Key Menswear Prints & Patterns For SS17 (And How To Wear Them)

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Any products or services put forward appear in no particular order. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Accidentally spilling chilli sauce all over your favourite shirt isn’t the only way to spice up an outfit. In fact, it’s probably best avoided.

As we menfolk become more confident in our style choices, and as the warmer weather prompts a break away from the plain greys and blacks of winter, a window (heck, even a windowpane) opens up in the wardrobe for more lively prints and patterns.

And while you don’t need a stylist’s eye to know which ones do (and which ones categorically do not) suit you, a sixth sense for spotting the subtle changes in each from season-to-season is a little harder to come by.

For this reason, we thought now would be a good time to walk you through SS17’s essential prints and patterns, and how to wear them.

Florals

To avoid coming off predictable, it was tempting to exclude florals from this list. But then again, nothing screams “everyone back to mine for a BBQ and several crates of strong lager,” quite like a Hawaiian shirt.

Florals will continue to bloom in SS17, used across everything from Cuban collared shirts and tailored shorts to denim jackets and tailoring accessories. Better yet, having fully shaken off their feminine connotations, the breadth of designs on show – ranging from dark, repeat-pattern hibiscus palms to more vivid botanical motifs – makes them a solid choice for both smart and casual occasions.

For an everyday look, Tom Courcey, deputy editor of online menswear retailer The Idle Man, suggests pairing a floral shirt with other summer staples. “Take a short-sleeved floral shirt and wear it open over a neutral T-shirt with a light-coloured chino – think beige or even white,” he says. “If you really want to keep the outfit on trend, opt for a raw hem pair of jeans.”

Alternatively, match a colour from a micro-printed floral shirt to that of a suit for the perfect wedding attire.

(Related: 20 Subtle Style Upgrades You Can Make Right Now)

Men's Floral Shirts Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

the idle man ss17 zara 2017 selected homme allsaints

Key Pieces

Men's Floral Print Shirts

reiss OAKHART FLORAL PRINTED SHIRT - Click to buy BELLFIELD Palm Print Open Collar Shirt - Click to buy river island Pink hawaiian print short sleeve shirt - Click to buy POLO RALPH LAUREN Button-Down Collar Floral-Print Cotton Oxford Shirt - Click to buy

Camouflage

You’d have to have been living in a cave for quite a while not to know that camouflage came back and, well, stayed back some years ago.

Because the military print is now less of a trend and more a permanent wardrobe fixture, designers at the high-end and on the high street have to work hard to reinvent the look with new colourways and styles each season. Whichever you enlist, the task remains to pull it off without looking like Action Man, or worse, a washed-out casualty of the 1990s jungle scene.

“Wearing camo doesn’t have to mean being draped in it from head to toe while dragging yourself through the mud,” explains Imogen Ashby, a stylist at men’s personal shopping website Enclothed. “Limited to one piece, the print looks extremely cool and is a great style move [for summer].”

(Related: 5 Easy Ways To Wear Camo Print)

Ashby’s advice for SS17 is to call up camo print in the form of a lightweight jacket or overshirt to throw on during crisper nights in the trenches (read: pub garden).

Men's Camo Print Clothing Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

zara 2017 topman 2017 theo wormland 2017 allsaints

Key Pieces

Men's Camo Print Clothing

OFFICINE GENERALE Camouflage-Print Loopback Cotton-Jersey Sweatshirt - Click to buy topman Khaki Camo Overshirt - Click to buy MACKINTOSH NYLON CAMOUFLAGE MAC - Click to buy ALPHA INDUSTRIES MA-1 TT JACKET - Click to buy

Asian Graphics

Japonism (Japanese influences on Western culture) has been a fashion buzzword ever since Ryan Gosling slipped into a silk souvenir jacket for his turn in Drive, making it an instant icon.

However, for SS17 things are hopping across the border, where Chinese-inspired symbols, exotic bird motifs and even more embroidery are joining the fold. While it’s not quite time to ditch the cherry blossoms, beware of dragons breathing fire nearby.

Fortunately, the rules remain the same. “Personally, with such a bold print, I would only wear one piece, and then keep the rest of the look neutral,” The Idle Man’s Courcey explains. “Take a souvenir jacket and team it with a plain T-shirt, tailored trousers or dark jeans, and throw on a simple white sneaker to tie the look together.”

(Related: Everything You Need To Know About Souvenir Jackets)

Men's Asian-Inspired Prints Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

Urban Outfitters topman 2017 topman 2016 river island 2017

Key Pieces

Asian Print Products

REMI RELIEF HYOU JAPAN SOUVENIR SHIRT JACKET - Click to buy ALPHA INDUSTRIES JAPAN DRAGON JACKET - Click to buy BLUE BLUE JAPAN Embroidered Satin Souvenir Bomber Jacket - Click to buy Boohoo Oversized Dragon Print Hoodie - Click to buy

Windowpane & Plaid Checks

Checks are always in style, especially where tailoring is concerned. After all, there’s a check motif for every occasion.

Two of the biggest players for the months ahead are windowpane and plaid checks, and they’re extending to all areas of the wardrobe – including shirts, T-shirts, trousers, jackets and shorts.

While on the surface a season of squares sounds hard to navigate, they can be worn in a variety of fuss-free ways including as matching sets (in the form of a two-piece suit), close pairs (such as a strong, dark check worn with a subtle, light example) or as separates (as with a check shirt and solid shorts).

“Windowpanes are a great alternative to pinstripes for the slimmer guy, as they have the addition of horizontal lines, which creates the illusion of width,” says Elin Mai, founder of long-running personal styling service Style Doctors.

(Related: How To Pick The Right Suit For Your Body Shape)

“[When wearing as a suit] match the colour of the lines in the jacket to a shirt or sweater from the same colour family. This will help draw out the lines and make the ensemble look complete.”

Men's Windowpane & Plaid Checked Clothing Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

brooks brothers zara 2017 next ss16 house of fraser ss16

Key Pieces

Men's Windowpane & Plaid Checked Clothing

reiss QUEENS CHECK CUBAN COLLAR SHIRT - Click to buy suitsupply HAVANA LIGHT BROWN CHECK - Click to buy Paul Smith tailored-Fit Blue Loro Piana Wool Windowpane Check Trousers - Click to buy uniqlo PREMIUM LINEN CHECKED LONG SLEEVE SHIRT - Click to buy

Polka Dots

Polka dots have provided men with an easy entry into the world of print for countless seasons. But make SS17 the one to move up a level from dotty ties and pocket squares to snappy after-hours shirts and sportswear staples with a difference.

Regardless of what some people may have told you, size matters. Although, in this case, it’s the smaller the better. Bigger dots make a statement, but all-over micro versions allow the print to work for a range of occasions.

“The size of the dots dictates how standout the outfit is,” explains Luke McDonald, a stylist at men’s personal shopping service Thread. “[Small prints] work very well for layering in the spring. Try them on a hoody under a jacket, or on a T-shirt under a dress shirt, with just a bit of the pattern showing.”

Men's Polka Dot Clothing Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

jigsaw dolce & gabbana ASOS massimo dutti

Key Pieces

Men's Polka Dot Clothing

reiss ETIENNE POLKA DOT SHIRT - Click to buy POLO SHIRT WITH POLKA DOTS EMBROIDERY - Click to buy river island Navy polka dot short sleeve slim fit shirt - Click to buy INCOTEX Slim-Fit Polka-Dot Slub Cotton Shirt - Click to buy

Vertical Stripes

In time-honoured summer tradition, men are required to earn their stripes once again this season. The main difference for 2017 is that, to quote the TV theme song, the only way is up.

Vertical stripes dominated several collections at the SS17 men’s shows, with contrasting widths (such as wider stripe trousers with a thinner striped top) proving to be a popular theme.

That’s not to say it’s time to banish horizontal lines from your wardrobe, because let’s face it, an unstructured navy blazer worn with a Breton T-shirt underneath is always going to be a great look.

(Related: 5 Menswear Looks That Are Always In Style)

“Stripes are a classic print that can be worn by anyone,” says Ashby of Enclothed. “Regardless of age or style, they work across the board.”

To keep them relevant for SS17, Ashby suggests teaming a vertically striped short-sleeve shirt with jeans and a light jacket. The perfect on-trend outfit to take you seamlessly from spring into summer.

Men's Vertical Stripes Outfit Inspiration Lookbook

scotch & soda selected homme 2016 reiss ss17 h&m 2016

Key Pieces

Men's Vertical Stripe Clothing

reiss COLTBY GRAPHIC STRIPE SHIRT - Click to buy zara STRIPED SHIRT - Click to buy topman Grey Vertical Stripe Slim Fit T-Shirt - Click to buy scotch & soda Yarn Dyed Dress Shorts - Click to buy

Similar Articles

TRENDING ARTICLES

TRENDING ARTICLES

Subscribe successfully!!