Misstropolis

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Men’s Fashion: What’s Hot Now

Though men’s fashion almost always seems to take a back seat to women’s, certain men know how to steal the show - or at least look great attending it. Boston trendsetters like Jon Callahan, co-owner of Stel’s on Newbury Street, and Max Buccini of Regan Communications, recently voted one of Stuff@Night’s rising stars of Boston nightlife, know what’s hot and what’s definitely not for men right now. I posed some questions about their personal style, and their answers are so good I’ve decided to make this the first of many columns focusing on men’s fashion. Enjoy boys.

Alisa: So, how do you see men’s fashion changing?
Max: The biggest change I’ve seen is men dressing-down to dress-up. Not in the sense of being under-dressed, but in pairing unique pieces with traditional ones - wearing a full suit paired with a vintage t-shirt, destructed jeans with a moc-toe dress shoe, a pleated tuxedo shirt with a hot ornately detailed blazer, etc.

Jon: For the last ten years men’s fashion has been going through a sort of renaissance. Men are finally beginning to enjoy what they wear. Sportswear is a much larger category in the man’s wardrobe these days. In a way, men are catching up to women where variety is concerned. It used to be a suit, shirt and tie for work; jeans or khakis with a polo or T-shirt was the standard for casual. Now suits and sportcoats can be worn for fun. This has opened up an entirely new way of dressing for men. Sportswear has also expanded and men have become more focused on detail.

I think that men, in general, are changing and fashion is just one example of how the changes are displayed.

Alisa: Whose stuff do you absolutely love, and where do you shop?
Max: Dolce & Gabbana is a staple in my wardrobe, they tailor their clothes especially well and offer a variety of options from work-appropriate to rockstar chic - a range I tend to span in my industry. Riccardi is perfect for distinctive pieces… and smaller boutiques like Uniform and Motley always offer fun choices.

Jon: I really don’t have favorite designers. I like parts of many designer’s collections and it changes from season to season. Right now, if I had to choose from the designers that we carry I would choose Nom De Guerre and United Bamboo. Nom De Guerre, APC and Seize Sur Vingt are top selling men’s lines at Stel’s.

Alisa: How about a great option for Business Casual?
Jon: A Seize Sur Vingt shirt, which can be worn untucked or as a dress shirt. It’s trim and very clean looking. I would do that with an APC raw denim jean and a funky dress show. From there, you could do a cardigan or a sports coat.

Max: Depends on how rigorously the fashion police in your office are on the prowl. If you have a hall monitor for your manager, your options are limited, but not completely nonexistent. A fun corduroy, crushed velvet, or khaki pant can substitute for the traditional men’s suit pants, especially during the colder winter season.

Alisa: What is the one essential in your opinion, for all men?
Jon: I hate to pick just one because I think, like with women’s clothing, there is not just one. But right now I’m really into shoes! NDC makes a beautiful hand made dress show that looks incredible with a suit, a pair of jeans or any pant. It’s amazing how much just a pair of shoes can change a man’s look. Take the sneakers off, put on a dress shoe and even a beat up pair of jeans and a T-shirt looks cooler.

Max: Belts. Belts are such an under-utilized item in a man’s wardrobe. I’m not talking about the tried-and-true black/brown paradigm, but different options for your various outfits. The belt detail can sometimes transform a whole look. The hardware on a belt can bring an entire ensemble together.