Today’s look…the smart beardy bloke!
Today’s look is all about sharp tailoring with a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll edge.
My tweed jacket and waistcoat are from River Island , penny collar striped shirt is from Primark , skinny jeans are from Topman, and I’ve accessorised it all with an orange silk pocket square,burgundy polka dot bow tie (both River Island) Floral socks from Topman and tan brogues from Next.
As I stated in an earlier post,it’s not just about the clothes,it’s about how you wear and style them.
To give you an example here,you definitely should have a pocket square with any blazer that has a pocket (teaching granny how to suck eggs…sorry!),you also shouldn’t fasten your waistcoat all the way either (major styling no,no!)…there is an explanation as to the reason why and it’s basically down to a rather portly (rotund,chubby,call him what you want,but he was on the large side!) member of the British royal family,Prince Edward the Prince of Wales.
He made it ‘fashionable’ not to fasten the bottom button (simply because he couldn’t!) and the rest of the gentry followed suit.
you see,my ‘look’ was all the rage in the late 1800’s!!
As for your jeans,wear them shorter to show off your cool socks,and your nice shoes,it will also give the look a cleaner sharper feel.
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Menswear preview…get your ‘geek’ on!
Hello again readers!
I’ve decided to continue with my menswear focus for this post,as it seems that us blokes don’t do style too well!
I guess that there is a minority (and I would like to include myself in here!) that almost certainly know what style is and how to dress.
It’s evident by the way guys shop and by how most menswear departments or stores are set up that,the majority of us fellas need a bit of guidance.
It’s also fair to say that most guys out there don’t read men’s style mags, (several high profile publications have even stopped printing because of this) so where do they get inspiration from?,do they even care?
Retailers in the UK are realising that the answer to the last question is actually a resounding “yes”
A lot of guys are really taking an interest in appearance,high street retailers are starting to come away from boring departmentalised stores and are creating exciting,innovative departments that showcase their products better,and offer something for both the ‘clued up’ and the ‘clueless’!
Nowhere more so than New Look,as previously mentioned in my last post,these guys have really stepped up to the plate recently,and are trying to create a real menswear package that has both style and affordability…I for one think they’ve nailed it!
My post this time is all about getting your ‘geek’ on!! (the title may have given that away!!)
What exactly does that mean?
It doesn’t mean you should crack out your favourite superhero t-shirt,or that you should wear some seriously bad shirts/tank top combos like the boys on ‘Big bang theory’ (although they do have cult status!)
Sheldon rocks the geek look,effortlessly!
Instead,getting your ‘geek’ on is more about being a bit quirky,and mixing it up a little.
Tinie Tempah,Pharrell Williams and Labrinth are style gurus among men,they also know how to rock the ‘geek’ look…
See below
Now here’s my version of the look,courtesy again from New Look’s awesome SS14 range…
from left to right…yellow and navy fisherman jacket,blue fine stripe shirt,grey knitted hat,pale blue skinny jeans,brown brogue boots and to finish off, the all important bow tie…you can pick up this whole look for under £120!!
Denim & navy contrast sleeve baseball jacket,pink contrast collar smart shirt,acid wash skinny jeans,burgundy heart stitch sweater,burgundy polka dot bow tie,and grey/navy running shoe ,all for under £125!!
For my final outfit I’ve gone for the ‘preppy/geek’ look,in this case as with the other outfits,it’s all about how you’d style the looks and not just the clothes you wear…
For example,with the denim in all cases,roll them up above the ankle and flash your ‘nerdy’ white socks or better still go without socks (frost permitting of course!) to create that geeky coolness!
Shirts are always done up to the top button,this look is all about smart and clean…
no self respecting preppy look is complete without the baseball jacket,teamed with navy blue skinny jeans,striped smart shirt,navy chunky knit cardigan,striped tie,desert boots and a great pair of clear lens preppy glasses to complete the look…all for under £130!!
So there you have it my nerdy friends!
You can find all of the above products in store or at www.newlook.com have fun shopping in between playing ‘minecraft’ or ‘magic the gathering’ or whatever it is you geeks like to do in your spare time!
(Only joking! Geek is the new cool,so keep doing whatever you’re doing!)
Until next time…
Stay safe.
Menswear Spring preview…’American Freshman meets the Zephyr boys’
Greetings readers,Happy New Year to you all!
We’re all probably fed up of Turkey,cranberry sauce,baubles and presents (well maybe not presents!!),and already sick of the sales…right?
Hopefully you all agree!
I’ve decided to start my first blog of 2014 and focus on menswear,highlighting one of the key trends coming out of the UK for Spring/Summer,which is an amalgamation of American collegiate fashion,and the skate board look.
I’ve scoured the interweb thingy and found some great examples to back this up.
I was pleasantly surprised when I visited one website in particular,not only did it have excellent products (pretty much bang on the mark for the looks I wanted!),but it also seems to be selling key fashion pieces at ridiculous value for money!?
New Look has long been synonymous with great value for money fashion for you ladies out there (40+ years in fact!!),they started dabbling in men’s fashion around ten years ago,and it would be fair to say they really have come on leaps and bounds since then.
The buyers seem to have got it right this season,not only does the product look good,it fits great too!
The denim range has definitely improved,and they are now offering a brilliant ‘acid wash’ skinny jean to rival the best on the high street for just £24.99?! What?!
There has been a conscious effort to make the range more ‘fashion focused’ for the cool kids out there ( I include myself in that of course!),and they also cater for the less adventurous ‘safe’ bloke too!
My first look…
From left to right… Red Seattle burnout sweatshirt,Navy ‘fisherman’ hat,Grey Acid wash Skinny jeans,Double pocket denim shirt,and awesome denim trainers!
Look no.2…
From left to right…blue New York burnout t-shirt,baseball jacket,grey ‘super skinny jeans,contrast sole brogues and a burgundy fold over beanie hat to complete the look 🙂
Look no.3…
From left to right…Black quilted jacket,black beanie hat,blue acid wash skinny jeans,printed baseball t-shirt,and a fantastic pair on contrast sole brogue boots to finish off!
My final look,brings together a bit of ‘sports lux’,the printed jacket below isn’t going to suit everyone,if you’re a bit ‘edgy’ you’ll be able to pull it off no problem!
It really goes to show you just how far New Look have come in developing their menswear package,massive kudos to the buying team,who have given some of their competitors a run for their money this season!
Printed floral jacket,black football jersey,super skinny jeans,black beanie and burgundy baseball shoe…is this really New Look?
Check out the website for my choices and more fantastic buys at www.newlook.com…happy hunting!
Until next time…
The style Viking 