Men's finest most hated faux pas
Menswer's major tastemakers and style blunders they've got beef with.
Fashion is – at heart – about the tension between rules and creativity. The blossoming of ideas on a handful of catwalks which quickly coalesce into a diktat.
It’s a cycle accelerated by the high street – Zara can turn product from design to store in about a month – which means rules cement faster, but are also more quickly knocked down. And it can be an exhausting thing to keep abreast of.
Which is why it’s useful to mark the distinction between fashion and style. The former is the effervescent trends that rise, burst and dissipate season-to-season: florals in, florals out; navy everything – no, azure – now cyan (do keep up). Things you can take a punt on and, if you miss, the only discernible damage is a few embarrassing Facebook photos.
But toying with trends is for nothing if you’re making more fundamental errors. As the lauded late French designer Yves Saint Laurent put it: “Fashion fades, style is eternal”. Which is true, although ascertaining how to attain that timelessness is trickier. Quiz designers on their definition and they’ll each spout something nebulous about dressing to be the essence of yourself which, while an attractive idea, is little help facing down a bulging wardrobe.
So, we tracked down some of the most stylish men in the industry for the mistakes they see men make on a daily basis, and wish that they could fix. Because if you’re guilty of these sartorial faux pas, wearing camo a season too late is the least of your worries. Learn how to nail these and your style is sussed. Fashion, you can take or leave.
Daniel Todd, Buyer At Mr Porter
“Skinny jeans are a trend I thought might die out naturally, but unlike the indie explosion that brought it back, this one refuses to go away. I don’t hate all skinny jeans – and I’m not suggesting everyone switches to a grey marl jogger – but it’s about dressing for your body shape.
“Sadly, skinny jeans aren’t the male equivalent of Spanx. If you catch yourself thinking ‘I’ll just undo a couple of buttons when I sit at my desk’, they’re too tight.
“With a looser pant being presented at a lot of spring/summer 2016 shows, the general move to a more relaxed skate-style trouser was strong so hopefully this time the ‘death of the skinny jean’ isn’t a false dawn. For everyone’s sake.”
Fix It
If your legs are more tree trunk than twig-like, chances are skinny jeans won’t do you much justice. Instead, try a tapered slim cut or straight leg jeans for a roomier alternative that won’t cut off your circulation.
The same goes for your chinos and trouser collections.
