I’ve lived in Bombay all my life and in Paris for a while now. Within my circles in both the cities I have encountered and I am friends with men who love fashion and take great pleasure in creating an outfit and making a personal style statement. These men are by no means reserved or shy when it comes to their sartorial choices, but there are some OTT trends that even these brave few are cautious to try on. This got me thinking, why must one go OTT, why not take a more Normcorish approach towards Avant-Garde? In this article, I will share tips to tame down these OTT trends for everyday wear. Let’s get started.
HEAD TO TOE CHECKS
While the runway version may come at you all guns blazing, doesn’t mean you can’t approach it your own way, with your own subtle spin. Head to toe checks can, in fact, look super polished if done right. Wear checkered co-ords under a neutral monotone jacket. Remember to pick a colour that accents your checks’ pattern. Complete the outfit with some simple sneakers or brogues and just like that, make the style work for you without going overboard.
Here’s How
MULTIPLE LAYERS
I agree the runway version looks like their house was on fire and they ran out wearing all their favourite clothes. Layers don’t have to be quite as exaggerated. The trick to do them right is to simply mix textures, colours, different silhouettes and lengths together. Easiest tip – thrown on a denim jacket over long or bulky outwear to add a touch of misplaced juxtaposing.
Here’s How
ANIMAL PRINTS
A lot of men seem to think twice before dabbling with animal prints. In my opinion, it looks uber stylish, no matter how you style it. We get it, everyone needs a little warm-up before going at it full speed. Here’s how to add it to your wardrobe with it in smaller doses. Pick one statement piece – could be an overcoat, a pair of pants or even a crisp shirt. Let that be the centrepiece of your outfit, keep the rest super simple and voila, you’ve got animal prints done in a non-flashy way.
Here’s How
GILETS
This trend is one of my favourites, be it the runways’ slightly amped up version or the subtle street kind. There’s very little that can go wrong with this trend. Pick your favourite Tee + Jeans combo and throw one of these babies on. Finish off with a killer cap or a beanie. C’est marche!
Here’s How
EASTERN MOTIFS
I personally love what the runway has to offer, but if you are the one to dial it down further. This one is for you! Pick a separate – pants, jackets, vests, etc and then make the rest of the outfit plain Jane. Think white shirt, basic t-shirts, neutral layers. What it does is, provides the right amount of contrast and lets this one piece shine!
Here’s How
Image source : Vogue
