A few weeks ago, Fashion-Homme-Ics looked into a few myths that surround men’s fashion. Contradicting what you’ve probably heard, pleated pants and colourful dress socks are not things to shy away from, but instead should be embraced with a few tips. This week, I’ll be outing two more myths and outlining how these pieces can be worn without committing any fashion crimes.
Up this week: Denim on denim and double-breasted suits.

Myth #3: Stay away from denim on denim
Demin is the world’s favourite textile. It’s durable, comfortable and comes in as many washes as there are styles. However, due to denim’s popularity as a uniform in many labour industries, the denim on denim has been thought of as a major faux pas. Well, here’s some good news for all your denim lovers out there: don’t shy away from full-on denim. The trick? Mix your colours and washes.
A fitted denim shirt, for example, is a casual-must-have in every man’s closet. Pair it with a nice pair of dark jeans, a blazer (opt for tweed or cotton here) and a funky pair of sneakers and you’ll transform your denim look from lumberjack to chic.

Myth #4: Double-breasted suits are out-dated
With the popularity of era throwback shows such as Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, society has been exposed to a resurgence of styles from the ‘40s and ‘50s. After all, fashion is cyclical and what is old can become new and stylish today with a few tweaks.
Looking to spruce up your suit ensemble for your next meeting? Try pairing it with a double-breasted jacket. With a modern slim-fit pant, pop of colour from a dress shirt and a skinnier tie, your look will appear anything but out-dated.

With so many places to turn to find what’s trendy and what’s not, fashion myths are easily created by the combination of what we see in magazines and what we’ve always thought to be generally accepted rules. The truth is that fashion should have no rules. It is art. And as art, we should have the freedom to express ourselves through clothing as we see fit. If that means wearing coloured dress socks, pleated pants and a doubled-breasted blazer, so be it. So, experiment, break the rules and change the mold—you might come up with the next “it” look.

by Tanya Colledge
Stimuli Magazine Contributor
Twitter: @tanyafanya

Photo Credits:

Suit jacket from Banana Republic
Denim from BKRW Denim

The term “fashionable dress” has endured much change over the centuries—evolving with current trends, tastes, and technology. Unfortunately, these modifications have brought with them rules to which society has come to hold true and avoid when putting together outfits. The truth is that many of these rules are myths. They are sayings your mother told you when you bought your first suit, or styles you saw your grandfather wear that you swore you would never repeat. True, there are some looks that should remain in the past (think mullets and acid wash jeans), but others, looks condemned by the almighty rules, that should get another chance when worn correctly.

Over the next couple weeks, I’ll outline a few of these fashion myths and explain the correct way to wear these pieces. Up this week: pleated pants and colourful socks.

Fashion Myth #1: Don’t wear pleated pants

The pleated pant has long been a way for shorter men to elongate their frame by creating a vertical visual line from head to toe. Sadly, the years of over-pleating and un-tailored styles of this type of pant, mainly throughout the eighties, has given them a bad rap and deemed them unfashionable. The good news is there is a way to wear pleats without looking like a frumpy banker; the trick is to think streamlined. A proper fitting pleated pant that sits at the waist and doesn’t bunch around your shoes will create the illusion of length many seek.


Fashion Myth #2: Serious men don’t wear colourful socks

Business sock are not a huge fashion decision for most men. It is a simple choice between black, grey, or brown. But, what if business socks didn’t have to be so boring? What if, amongst the sea of black and navy suits, you could interject your own style and personality without loosing your credibility? For work, the key is not to go overboard. Find a sock that compliments your outfit and stick to simple patterns of one or two colours—you don’t want to distract people when they catch a glimpse of your hemline. Outside the office, show your quirkiness with a bold print or colour. Give it a try, if anything, it’ll put an extra bounce in your step.

More fashion myths uncovered in a couple weeks. Stay tuned!

by Tanya Colledge
Stimuli Magazine Contributor

Photo Credits:
Rawshoes.wordpress.com
freelancersfashion.blogspot.com

The holiday season has come and gone, and now you have some new threads you bought for those parties that will most likely get sent to the back on the closet until next year. Wrong! Whether it’s a new suit, a festive tie, dress shirt, or sweater, there are many ways to get yearlong use out of your new purchases. Here’s how:

A new suit.
If your day job doesn’t require you to wear a suit, there are still many ways you can put a new suit to good use. Start by breaking up the pieces. A suit jacket can work well as a blazer worn over jeans and a dress shirt for dinner at a nice restaurant. Similarly, a pair of dress pants can be paired with a great sweater for other dressy casual occasions.

A festive tie.
Unless you picked up a tie adorned with reindeer and candy canes, you can re-wear your holiday tie for other events; it’s just a matter of colour coordination. A silver tie for example can be worn year-round with purple, black, or even teal dress shirts. Afraid there’s too much sheen to the tie? Don’t be. Just as women wear shiny accessories, men wear ties, and there is not shame in adding some glitz to an outfit for an occasion such as a wedding or other party.

A dress shirt.
Many men think that dress shirts should and can only be worn with dress pants. False. In fact, dress shirts are more than appropriate for a multitude of occasions with various bottoms. A pair of dark denim jeans, a clean pair of chinos, or a even a pair of neutral coloured chords will give new life to your dress shirt and a whole range of new outfits. Try wearing the shirt un-tucked or open with a plain tee underneath for a fresh look.

A sweater.
Sweaters in general have a shorter shelf life than a plain t-shirt, but that doesn’t mean the one you bought to go to that holiday party couldn’t be worn again. If it’s a thinner material, feel free to wear it over a dress shirt next time you’re out of dinner or even as a light cover up over nice shorts in the summer. A sweater is one of the most interchangeable pieces you will ever own, so switch it up, and you’ll get much more life out of it.

The above are just a few ideas on how you give those items your dreaded buying for fear they would be worn just once, a new purpose and life. The key is looking at the colour and fabric of the piece and seeing how it compliments other items you already have in your wardrobe. Neutrals such as denim, black, brown, and khakis go with just about everything, so experiment and see how many more times you can wear your holiday piece before the end of the year!

by Tanya Colledge
Stimuli Magazine Contributor
email: tanya@stimulimag.ca
twitter: @tanyafanya

All images from bananarepublic.ca

It’s that time of year again: eggnog filled cocktails, bite-sized quiches, and the Secret Santa gift exchanges we all love to hate. These days, it seems there is a Christmas party for every circle of acquaintances—the best buds from University you rarely get to see, the family-friendly party with your kids, their friends and parents, and of course, the infamous office party.

While these festive get-togethers might clutter your December schedule, you shouldn’t pick out one outfit and think you can get away with wearing it all holiday-long. Different venues and groups of people require different attire and it is important to dress the part. Overwhelming? Not to worry. The following is a guideline on how to dress for your various holiday parties and ensure you’re not the one with the tacky sweater in the corner of the room.

Get-together with the buddies at the pub
The holidays are a great time to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in awhile. With many restaurants and pubs offering holiday menus, it’s a perfect place for a low-key get together. Don’t stress too much about an outfit for this occasion—a nice pair of dark denim jeans paired with a crew or v-neck sweater couldn’t be more appropriate for a few beers and shared memories.

Alpaca sweater, JCrew, $114

The family-friendly get-together
With the kids off school for a couple of weeks, chances are parents will want an excuse for adult conversation while the kids have a play-date. Since this type of event will most likely occur in someone’s home, you can expect a rather casual dress code. Pull on a pair of neutral coloured slacks with a t-shirt and cardigan combo, or cozy knit sweater and you’re good to go.

Half-zip sweater, Banana Republic, $69.50

The office party
Whether it is for your own office or your significant other, the office party is not an event you want to under dress for. Depending on your company’s budget, the event could take place anywhere from a golf course to a five-star hotel ballroom. Double-check your invitation for any special instructions on attire. Black tie means suit, tie, dress shirt, and jacket—maybe even a vest would be appropriate. If you’re not heading down to the Four Seasons, opt for a classic dress shirt, festive tie (no tacky Rudolf ties please), and dress pants combo for an easy put-together look.

3-piece Navy suit, Indochino, $449

Activity party
To avoid being like all other holiday parties, some hosts have begun to incorporate fun activities into their party celebrations. From wine or chocolate tasting to a casino-themed party, the key to dressing for one of these parties is location, location, location. If you’re unsure, it is always better to overdress. You can never go wrong with dress pants and a dress shirt, simply pair it with a pullover sweater or blazer and you’ll be the hit of the party.

Italian Moleskin blazer, the Gap, $118

The holidays are for spending time with loved ones and of course, indulging in way too many shortbread cookies. Don’t let your holiday parties stress you out. In the end, the host will be glad to see you no matter what you decide to wear. Relax and enjoy the festivities!

by Tanya Colledge
Stimuli Magazine Contributor

Last week Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) debuted, sprinkling the West coast city of ours with a healthy dose of colourful creativity, new trends, and outstanding fashion for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2012 season. Although most of the shows feature women’s apparel, the event has grown tremendously over the past few years and now displays many designers who focus on making men look their best. From basic tees to genderless style clothing, the items shown on runways around the city are a great way to look past the gloomy days of winter that await and guess which new styles with grace storefronts come March.

Who’s the Elephant in the Room?
A relative new comer, Vanishing Elephant displayed their Spring/Summer 2012 collection featuring crochet-knit tops and what else but elephant-embroidered pants. Although the line is often described as somewhat eccentric, its refreshing simplicity in terms of cut and style are a sign that this line is going in the right direction.

For men, for women, for both.
Ever since Jean-Paul Gaulthier brought up the idea of a man’s skirt almost 30 years ago, designers have attempted to create pieces that could be worn by both men and women. Rick Owen’s designs at this year’s VFW approached the concept of genderless clothing as a way to open the public’s mind to a blurring of gender lines. Think cotton dresses and skirts—staples of dress in warmer eastern countries and conventional dress for men and women. It may be a difficult idea to grasp when society has created a specific definition of what a man should wear, but today’s designers are beginning to see a trend toward decreasing these well-defined gender roles and offer a new way of thinking as this movement continues forward.

Think Bright.
Last year, we saw many designers attempting to break the monochromatic mould of the pant. While rainbows of grey, black, and beige are great for creating a multi-use wardrobe, they do little for instilling life and personality. At this year’s VFW, designers such as Derek Lam and Mugler played with the coloured trouser concept, offering a variety of hues so that the wearer can buy into the trend without stepping too far out of their comfort zone. You may not be ready for a pair of neon green pants, but a creamy yellow may go great with that navy blazer you have hanging in your closet.
 

by Tanya Colledge
Contributor to Stimuli Magazine

Image Credits: Vancouver Fashion Week Blog: Vanishing Elephant and A Bright Future