just these ideas. Experiment with what you like, find your own sense of style and what works for you at this time of the year. That’s the best advice I can give ; try to find your own sense of personal style. That said, if you follow these tips, I think you’ll have a solid foundation on which to start.
This article was written by Mischa Alexander, Fashion Society Warwick's in house mens blogger. Stay tuned every Saturday to see his take on mens fashion - next weeks blog considers outfits for valentines day!
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