10 style risks every man should take
Don't listen to your friends' insults, these styles can work...
We’ve all had it before. Wearing something new in anticipation of a night out with your mates, only to arrive at the pub, receiving up-and-down glances from them, followed by an absolute roasting for wearing something new.
But that’s what friends are for, aren’t they? Keeping you grounded. But we’re here to argue nine times out of 10 they end up wearing the thing they ridiculed you for 6 months later. It happened with skinny jeans, Chelsea boots and wearing trainers with a suit, and it’ll happen again with the latest trends.
So here are a few current looks you should take on board and not ditch when your mates next rip on you...
1. Tropical shirts
The usual insult: “Just got back off holiday?”
From Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo & Juliet to Scarface, movie history is rich in amazing floral shirts, so why can’t we wear them in real life? C’mon, give us one good reason!
2. The baggy trouser
The usual insult: "Didn't they do your size?"
Skinny jeans are long past their best, and are less than forgiving of an imperfect physique. Baggy trousers are a more current look, particularly when paired with a top half that emphasises you've made this move with a clear dense of deliberations.
3. Sweater vest
The usual insult: "Have you got a crime number for those nicked sleeves?"
It's time to embrace your inner nerve with a sweater vest. These things are actually in fashion at the moment. Their dorky days are over, for now. Well, as long as you don't turn up actually looking like a cricketer.
4. Leather jacket
The usual insult: "Hey look, it's Neo"
OK, so many steer clear of the leather trench coat unless you can really pull it off. But leather jackets never truly went out of fashion, and are back in the spotlight. Current trends favour the vintage style, so think more Indiana Jones than a skintight number. These days you will find plenty of vegan leather options out there too.
5. A great big coat
The usual insult: "You're getting lost in that one, mate"
Big coats are in. Don't scrimp on the material here, and oversized coats can go with just about anything underneath.
However, don't forget a big coat still needs to be the right size, so you don't look like a kid wearing their parent's clothes. Unless, err, that's what you're going for.
6. Shoes with no socks
The usual insult: “Could you not afford socks?”
Some shoes just weren’t meant to have socks, such as loafers. Wearing invisible socks? Annoying as hell, they always fall off and you have to fish them out.
These go well with cropped trousers, so hit them with a double whammy and combine the two.
7. Retro sportswear
The usual insult: "You look like a nineties football hooligan"
Hooligan? that's what we were going for! Believe it or not, brands like Kappa and Ellesse (the garms you wore for sports day in Primary School, basically) are back with a 21st Century makeover.
And the best thing about the retro sportswear revival? It's proper comfy, something often overlooked with current trends, with most male millennials chance of producing children severely diminished due to the excessive tightness of their denim.
8. Cropped trousers
The usual insult: “Tide coming in?”
These are riding the wave of the whole smart casual trend and are an impeccable high summer trouser, so just tell them that next time someone tries to suggest you’ve had a growth spurt.
9. Bow ties
The usual insult: “You look like a seedy maths teacher”
Whether it’s with a casual shirt or a three-piece suit, bow ties are a vintage accessory still relevant today. Add a little patterned pop to an otherwise sober outfit.
10. Bright colours
The usual insult: “You’re giving me a migraine”
Life is not just limited to black, white and grey. Never be afraid to add colour to an outfit, whether that’s with statement red trainers or a pink t-shirt. But stay away from coloured chinos, they are the work of the devil.
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