The men in the Southern Hemisphere do have one saving grace in the sartorial arena; winter in the South is only a few months away from the Fall/Winter shows and Pitti Uomo. Whilst we may have to wait 12 months to get any of the clothes on our back, we do get to embrace the trends before most.
It seems that there is just too much to review from the stellar showings for Men’s F/W 2013, so Couturing writer Darby-Perrin looks to the streets for men’s style during the colder months of 2013.
The standout styling tip for winter is layering. This staple can be re-invented with layering texture or prints and different fabrics. Think denim and tweed or knit and leather. Colour is the key here; dark ensembles need to broken with bright or solid colours.
Take note of the guy at front and center with his slouchy style of layering, pairing leather and cotton drill with wool pants and a cotton shirt finished with a scarf. Or the man on the left end, finishing off with a statement scarf.
The scarf looks to be the best accessory for the dreary months. It can even be utilized as a layer like this guy has done – even contrasting it with a beanie.
Whilst prints are usually reserved for Spring/Summer, 2013 looks to be the year that prints are completely adopted into collections for year round fun. The trick for winter styling is a hint of print. Dark navy, black and brown can be contrasted and complimented with a hint of print.
Key prints are zig-zag or other geometric motifs and more traditional plaids and checkers. Wrap a print scarf around your neck and tuck it under your jacket, or find a statement shawl and drape yourself in it. Try tasteful sports scarves and beanies to add a bit of street into your simple and traditional mix.
Another sartorial star is denim. Easy to layer, looks great and keeps you warm, denim is hard to go by. Denim shirts or jackets can be layered over cotton shirts and under a winter jacket. You can also play with the texture and shades of denim, from light blue lightweight denim to heavy duty and dark indigo.
What this layering leads to is the new era of old-world dressing mixed with casual street styling. This year’s layering is indicative of a nostalgia for vintage pieces and traditional tailoring and yet a need to experiment and evolve. Suits with sneakers, wool trousers with clean t-shirts and jeans with formal uppers.
So come wintertime, grab all your scarves and jackets and shirts and layer them until you look like the abominable snowman. Mix old with new and add hints of prints to your dark trench coat look. Traditional touches like elbow pads and fabric patches are great and don’t be afraid to wear denim on denim.
Images courtesy of STREETFSN and The Sartorialist.
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