The Top 5 Styles That Will Continue Into 2014
If you have even a passing interest in the world of men’s fashion, it can often feel like you’re constantly playing catch up. Each change of season brings with it a hoard of new trends and styles that are begging to be explored, and if you take your eye off the game for more than a minute, you will soon find yourself behind.
Luckily, when it comes to menswear, some pieces are more fleeting than others. Last year we were spoilt for choice when it came to the amount of trends we could incorporate into our personal style, and a lot of them are genuine keepers.
As we say here at FashionBeans: if it’s classic, simple and versatile why not wear the hell out of it? There are plenty of items I added to my wardrobe in 2013 that I’m just not ready to let go of yet.
And why should I? One of the best ways of defining and developing your own personal style is by recognising what works for you and expanding on it. For example, I’m a big fan of Oxford cloth button-down shirts, waistcoats and Bass Weejun loafers, amongst other things. I own multiple versions of these items and each would be defined as very ‘me’ by the people who are most familiar with my look.
With that in mind, below you will find five of my favourite trends from 2013 that I’ll be keeping for 2014…
1. Boots On Boots On Boots
2013 was the year that boots became every man’s go-to footwear option. And with nothing but terrible weather on the horizon for the UK, they’re looking like another safe bet this year.
But don’t just have a trusty pair of Red Wings lying around for when winter arrives – try incorporating other options into your everyday style too.
For example, brogue boots with chunky soles are the perfect complement to a winter-weight suit while leather chukkas are an ideal substitute for desert boots once the rain starts to pour – the latter working just as well with raw denim, flannel shirts and pea coats as its younger suede cousin does.
Lookbook Inspiration
Key Pieces
- Grenson Sharp Brogue Boots
- Red Wing Shoes Chukka Rubber-soled Leather Boots
- River Island Brown Leather Chukka Boots
- Bellfield Leather Chelsea Boot
- Frank Wright Leather Desert Boots
- Allsaints Trap Boot
- Topman Brown Leather Lace Up Boots
- Pierre Hardy Leather Desert Boots 187561
- Mens Jules B Shearling Lined Hiking Boots
- Red Wing Classic Dress Beckman Boots
- Selected Sel Biker Boots
- Okeeffe Hand-polished Leather Boots
2. Plaid Power Suits
This was one of my favourite trends last year. I love everything about plaid tailoring, be it a jacket, waistcoat or trousers. I also love the fact that these pieces now come in bolder, louder checks than the shadow plaids that went before – a real sign of where menswear is heading in terms of confidence and style.
Remember to let your plaid suit shine by keeping the rest of your outfit simple – think white dress shirt, solid tie and some black Oxfords. The same goes for a waistcoat, blazer or pair of trousers.
If you fancy being a bit more experimental, why not incorporate another pattern into your look? As long as you keep the size of each pattern different in scale, you won’t clash or cause people to go cross-eyed.
For example, try a navy plaid blazer with a pencil stripe blue shirt and textured grey tie. Finish with grey tweed trousers and some chocolate dress boots.
Lookbook Inspiration
Key Pieces
- Light Grey Check Slim Fit Suit: Jacket
- Brown Check Slim Fit Suit: Jacket
- Asos Slim Fit Suit Jacket In Check
- River Island Blue Check Slim Double Breasted Suit Jacket
- River Island Green Check Wool-blend Slim Suit Jacket
- He By Mango Prince Of Wales Suit Blazer
- Topman Premium Brown Checked Suit
- Ted Baker Yemlin Wool Check Suit
- Topman Charcoal Grey Checked Suit
- J.crew Slim-fit Glen Plaid Wool-blend Suit Jacket
- Paul Smith London Kensington Check Wool Suit
- Topman Burgundy Tartan Skinny Blazer
3. The Patterned Shirt
Whether you opt for classic gingham or eye-catching floral, a patterned shirt offers an easy way to add a bit of punch to your look, be it casual or formal.
Again, the key is to make sure you keep the rest of your outfit simple, in order to anchor the pattern and allow your shirt to shine.
Try a polka dot dress shirt with a solid grey suit or a camo over-shirt with a t-shirt and jeans the next time you’re heading out of your door.
Lookbook Inspiration
Key Pieces
- Dr Denim Shirt With Allover Print
- Son Of Wild Jagged Diamond Shirt
- Allsaints Haight Shirt
- Topman Red Navy Paisley Print Long Sleeve Shirt
- Nn.07 Derek Camouflage-print Cotton-chambray Shirt
- River Island Blue Abstract Floral Print Long Sleeve Shirt
- Paul Smith London Flower-print Cotton Shirt
- Ps Paul Smith Shirt With Contrasting Polka Dots
- Asos Smart Shirt In Long Sleeve With Polka Dot Print
- He By Mango Slim-fit Textured Gingham Check Shirt
- Etro Slim-fit Embroidered Striped Cotton Shirt
- Paul Smith London Swiss Dot-print Cotton Shirt
4. A New Breed Of Seersucker
In previous years, I’ve had a love/hate relationship with seersucker.
On the one hand, it’s a great summer fabric because it keeps you cool without any of the wrinkling that linen or tropical wools are prone to. On the other, it was only ever available in the traditional light blue and white striped variety, which always made me look a bit like a lawyer from the southern states of America.
However, last year this all changed. Now you can find seersucker suits in rich beige, navy, grey and brown (whether striped or solid), which are perfect for the office and will keep you sweat-free during the morning commute.
You can even break the suit up and wear it as separates: the blazer works well with lightweight chinos/shorts while the trousers are the perfect option for those days when shorts are just too casual of a choice. Think of them as another pair of chinos – but better – and you won’t go wrong.
Key Pieces
- Asos Slim Fit Tipped Jacket In Seersucker
- Ludlow Suit Jacket With Double Vent In Japanese Seersucker
- Ludlow Suit Vest In Japanese Seersucker
- Asos Slim Fit Tipped Trousers In Seersucker
- Ludlow Slim Suit Pant In Japanese Seersucker
- Classic Fit Seersucker Pants
- Richard James Cotton Seersucker Jacket
- Burberry Prorsum Seersucker Stripe Jacket
- Maison Martin Margiela Seersucker Tri-colour Stripe Jacket
5. The Denim Jacket
If you don’t have one of these by now, get one. Seriously, it’s the most versatile jacket (that isn’t a blazer) a guy can own.
Denim jackets come in a variety of colours and washes but you want one that’s cut close to the sides and hugs your shoulders. Wear it with chinos, a dress shirt and tie for a balanced business-casual look, or with shorts and a polo on the beach when the wind starts to pick up in the evening.
It’s also great for layering – I often use mine as a rugged cardigan under my navy pea coat or grey overcoat.
Lookbook Inspiration
Key Pieces
- Asos Denim Jacket
- Lee Denim Jacket Rider Slim Fit Worn Rinse
- Lee Denim Jacket Slim Rider Moon Wash
- Cheap Monday Heavy Staple Denim Jacket
- Allsaints Esuka Denim Jacket
- Allsaints Yin Denim Jacket
- He By Mango Dark Wash Denim Jacket
- J.crew Rinsed Denim Jacket
- Acne Jam Slim-fit Washed-denim Jacket
Final Word
So there you have it, a few trends from last year that I thoroughly intend to keep wearing in 2014. Some items are just too good to let go.
But, as always, I want to hear what you think: what trends are you keeping from 2013? Should I be getting rid of it all and starting again? Am I a fool to even follow trends in the first place?
Let me know in the comments section…
