Topman Spring/Summer 2012 Patterned Shirts

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Topman 2012 Spring/Summer Shirts

My name is Ben and I am a shirt-a-holic. At present I favour a heavy, vintage Hackett number (stolen from my Dad many moons ago) but my issue is far greater; involving my printed t-shirts being cloaked by tough saw-tooth denim and my fingers assaulted by the ever-unyielding top button. Similar to the power that a suit can provide, a shirt gives a casual confidence to the wearer. Luckily, there is a shirt for every occasion.

Spring and summer are approaching and their climatic changes mean less material, so it’s time to start thinking about shorter sleeves as the days get longer. The catwalk trend this year surrounds prints – from patterns to something a bit more playful. Burberry Prorsum’s ikat* print was a big hit on the runway and Prada were flaunting some lively illustrations. Topman were clearly fans of both ideas and, doing what they do best, provide us with that high-end look but at the high-street price.

These colourful patterns and comic book-like drawings are very like-able. They’re not-so-serious; they’re chilled-out; they’re summery. However, the real reason I like these shirts is the shape. Short-sleeve shirts can be a real nuisance to try and make look good because they can very easily come across baggy and unstructured. The turn-overs that have been applied to the sleeves creates an angle that fits and flatters the body. After all, if we’re spending countless hours in the gym every week, we want to be able to show off all the hard work.

Look to partner these in the near future with some tailored shorts and shoes – no socks though – for a suave spring/summer outfit. Whether you’re in the public park or at the family barbecue, these shirts will look the bee’s knees. (Terrible pun intended).

Head over to Topman to shop the collection.

Looking good isn’t important, it’s everything.

* P.S. Ikat is a dying technique used to pattern textiles. Whilst it is an Indonesian word, the technique is likely one of the oldest forms of material adornment, as variations can be seen in all pockets of the globe. These particular patterns have a real North African feel that fits very well with the rest of Topman’s Moroccan inspired range that is on its way; keep your eyes peeled.