As Autumn finally arrives, some familiar candidates will return to your wardrobes; all weather boots, a warm coat and thick chinos. Thanks to variations in fabrics (and quality) a drop in temperature need not mean a drop in style as the whimsical world of Winter can bring its own style options – which when correctly obeyed can give Summer a run for its money. The trick with style is that ´the devil is in the detail´ and with some great options on the market for this coming A/W´16, achieving a unified, yet interesting look has never been easier.
Stick Your Neck Out
Come December, a credit card bill won´t be the only thing that is hanging around your neck. Aspirational Ateliers such as Dior and Gucci have presented a dazzling (literally, in the case of Gucci) array of neck-chiefs that range from the swinging 60´s cravats, to the more old school Catholic style bow ties. You may love to take inspiration from Alessandro Michele and an oversized pussy bow may look good in the covers of Homme Plus, but it will look less so at any seasonal drinks functions, trust me. The continental tie style (which consists of the piece of black silk that crosses over the front section) is a great compromise between catwalk and Christmas as it allows you to bend the more formal dress codes without breaking them. You can succinctly apply this trend also to your everyday look; Instead of the re-interpreted cravat, try pairing a neckerchief to workwear and utilitarian inspired looks from across the English channel – think Breton stripes, neutral chinos and chore jackets in the simplest of colours and patterns ( to avoid channelling Dexy´s Midnight Runners).
Change Of Key
It´s true, your teenage memories of Byker Grove have been resurrected. Recently, Prada seduced us with an expeditionary themed collection which heavily featured key chains as a look to unlock for this Autumn / Winter. Instead of the 90´s and grunge inspired BMX style chains, Miuccia served us hard leather loops and gold gilded pockets for their sartorial statement pieces. Yes, they do cost a pretty penny, but thanks to the sheer flexibility of their nature, your cost-per-wear ratio can be achieved as they can be worn with practically anything which has a belt loop. Remember also that these chains look visually best when paired with darker denims and workwear.
As with all the stylists’ top tips, this one follows suit – keep things simple. A key chain is a small accessory that can generate big attention and has recently from the likes of Vetements and Justin Bieber who revived this look second time around by leaving their Linkin park hoodies at home.
Supersize Me
Unlike the cult street style choices of WAG´s across the country, the ´man bag´ has never really offered very much of a style selection, until now (and I’m not suggesting that you discreetly covet your other half´s Celine shopper). Instead of blurring baggage boundaries – simply inflate them in the manner that Louis Vuitton and Loewe have successfully done this season by taking the beloved staples of the holdall and backpack and making then supersize for the colder months. These bulbous bags may not be the most commuter friendly accessory you will ever see, but you can still channel the look when you’re out and about. By opting for the more conservative styles such as the classic leather holdall, you can utilise your new found space more discreetly in a travel friendly style thanks to labels such as Herschel which offers variations on a more affordable and wearable range of luggage.
If your passion still veers towards the higher end designer offerings then fear not – Loewe´s luxury lineage feature military slouch backpacks which are available in a more practical size for your more stylish cross city trips on the London underground.
Stick To The Brief
Just as supersized bags are tipped for festive fame, so too is their classic counterpart – the briefcase. From weather beaten luggage at Thom Browne to Louis Vuitton’s infamous monogrammed uniformity, all the top brands spent this season thinking within the box. This style is all about hard cases and luxury hardware which means that your office ready accessories can now put in some off duty hours as well. The trick to achieving this look is versatility; the hard edged Mr Chips briefcases may be tricky to integrate into your everyday look but the more contemporary designed document folders will look equally appropriate on beside desk on under your arm as you navigate the world of business.
The Glad Hatter
It´s time for Pharrell to say good bye to that Vivienne Westwood hat because all the statement headwear that we have been seeing is undergoing a reinvention. At Topman Design the typical beanie hat was supersized, texturized and presented in a series of wools, stripes and ribs; while over at Italian powerhouse Fendi, Red Square met the Happy Mondays no less with fur lined bucket hats. Granted that not all of these looks are the easiest styles to pull off, however it is possible with some care and attention. Fendi´s statement snow hat is safe under the bracket of ´ all things 90´s´ and even although it is to a degree supersized, it is still a more conservative option than Hood By Air´s attempts to rework the Kangol. Plus, by opting for a size down, Topman´s slouch style beanies will allow you to be noticed for the textures and not the cartoon silhouettes ( Noddy, anyone?)