Dare to bare
Go ahead, guys, show off those mankles
Men who have finally begun to embrace the slim-fitting suit now have another trend to wrap their heads around — shorter pants.
And for those of you already shaking your heads, just take a moment to think about the fit of those slimcut suit pants.
“They’re getting trimmer at the bottom, and men are wearing them shorter for that reason,” says Michael Peters, Harry Rosen’s managing director for Western Canada.
“When a pant is very narrow at the bottom, it will bunch up and look like an accordion, and you want a nice clean look. You can still cuff it, but you wear it much shorter than in the past,” says Peters, who happens to look quite sharp in his sleek, shorter-cut Ermenegildo Zegna suit.
However, he’s well aware that not every customer is ready to accept the shorter length just yet. “Men will notice how short my pants are and say, ‘I don’t want my pants that short,’ ” he says with a grin.
Clearly, this spring isn’t the season for those guys. From dress pants worn shorter to rolled-up casual styles, bare ankles (or mankles, if you will) have made quite the comeback. Fashion-forward fellas have been showing them off for a few seasons, and it looks like the trend has now gone mainstream.
Peters cites their bohemian look for spring as one example. Featuring softwashed pieces in muted tones, the result is a comfortable, yet put-together style. “That’s a recurring theme with this bohemian thing — no socks,” he says. “It’s kind of relaxed and casual . . . and then you finish it off with a brown loafer of some kind.”
Bare ankles also make an appearance in Harry Rosen’s looks for spring and summer event dressing. Chic linen styles and warm brown accessories replace stuffy old suits, and the overall look is simply that much cooler sans socks.
“When you get invited to a summer wedding, a lot of men chicken out,” Peters says. “Ninety-nine per cent will reach for that dark suit, that tie they got for Christmas, and go from there. But really, a lot of summer weddings or events don’t require a tie.”
Peters says men can easily get away with a few key pieces like “a half-lined blazer or sports jacket done in a really refined fabric, along with a nice pair of loafers — and no socks.”
Of course, it’s not all about the ankles this season. For men who prefer to focus on their top half, Peters says soft jackets are a key piece in their new collection, appearing in lightweight fabrics with cool detailing and again echoing a more laid-back vibe.
Crazy and colourful printed shirts are another fun option, as well as spring scarves, though that look might also take a bit of getting used to for some fellas.
“Men move a lot slower (than women), I find, when it comes to accepting things,” Peters says. “But once they accept it, it will catch on.”