FASHION
Staying au courant for the season
Falling Into Men’s Fashion
ZZ Top may have said it best: “… every girl crazy ’bout a sharp-dressed man.” With trends and styles changing so fast, however, it can be hard for even the most fashion-forward man to keep up without breaking a sweat (and breaking the bank!). Have no fear, boys, your step-by-step guide to fall 2016 fashion has arrived.
Dressing yourself in style is a lot easier than you think, according to fashion blogger Rafael Santana, creator of the fashion and tech site Rafalogie. com. “Men are usually afraid of fashion because they think that outfits shown on the runway are exactly what they have to wear in order to look trendy,” he says.
Not so, Santana continues. It’s important to adapt any look to your personal preferences and your body type, he explains. In fact, dressing with style could be as simple as having one signature piece.
“The best style advice for guys would be to choose one focus point and keep the rest simple,” Santana says. “Usually guys get overwhelmed when they are trying to buy clothes or deciding what to wear—maybe a way to do it could be getting some amazing shoes or an amazing bomber jacket. Either way, keep the rest of the outfit simple. Once you’ve found your focus point, the rest becomes about complementing or contrasting the main piece.”
But how do you get to the “main act”? Try these five staples for a fashion-forward fall season.
1 PLAID is RAD
It’s been around for several seasons (heck, several decades), but plaid is once again proving to be a fall staple. “It’s due to the heavy impact of the ’90s on the world of fashion,” says Santana. “Grunge was big during spring and summer, and it’s staying around for fall. “Last year, fall was all about stripes, but this year it’s about those squares. So just remember to ‘checkmate’ your wardrobe this season!”
Stores from H&M to Saks feature a number of plaid designs, especially when it comes to long-sleeve button-down shirts. They’re perfect for Southwest Florida because they can be unbuttoned and rolled up during warmer fall days or layered when temps reach a “chilly” 68 degrees.
2 Mix and Match
The rules are relaxing a bit for fall 2016, says Santana. Feel free to mix and mingle when it comes to your wardrobe, especially with some of the accessory trends. Emerald green, for instance, is the color of the season, according to many fashion bloggers. Add a necktie of that color and you’ll definitely pop at the board meeting. Speaking of formal wear, be adventurous; don’t be afraid to pair some funky socks and sneaks with your suit pants for a more casual look. And don’t be afraid of flower power―it’s not the 1960s anymore, but floral patterns are back in for 2016 and will stick around for fall.