Men’s Spring/Summer Fashion 2010 by VogueBeforeFood featuring Farhi By Nicole Farhi cardigans

Create Multiple Looks with 10 Garments & Accessories

By Courtney Iseman

If you own a boat, you’re one step ahead of everyone else in this year’s style game. If not, you’ve got some shopping to do. This spring’s trends are all about the nautical look, and the nautical-inspired look. If your look doesn’t say you live in a New England harbor town, it could say you’re traveling on the Riviera in 1953. Your call – either way, you get to look like you travel in style. If there’s one attitude all the different looks for this spring and summer have in common, it’s a life of luxury with a bit of irony and fun: high end looks brought back down to earth with bright colors and patterns, and younger, more accessible accessories.

Keep it relaxed. Even high end, luxury business suits are ditching all the tailoring for a looser look. Classic French design house Lanvin is ditching the padding and lining in suit jackets so the jacket falls more easily around the body – Dries Van Noten followed suit, and the trend is working its way down to the more moderately priced suit brands. Sports jackets are hitting stores in brighter colors and even prints, scarves and ascots are replacing ties – in celebration of warmer weather, it’s time to have more fun with your wardrobe. Expand the color range from black, gray, brown and navy to include lighter blues, reds, and white. Experiment with prints and patterns, and ditch confining constructions for more relaxed fits and fabrics – when in doubt, go linen.

Here are the top ten looks to have for this spring and summer. If you buy nothing else this year, a few items off of this list will put you right on the forefront of fashion, and make it clear you’re in the know when it comes to style. The best thing about these pieces is that they are all able to be mixed and matched, so splurging on a few pieces gets you many different outfits, from super casual to classed up.

1. A Smart Trench Coat

On chilly and/or rainy days, top your look off with a clean, classic trench. The neutral tan color and sharp lines pull any outfit together and give you a vintage-meets-modern vibe.

2. Plaid

Plaid pants are questionable – at best – but have some fun with a plaid sports jacket and/or a plaid button-down shirt. Probably not together, unless your name is Farnsworth Bentley. Consider a plaid shirt or jacket a statement piece for your wardrobe – statement pieces are the items that do the talking in an outfit. You can take that piece, build an outfit of basics (khakis, jeans, a solid jacket or shirt depending on what you’re working with) around it, and together you have one bold, stylish look.

3. The New Trousers

You have some flexibility here. The point is to get a different trouser, unlike anything you already have. Go for a tighter fit with a skinny style. Or, go for a looser fit with a relaxed linen trouser. Either way, ditch the boxy tailoring of suit trousers and even the more casual trousers you’ve seen before. You want something more interesting – go for an unconventional color, the braver you are, the brighter. If you get a brighter pant or a trouser with some kind of pattern, then this can be the statement piece of the outfit.

4. Tailored Shorts

Shorts are one of the few places we’re actually seeing the addition of tailoring instead of taking it away. Which is ironic, since shorts are the more relaxed, wear-them-on-the-weekends item of clothing. It’s a definitely intentional irony, though, to take the tailoring away from the suits and add it to the shorts. Clean up you look with a more fitted short that hits right above the knee – do us all a favor and toss your Bermuda shorts and cargo shorts, unless “Kegstands” are under the Special Skills section of your resume.

5. A Cardigan

When cardigans first started being widely available for men a few seasons ago, not everyone was a fan. They seemed either feminine or for senior citizens. As the trend evolved, though, more masculine styles became available and men were able to really embrace the cardigan. And why not? Why should women be the only ones who don’t have to take their sweaters off over their heads? Listen, buttons are convenient. Think of all the extra arm work you save. Style-wise, the cardigan eludes that nautical feel, as well as the 1950′s vacation vibe. Thrown over a tee shirt and trousers, it will clean the whole look up for a polished, classy result. 

6. An Indie Rock Band Tee

A soft, vintage-esque tee with the cooler-than-thou logo of an indie band takes your wardrobe back to modern and young. Your trousers and sports jacket might be more dressed up and fashionable, but this tee (ironically still creating a fashion statement in style) makes for a more casual, laid back look that is still smart and trendy. Plus, it gives you some street cred.

7. Boat Shoes

Boat shoes are a must this year – what else would work so well with all of these nautical looks? A pair of Sperry Top-Siders in a neutral or in a bolder color scheme like royal blue and light blue will make your outfit with a classic, sophisticated look that is still comfortable.

8. Straw Fedora

The straw fedora is another extension of the nautical, water-vacation inspired look, even if it is a little more Havana than New England Harbor. Straw ditches its former constructions of cowboy hats and beach hats to actually be wearable – even stylish and smart. Plus, the straw makes the fedora more warm weather friendly.

9. Scarves, Ascots and Pocket Squares

In the (Mad Men-inspired?) vintage style scene, scarves and ascots have replaced ties as the most sophisticated, chic neckwear. A pocket square is a must. Basically, these items encourage a return to the old school values of dressing up for more “casual events.” Obviously you’re not going to wear a scarf into your client’s meeting in lieu of a tie, but consider dressing up when you wouldn’t normally wear a tie, and try the scarf or the ascot. Keep it classy.

10. Plastic Aviators

Another place you can have some fun and infuse a youthful look into your more sophisticated wardrobe is your sunglasses. Instead of the same old metal aviators that have been around for years, try the trendy plastic frames. It will add an edgy twist to your whole classic look.

Depending on where you’re going, all of these pieces play well with each other. The cardigan will look sharp paired with the trousers or the shorts, the sports jacket will streamline perfectly with the trousers. When you don’t need the formality of a button-down shirt, opt for the tee under the sports jacket or the cardigan to have some fun with your look. The accessories can go with everything. When in doubt this season, choose nautical looks and classic, vintage-inspired looks that are a return to putting more thought into dressing.