Colourful identities

Dressing in black may be easy but it’s not very interesting. Milan correspondent Fara Suka de Sav instead urges men to add colour, crisp whites and patterns to their wardrobes.

May 2008

Hugo Boss

It seems designers have finally cracked some male behavioural patterns: Spring 2008 marks the first time trends in men’s and women’s wear match up. The feared pattern monster raises its head again. Stripes are still huge and a simple rule is to go for suit, shirt and tie in stripes.

Overall, this is a bright season. We’re talking electric blue, Big Bird yellow and all shades of pink. This is scary so start slow: Try a pocket square. Pattern, another trend that leaves even the toughest men flummoxed, is also key. A little stripe will do if you a bright orange trench coat seems a bit much.

This seasons trends of white and transparency are to be approached with caution. Do you dare to wear a sheer shirt under a blazer? Just remember though that if you’re a hairy guy, a sheer shirt may not be your best option. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of chest fuzz but if you’re more of a Persian carpet than marble sculpture, a crisp white shirt may serve you better. Or, if you’re especially game, how about a pair of white jeans and a pink shirt? GF Ferre urges men to get in the pink, red, burgundy abnd other bold colours this season – some of the looks have been tempered with dark neutrals but for other looks, there’s nothing subtle going on.

White is best worn by those who are 28 or younger. Or Tom Wolfe, whose Bonfire of the Vanities had a big influence on design in general this season. All white may be too fey for the masses, but any man can have a go at white bottoms. Wear your shirt untucked. Then again, if you really want to make a statement in white, there are plenty of white suits on the market. Even Hugo Boss has boldly emerged from the darkness with some of the sharpest white suits around.

When it comes to patterns, mix and match. Add a floral tie to a striped suit as a gentle introduction. To go for more than two patterns takes courage but it can be pulled off if you have the confidence and the chutzpah. Golf may seem to be the sport that style forgot but it is on the greens that you can get away with patterns – Hugo Boss has embraced this with some great coloured prints for the country club.

Men fear adventurous fashion but the good news is that with so many adventurous (or some would say “mad”) things going on in the world of men’s clobber at the moment, the good news is that you can just choose one trend and tone down the rest of your outfit. If you spot an orange trenchcoat and find it strangely appealing, go for it. But with simple plain, tailored trousers and a white shirt. Otherwise you’ll look like a rodeo clown.

Even the king of minimalism, Calvin Klein, has injected some colour into his latest jeans collection and Louis Vuitton just gets bolder and bolder. Balderassini has also made some bold moves – the least not being using a mature gent as their main model this season – and there’s snappy white and rich colours in their collection too.

Whatever your taste in fashion, now is the time to be all white or show off your true colours.