This time of year, fashion moves faster than a Loewe puzzle bag at a sample sale. Men’s fashion weeks ended last weekend and couture fashion week – with all its wonderful, wacky and way-out-of-our-budget creations – is drawing to a close. But, while the trends from the menswear shows won’t start to trickle into stores until autumn, there are some takeaways you can adopt straight away, should you want to freshen up your wardrobe. So, before we start checking the weather forecast for New York, where the “Big Four” womenswear weeks will kick off next month, here are some styling tricks to borrow from the boys in Milan and Paris.
Pin a poinsettia to your lapel
At JW Anderson, creative director Jonathan Anderson proved poinsettias aren’t just for Christmas mantelpieces by pinning giant versions on to models’ lapels. Head to your closest garden centre or even the reduced section of your local Xmas decorating shop to pick up an out-of-season bargain.
(Un)buckle up
At Loewe belts were left open and hanging loose. Take one pair of tight-enough trousers and prepare for a lot of “sorry but do you know your belt is undone” comments.
Pop your collar
A look for the indecisive. Models at Dior wore tailored coats with one lapel flattened and the other popped.
Double up
Can’t decide between two different belts? Wear both. At Prada, snakeskin and glossy belts were styled together, one at hip height, one grazing bellybuttons; while at Hermès, double skinny belts came misaligned.
Adopt the new layering formula
Valentino’s coloured roll necks neatly placed underneath wrinkle-free shirts and topped off with a skinny tie is the new fashion formula to learn. You can use a standard black roll neck, but for a bit more pizzazz, try a blush pink or teal.
Add white socks
For his menswear debut at Gucci, Sabato De Sarno showed chunky loafers with icy-white socks. Try digging out your gym socks. (But pop them on a hot wash first, please!) Warning: this trend carries the risk of looking as if you are wearing an ankle-support bandage.
Get uncoordinated
Prada’s non-identical twin sets are easy to replicate. Just take two opposing colours and … voilà.
Go back to class
Dig out an old university sweatshirt. Grace Wales Bonner, Kenzo, Sacai and Rhude all showed college-inspired sweatshirts and varsity jackets.
Don’t hem yourself in
Instead, just loosely roll trousers up as seen at Lemaire. In fact, ditch the sewing kit altogether. Floor-sweeping coats and puddle-grazing jeans came as standard at Valentino and Louis Vuitton, too.
Tuck and go
Avoid the wind chill and tuck your sleeves into your gloves, as seen at Givenchy and Kenzo.
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