Only for the Daring: How to Wear Printed Trousers

Tops, left to right: J.Crew Navy Pocket T-Shirt, Rag & Bone Slim Blazer,

J.Crew Chambray Shirt, NN.07 Loopback Sweatshirt. All at Mr Porter.

Trousers, left to right: Levi's Camo-Print Trousers at SSENSE, Rake Checked trousers at MatchesFashion.com,

AMI Striped Trousers at Mr Porter, Valentino Printed Trousers at SSENSE.

Prints are everywhere this season. From shirts to backpacks, hats, blazers and even suits it's pretty much impossible to escape them. I, for one, am a bit fan of prints in general, though I will admit I rarely dare to wear them. It took me a while to wrap my head around camo so once I did I felt like the edgiest person ever. This season I'm considering the printed trouser, which is perhaps the one that requires the most guts. Whereas it's a bold colour accompanying a classic print or an out-there print in a classic colour, you need to make sure you wear them the right way. By pairing printed trousers with classic cuts in subtle colours you allow the print to stand out while toning it down – bringing an  outlandish element into your comfort zone.
I have chosen some of my favourite printed trousers this season and some of the classic pieces they should be worn with to follow Daniel Radcliffe's perfect example of how prints should be worn.

Most Stylish of the Week: Ashton Kutcher's & Jason Sudeikis Double Hit

After last week's great week in style I was afraid this past one would be much slower. But I couldn't have been more wrong.
I am yet to be convinced of Ashton Kutcher's skills in his portrayal of Steve Jobs but if there's one thing the actor's got down is his style. My favourite of his two best looks this week is a navy Rag & Bone suit, which he wore with a Pickwick & Weller white t-shirt half tucked in. These alone would have been a great call so when you add a printed pocket square, orange belt and tan lace-ups the result is what is (possibly) the best look of the week. A few days earlier Ashton had rung the New York Stock Exchange bell in a Burberry number. I loved the maroon suit, which looked classic but very much stylish paired with a lavender shirt and a striped tie that tied together both colours perfectly.
I hope I can be as sharp and cool as Jason Sudeikis when I grow up. This week the actor made a few appearances around NYC. The first, in a great casual-and-smart look I couldn't identify more with. He gave it his own personal spin with a pair of baby blue 'Do The Right Thing' Air Jordan 3 retro sneakers. Day later he dropped by the Jay Leno show and nailed a more classic tailored look. I am specially keen on the tie clip and the socks.
James Marsden seems to be on a roll. This week he wore a Dolce & Gabbana brown suit with a micro print contrast shirt. I think the fit of the trousers is simply perfect, though I wish he would have gone for more interesting accessories.
Debuting this week on the Most Stylish of the Week is Liev Schreiber. The actor attended the premiere of 'The Butler' in a navy suit cut with absolute precision for his shape. I like the fact that he avoided wearing a tie and how he used tan leather accessories. If you are going to go for such a classic look you better make sure everything fits like a glove.
Gabriel Mann always dresses well for his public appearances and, what's most important, he tries different things. I wouldn't say this look is a go-to for anyone but it works great on him. The key to pulling off a bow-tie in a subtle way is to make sure the colour isn't loud and the shape never reaches your jacket's lapels.

JustJared, Getty

How to Wear Neon Sneakers, by Harry Styles

When I bought my black pair of Nike Free Run +3 shoes a few months ago I went for such a boring classic colour because I couldn't figure out in my mind how to wear neon details without looking like the traffic police. Instead, I went for the bolder version of the New Balance Backpack sneakers I wanted, which I can add to pretty much any outfit I wear.
This week Harry Styles was spotted out in New York City in a pair of the same Nike Free Run +3 in neon yellow. The signer paired them up with his signature black skinny jeans rolled up, a plain white tee and a striped green shirt. The great thing about the casual look is that it elevated the shoes from sportswear to a more urban feel keeping the outfit modern and interesting.
Sadly, I could only find the shoes available online at ebay but I'm sure you might still be able to find them at stores before the sales finish.

Get the look: River Island shirt available at ASOS, Rag & Bone shirt available at

MatchesFashion.com, Nudie Jeans skinny jeans available at Mr Porter.

Shopping the Mr Porter Sale Inspired by 'Risky Business'

I couldn't believe myself when last week I decided to watch 'Risky Business' for the first time and absolutely loved it. It's not just a great fun coming of age story of kids in the 80's but also a brilliant lesson in style, which seems to perfectly matches with today's offering of menswear fashion. We have transformed 80's basics into contemporary classics we simply can't live without.
Coinciding with the launch of the Mr Porter Sale this week, I decided to find pieces inspired by 'risky Business' keeping in mind any of these buys should be go-to pieces anytime of the year.

First up, the perfect classic blazer. You might have bought it as a two-piece suit for work or formal occasions but have you thought of cooling it up with a basic tee and sunnies for the weekend?

Below: Rag & Bone unstructured cotton blazer, NN.07 chalk-stripe blazer, Acne sunglasses.

Raglan-sleeved t-shirts and sweatshirts have made such a comeback any of us have more than a few in our wardrobe. They're perfect for lounging, doing exercise and looking cool and casual at dinner.

Below: Orlebar Brown sweatshirt, James Perse baseball tee.

I see such atrocities committed with polo shirts. Most men either go too basic or too crazy. The best option when going for a pattern is to keep it simple and modern with a dash of retro. A slim fit is recommended – if you can pull it off.

Below: Junya Watanabe striped polo, Michael Bastian striped cotton-jersey polo,
Canali striped polo.

Now, bomber/baseball/varsity jackets have been around for a while now and even though all sorts of 'cool kids' have claimed them as theirs there are endless luxurious chic options they can't afford or pull off but we can (...?)

Below: Sandro slim quilted varsity jacket, Levi's Vintage suede bomber jacket.

Just like with polo shirts, most men seem to struggle finding nice patterns for jumpers. My rule is to never go for more than 3 strong colours at a time or for too many gimmicks. 

Below: Rag & Bone striped linen-knit jumper, A.P.C. striped jumper.

He's fly: Zac Efron, Part II

JustJared

I love following the style progress of celebrities. You might remember how my first ever He's fly post on Fashion, Frankly was about Zac Efron. I was then in awe of his Spring/Summer looks around the time when he attended the Maui Film Festival in 2010. He sticks to the classics but he picks garments that are individually interesting yet still versatile enough to be combined in many ways.
Over a year later, he's stuck to his own rules but stepped it up in terms of sophistication. This time I want to admire the looks he's been wearing for his latest press tour in the UK. He's always at his best when he travels.
He arrived in Heathrow channeling a bit of Ryan Gosling with a slim pair of grey chinos, a printed blue tee and a pair of brown lace-ups. He made these cool with a shearling lined leather jacket, some funky socks and a Louis Vuitton keepall travel bag. For the rest of his time in London he donned similar trousers in light brown a slightly shiny chambray shirt and a pair of dark brown leather brogue boots. He then played around with these, to which he added a burgundy chunky cardigan –a look he later wore too to fly out of Heathrow. My favourite look was the one he wore to his Radio 1 interview –a pair of dark jeans, a brown and blue checked shirt and the super cool leather jacket.

I went on to find similar items from Mr Porter for a 'Zac Efron, get the look' kind of thing. I love all the items I found as they're very much after my own heart.

1. Maison Martin Margiela shearling lined leather jacket @ Mr Porter, 2. Louis Vuitton Keepall 55 bag, 3. Gant Rugger button down chambray shirt @ Mr Porter, 4. Rag & Bone slim leg cotton chinos @ Mr Porter, 5. Mark McNairy full gran leather boots @ Mr Porter.

Andrew Garfield wears that Rag & Bone varsity jacket...

JustJared, Mr Porter

I first fell in love with this Rag & Bone varsity jacket (available at Mr Porter) when I saw it on Mr Porter's Editor-in-Chief Jeremy Langmead during menswear day at London Fashion Week. I loved the smart-meets-casual feel it has and how interesting its mixture of textures –wool front and back, leather sleeves and knit hems, collar and cuffs.
This weekend Andrew Garfield, one of the best dressed guys at the moment, was spotted in New York wearing it with burgundy corduroy trousers (which I have!) and a checked shirt. It would never fit me that well but I am thinking of giving this look another go this week with my April Records trousers, my Zara black and grey varsity jacket and a neutral shirt underneath. I'll keep you posted on my progress.