The Jet Setter
There’s something about the notion of travel and style that seem to go hand in hand. The adventurous, free-spirited feeling that we get from heading somewhere previously undiscovered is something many of us would like to channel through the clothes we wear – particularly if we can’t actually spend our life on the road. Enter autumn/winter 2014’s ‘Travelling Gent’ trend. As we reported earlier this year, the spirit of the erudite traveller was alive and well at London Collections: Men AW14, proving that the ‘intrepid wanderer’ look is key to every sartorially-inclined gent’s wardrobe this winter. Today we’re looking at how to introduce this trend to your style repertoire for the colder months ahead…
On The Runway
E. Tautz proved to be a huge fan of the Travelling Gent trend at LC:M, sending Sherlock Holmes-inspired caped Ulster coats and structured Homburg hats down the runway for a Victorian voyager feel. Elsewhere, Burberry Prorsum’s ‘Painterly Journey’ collection saw vintage map prints applied to knitwear and shirting, referencing bohemian jaunts in foreign lands and iconic capital cities. Graphics of celebrated London landmarks – including Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and Nelson’s column – were also applied to lightweight silk neck scarves, reinforcing the brand’s proud British heritage. Finally, Hackett’s show saw models clothed in flannel and tweed travel suits, tipping its hat to the adventurous explorers who inspired the collection. This polished aesthetic was finished off with vintage suitcases and cameras, which sat alongside more contemporary woollen hats and practical backpacks:
Ways To Wear
Now you’ve seen it on the runway, we’re going to explore a few easy ways you can incorporate the trend into your own winter wardrobe. For work, reach for a 1920s-inspired suit in the season’s key fabric, mid-grey flannel, to create a sophisticated, textured look that oozes character. To give the ensemble that vintage ‘travelling’ touch we desire, finish it off with an oversized, functional briefcase or overnight business bag in a statement tan hue:
- Reiss Thorman Leather Gloves Black
- Asos Bowler Hat
- Francesco Maglia Lord Chestnut Wood Handle Umbrella
Final Word
There truly is something that draws us towards the adventurous and free-spirited notion of life on the road. And despite the fact that many of us will have to settle for our couple of weeks abroad each year, that’s not to say we can’t channel the spirit of the erudite wanderer through our clothes. So whether you’re tipping your fedora to times gone by in a 1920s-inspired suit for work, or heading to the country at the weekend with a luxurious leather holdall filled with brilliant basics, explore the ‘Travelling Gent’ within you this winter. We would love to hear your thoughts on this trend: will you be incorporating touches of the aesthetic into your look this AW14, or giving it a miss completely? Let us know in the comment section below…
