In Ireland the shift from a conservative to a more liberal political, social and cultural outlook has been a long time coming, and one very small consequence is the shaking off of said conservatism in other areas, including musical tastes and clothes.
Without drawing too broad a stroke or diminishing the impact in other areas, it’s fair to say that men are increasingly more interested in fashion and clothing as a result of this liberal mood. The mantle of the metrosexual has been shuffled off. It is no longer needed.
Nowhere has this been so obvious than at London Collections: Men, where the biggest menswear designers preview their work. This time out the numbers of press and buyers have been up 10-15 per cent on the previous season. Here’s a rundown of the most accessible trends and how to get the look before they hit the shops.
Orange
Rethink pink: as an accent colour, pink has lost its teeth and become meek. The days of wearing the hell out of the same pink (excuse me, salmon) shirt in a sickly, Pepto-Bismol shade for more than a decade are over. The new forward colour is orange, from laser-beam brights to muted autumnal shades, and it is easy to style when you know how.
At Pringle of Scotland, it was worn in a multitude of ways: threaded through grey sweaters; highlighting morose, muted plaid; and in subtle details such as piping on duffel coats, in jacket linings and in the rubberised soles of shoes.
In real life, it’s just as easy to wear it a little or a lot. Try an orange beanie for the cold snap or a pair of socks under a navy suit. A simple orange T-shirt will look good under dark jumpers. These New Balance trainers (we spotted a few half-price pairs still on sale in Schuh) will carry you into spring.
Trackies
Tracksuits and sportswear of all kinds were seen on the catwalks, from DayGlo basketball motifs and Astrid Andersen to more subtle Britpop implications at Burberry with simple funnel-neck zip-ups worn with jeans and under macs. Elsewhere, the all-black aesthetic is still as strong as ever, as seen at Nasir Mazhar.
The new tracksuit rules are easy: keep it simple, keep it slim and streamlined (unless, God forbid, you are actually playing a sport) and bear in mind that the ultra-casual look is a young man’s game. Avoid crispy nylon nightmares and stick to matte fabrics: channel Kanye, not Klinsmann.
The all-black look is universally flattering, whereas more affordable funnel-neck zip-ups from the likes of Adidas and Ellesse tread the line between modernity and 1980s football casual cool. Accessorise with a pristine pair of trainers.
Military greens
Military details were everywhere worth being seen – at Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Maharishi and Casely-Hayford – and in a large variety of ways.
Almost anything military, from greatcoats to bomber jackets, epaulettes and desert boots, will be a hot commodity come next season.
The real champion of the military look is khaki, which looks great on everyone and formalises a casual outfit into something a little more rugged and special. Look to Agi & Sam, whose khaki offerings run the gamut of the everyday wearability scales. Closer to home, khaki is so plentiful on the high street that it might as well be made a wardrobe requirement. Invest in a light jacket that will take you from winter to spring, or a utilitarian backpack that can go anywhere.
