What I'm Loving Right Now... Winter Clothing

So basically this year is the year that fashion revives itself after the global economic crisis, so expect to see a lot of good sales around to stimulate the economy because retailers know they are going to have to fight for your business so keep an ear out for some sales and you could find yourself a bargain. In this transition from summer fashion to winter fashion, I think we need to remind ourselves of a few simple rules when buying clothes also.


Bottega Veneta 2010
1. Keep a Simple Colour Palette
if you buy clothes, stick to a colour palette, the best is earthy colours for winter months; by doing this you allow yourself many more possible outfits as things match each other. you can of course pick up some other pieces outside this range and work them in but as a rule of thumb, remember your colour palette. A little tip for 2010, pparently Grey is going to be big this winter!


Tom Ford Velvet Jacket
2. Investment
Every season you should endeavour to buy 2 or 3 "investment pieces". these are usually coats or bags with large ticket prices. go for something unique but timeless, a Burberry trench for example is a great piece to buy because you can use it for many different looks, if you buy one with a removable lining the lining can be taken out for warmer months and Burberry often release a collection of trenches every year with a little something extra such as a classic cotton trench with a silk collar. after a few years you will be spoilt for choice with many beautiful items begging to be worn.

3. Trends
We should all have our own personal style, and allow it to change as trends do, but still remain as original as possible. this can be achieved by combining investment pieces with one or two seasonal pieces that we buy each year. with the military trend big this year I decided to buy a pair of military boots, but I’m still wearing them with my usual styling and they give me a raw, runway looking edge. I prefer to look for items that I think will last a few seasons en vogue or have already lasted a few seasons because there is nothing worse than someone following the little trends that come and go almost monthly.


4. Outerwear Must-Haves.
I think every man should have at least one of each of the following: a cardigan, a woollen sweater, a cashmere sweater, a puffer jacket, a trench coat, a cropped trench and a light summer jacket. this allows you to layer your looks as well as gives you a variety of choices depending on how cold it actually is. I am of course not taking into account formal wear and business wear as it should be implied.


Fur.
I have mentioned fur a few times on the blog so far and that is because I think if you want to be fashionable, you have to be open to the possibilities, and let me tell you that fur is an easy way to make you look like someone that people want to know. wear a fur scarf with your trench coat, or buy a jacket with a shaved mink lining, it will make you feel like a million dollars and keep you so warm you won’t ever look back. beware however, wearing full fur coats without the certain je ne sais quoi you need to pull it off may because you to look like a desperate drag queen or transvestite hooker, keep it tasteful gents.


Acne Lotus scarf ($150 at Wasteland)
Scarves.
Wool, cotton, silk, cashmere or fur, I don’t care what they are made of, scarves are an accessory that can complete many looks, refer to my previous post about scarves for specifics.