The modernist

The art of arranging your clothes, tucking-wise, is borderline an art form this season. I know, isn’t it great when fashion people say this kind of thing like something serious has happened? Anyway. It’s happening, and at least it won’t necessarily cost you anything. Basically, you want to artfully half-tuck your top half into your trouser waistband — this could be half a shirt, the front section of a T-shirt or jumper. On the Margiela autumn/winter runway white shirts were half in, half out, while at Orley (a very, very nice New York label you should immediately investigate) knit polo shirts were worn over shirts and tucked in a gloriously arty fashion. In similar news: long sleeves are in, see Prada (shirts with undone cuffs) and Raf Simons (see super-sized varsity sweaters). You are not a real person let alone a fashionable one if you haven’t watched the Netflix Eighties sci-fi drama Stranger Things. Aside from Winona Ryder’s deranged hair and obsession with fairy lights, there is so much good fashion action to get involved in. Very, very on trend plaid shirts, rugby tops, anoraks with shearling collars, hoodies, backpacks — all mashed up together in a My Own Private Idaho (yes I know that’s early Nineties but still) meets ET with a bit of Nightmare on Elm Street. Note: Raf Simons had Elm Street on his show notes this season. PLUS: the baseball caps worn by Dustin are pure new-era Balenciaga, while Mike’s insanely good bowl cut wouldn’t look out of place at a model casting this season. The MA1 bomber is autumn’s follow-up to spring’s splashier, embroidered souvenir jacket. It’s autumn-ready, has military history on its side and features zippy pockets and really, who doesn’t love a zippy pocket on their outerwear? The directional version is oversized — oversized is quite literally a big deal this season — and appeared on the runways of Burberry (worn with flares) and Vetements (worn with swamping trousers).

Meanwhile, Rick Owens took his endof-show bow in one. This is a trend that the high street is all over. Zara, River Island and Topman all have various versions, all of which will work easily with denim or a smarter trouser. Versatile. Also happening: oversized hoodies and puffa coats. BREAKING NEWS: trouser hems should be cuddling your shoes this winter. Yes, in a sea of skinny jeans and tracksuit bottoms it has been hard to see the wood for the trousers, but things south of the waist should be deep and wide, puddling and pooling, flaring and flapping. Craig Green, the London-based menswear oracle, showed weighty cotton strides with double waistbands (ideal for experimental tucking, btw) that are as breezy as they are masculine. Bottega Veneta let all its slacks hang long — they look particularly good dressed down with old-school trainers. Zara’s “palazzo” trouser (don’t be put off by the eye-roll name) is suitably pleasing worn with a heavy tread sole. Forget the gender-fluid trend, this season it’s your pants that should be swinging. There are three names to drop right now: Raf, Calvin and Frank. It’s quite the fashion triple-decker. Raf Simons, one of the most celebrated designers working today, was recently confirmed as the new creative officer at Calvin Klein. This is a BIG fashion deal. Frank Ocean, who unless you’ve been hibernating in a cave with no wi-fi, just staged a stupendously overdue comeback with his new album Blond/Blonde and a “visual album” Endless. This was also a big deal. Frank also happens to star in a current Calvin Klein ad. Ergo, you should at the very least be wearing Calvin pants while listening to the album. Frank himself has also been name-dropping a go-go, including “Nikes” (his new single), “Comme des Garçons” (a new track on Endless) and Jesus and Mary Chain (on a T-shirt). Modern. The roll-neck is the ultimate in useful base layers, and this winter it comes with a new angle. Topman is calling it a mini-roll-neck because, well, that is what it is. If you want to be pedantic, it’s more of a raised neckline than a truly rolled one. Even better is that various labels, including Off-White and COS, have introduced something similar into their T-shirt shapes, which means you can quickly get on board with this look while we’re still in relatively warm weather. Better still, said neckline appeared in glorious form at Lanvin’s spring/summer 2017 show, meaning you’re a full six months ahead of yourself. Style with an unbuttoned shirt — as many buttons opened as you fancy — tucked in. Or half tucked in.