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New seasons mean many things. For the fashion industry, though, it means only one: the arrival of new designer collections and style trends. While it's true that this spring will be very much like the last one and the one before that, the clothes to wear for it won't be. Let the upcoming season's lighter mood and weather to guide the way you dress in the next few months. It's a style choice you won't regret.
Roll 'Em Up The rolled up shirt cuff has long been a symbol of casual comfort, of the put together rebel, the good looking rake. You're likely to have made a habit of it yourself, bringing your shirt cuffs to your elbows once office hours are over and you've yanked off your tie.
For spring 2010, though, expect everyone to take the practice to the next level. In a time and place where rolled up shirt cuffs are a common sight after 5PM every weekday, the fashion crowd distinguishes itself by rolling up all other manner of garment. Whether it's a pair of grown-up chinos or that custom fitted navy blazer, most everything is getting the rollup treatment nowadays, and it's time for you to get familiar with the program.
Rolled up blazer sleeves aren't very new; they've been seen at the fashion shows here and there since a few seasons ago. It's only now, though, that the style trend has transitioned to the street and emerged as a small movement. It's now no longer the stuff of just runway models and crazy Harajuku kids, but rather something for you to try.
Because rolled up sleeves are so casual, it's other casual pieces that work best with it. A high fashion shirt or a delicate silk tie, while appropriate for going to the office daily, is unlikely to work well with something as casual and off-kilter as a rolled up blazer. An unstarched shirt would be a better bet to maintain the casual feel. If you feel that a tie is necessary, go with something slim and casual like a knit necktie or a bar tie.
The Long and Short of It 'Manpris', fashion press shorthand for 'man capris', refer to a garment that's in between shorts and pants. Capris tend to be derided as garments with an identity crisis, among others, but it seems like they'll be right on trend for spring.
It can be seen, perhaps, as a natural extension of the Thom Browne trend that took the fashion world by storm a couple of years back. Since everyone's shortening pants hems anyway, why not raise them a whole lot? Regardless of its roots, this upcoming trend will have countless men baring ankle, and more than a bit of leg, for spring.
Done improperly, capris can turn you into a walking fashion disaster; even Hollywood leading men like Ashton Kutcher have already fallen prey to this. Keep yourself on the right end of the Frumpy line by getting capris that fit close and slim like a pair of chinos, with maybe a bit of cinching around the leg opening. The trim, modern fit gives this circa 1995-style pant a much needed breath of fresh air.
Such a piece is categorically casual, make no mistake. It's not a good idea to try and mix it with more formal clothes like a shirt or, heaven forbid, a necktie. The closest you could get to formal attire with this trend is a (preferably deconstructed) blazer with the sleeves rolled up. One fashion risk is enough for any outfit, so keep away from the flip-flops; a pair of sleek canvas sneakers should keep up the sporty, spring-ready image. If you want something with a little less commitment, try rolling up your chinos a little past the ankle.
This upcoming season looks like a very good chance for you to let your hair down and try some more casual, laid back fashions. Note, however, that they're not too far from the basics; rolled up blazers combine suiting with shirt functionality, while abbreviated pants are essentially updates of the classic style. It just goes to show that, whichever direction the trends go, they'll always come back to the basics. Hendrik Pohl
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