2013 saw the ushering in of a lot of trends in menswear. There is a relationship between the celebrity world, the streets and the designers respectively. All have worked together in a venn diagram of sorts to create trends that have impacted the stores we shop in and clothes we live in. Check out some of the trends that showed up on our radar.
A few years ago, cool would have been defined as unbuttoning a few buttons on your shirt. Now that’s the opposite. A shirt being buttoned all the way to top speaks to a more refined, more tailored, more relaxed cool. We saw an emergence of this trend this year as shirts buttoned up all the way to the top were seen on runway shows, worn with blazers and no tie and even worn with a pair of jeans and brogues. I suspect that will not only be a trend for this year but a staple going forward.
Kanye said 6 years ago the leather jogger pant was going to trend and he was right. Leather in general exploded this year in a way that we haven’t seen in quite awhile. It was literally everywhere. It was the detail on sweatshirts, details on bags, actual outerwear, used as shirt or shirt jacket (shacket). The jogger was also the new DIY item as many new brands came out this year with alternatives to the higher end product.
Layering is always been a part of menswear. That’s not a trend. What’s trending is HOW you layer the clothes. We are seeing shorter puffer jackets or vests over suit jackets. We are seeing long shirts or over-sized sweaters being layered with denim jackets and leather vests. This trend hit the runways a few seasons ago but now is being seen on the streets as well.
So many hat silhouettes returned this year. We saw the re-emergence of the bucket hat. A staple in the 60s and 70s, which had a resurgence in the 90s worn by many hip hop artists. It came back this summer and was seen on the runways of many designers. Artists like Usher and Schoolboy Q helped to bring this trend to the forefront
The influence of 1994 Seattle Grunge movement was clearly seen in the world of men’s fashion. Whether it was the skinny ripped to obliertation denim, the plaid shirt tied around the waist, or rocking a cutt of sleeve shirt (not to be confused with a vest) over long sleeve henleys and button downs, this look not only made it to the red carpet and runways, but the streets as well.
Not since the Throwback movement in the early 2000s, have we seen such excitement over the jersey. Whether its the rework of the baseball jersey being made popular by the likes of Opening Ceremony and Alexander Wang, or the re-embrace of the hockey Jersey, a 90s staple being made popular by the hip hop community, the jersey is a trend that we saw all throughout 2013.
The Beard has become a big part of the menswear movement as men’s grooming has boomed in the last year. Beards of all shapes and sizes are appearing. Not only on rappers like Stalley and Rick Ross, but on Hollywood’s elite like George Clooney and Bradley Cooper. The key to this is grooming can be found here. — >Fresh Face: No More Movember by Chris Law | Details Network
The Shawl Collar silhouette was huge this season. Not only showing up in the formal menswear category, but also being added on outerwear and sweaters respectively. A nice update to mens clothing indeed. It also happens to be a flattering silhouette for a lot of men’s body types.
Prints which once considered tacky and gawdy, are not becoming a big of the menswear movement. When done right, they can really make a statement. We’ve seen the microprint and geoprint shirts and pants trending all throughout this year. Whether its paired with a suit, shorts or denim, prints were a must have this year and will continue to be important going forward.
Brands like Hood by Air, PlayCloths, 10 Deep and Rocksmith have completely taken over the streetwear movement. While streetwear and street style have always been a part of the menswear movement, it has been awhile since we’ve seen such inclusion of urban streetwear brands in the menswear arena. In addition, we are seeing the influence of these brands permeate through other higher end fashion brands. Be it the oversized fit, the vulgar language printed on the tee shirt or the luxe upgrade of the hoody and sweatshirt.