Hot Or Not: Men’s Fashion Turban

Introduction

So this season I’m all over Millinery; from the upward flat peak cap to the Pillbox Pirate hat that’s slowly making appearances on the heads of boundary pushes. I’m even dabbling in those big avant-garde things that provoke such reactions as, “Will the person in the second row please remove the duvet from their head immediately”, or “Is that an entire Sea Gull nesting in your barnet?”.
I don’t know when my fixation for shoes transpired into headwear – maybe it’s down to the fact that my schedule allows me no time at all to coax my hair out of the back-combed birds nest I woke up with. Or perhaps it hasn’t dissipated at all, but merely added to the vast whirlpool of sartorial madness that is my life. My only hang up is that I get the worst headaches when I dabble in millinery. Looks like I’ll be changing my weekly order of Blistease and plasters to a hefty prescription of 4head.
So here it is, my latest love affair – the one that’s really got me foaming at the mouth and chomping at the bit, the Turban. No, that’s not a typo, your eyes aren’t deceiving you.

The Fashion Turban

Brought back into fashion recently due to the incredibly un-remarkable and ever so condescending film that was Sex and the City 2 *shakes head in distaste*, the Turban, in all its glory, has been popping up on peoples heads in the last year and quite speedily became a staple piece of headwear for any girls wardrobe.
The Turban in fact was originally brought into fashion for western women in the early 19th century and then again in late 1910 by Paul Poiret, (the self proclaimed king of fashion and the first ever couturier) due to his fascination with Orientalism. The Turban or wrap hat went on to become one of the most worn head garments of the 1920s.
OK fashion history lesson over.
Let me get back to the point. Last week I was perusing the sartorial happenings on the streets, blogs and such like, when it suddenly dawned on me that a large amount of apparel savvy guys are starting to wear Turbans within their outfits. What was even more surprising was how good they looked even with a basic, loose fit t-shirt and jeans ensemble.
The Spring/Summer 11 runways saw fashion forward designers such as Carolyn Massey incorporate the Turban and head wrap into their future collection – and as Massey works so closely with Topman I foresee the Turban becoming men’s fashion headwear of choice, come next Spring. No doubt it’ll be dubbed the ‘Turbman’ for those that need extra some reassurance that it is now truly a MAN’s garment…

My Experience

To test the still murky water I decided I would give the turban a spin, coincidently my bird’s nest of a barnet was really in a state of disrepair that morning so it was happy days all round really. I decided not to cheat and buy a ready wrapped Turban but instead try my hand at wrapping it myself. It just so happens that a good friend of mine spent some time travelling the middle east a few years ago and treated me to a turban wrapping lesson on her return, so I was semi confident I could achieve my desired swathe. The best and easiest thing of all was that I just used a previously abandoned, starched crinkle scarf I had lying around.
With my Turban tying a success and my head wrapped tighter than my sisters Christmas gift wrapping, I made in the direction of Oxford Street. Let me tell you, the reception was amazing. People smiled… and if you travel around London often, you’ll know that’s not a regular. People held doors for me, yet another act Londoners don’t exercise willingly. And lastly, I got street papped twice.
So the verdicts in, and I love it. At last, a use for the thousands of unwanted scarves dotted randomly around my entire wardrobe. If that doesn’t swing it, think of the extra time in bed now you don’t have to spend an hour fixing your doo.

Editor Addition: Turban Tying

Without trying (or wanting) to offend any Religion or foreign customs, I went searching on Youtube for an instruction video for tying a turban/head wrap and found quite a simple and effective one which I thought made it quite easy to do. Of course this is NOT traditional and NOT the correct way to do it for faith or religion, she does NOT use the correct item – instead using a simple scarf like Jacob was mentioning above in his article. So maybe you can give it a go at home now and let us know the results:
Like I said, this is not a traditional video, but one that can help you make use of your scarves at home. There are however hundreds of videos on Youtube showing you how to do it using traditional methods and items, should you wish to view them.

Hot or Not?

So what are your thoughts on the whole turban trend:

• Something you could pull off?
• How would you wear it?
• Never to be heard from again?
• Not enough designers/high street shops will push it?
• The big trend in headwear next year?

We want to know what you think in the comments below!

Scarf Picks For Turban Tying

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Men’s Spring/Summer Fashion Trend: Soft Tailoring

Introduction

The turn of a new year is an opportunity to add yet another rule to living.
Any edict affixed will be one spoke about in utter disregard come the time spring has sprung Mayfair into your left jacket pocket.
Let’s say that 2011 is the year of – but is not left to – chance.
A set or a series of circumstances that allow you to change every nuance of your one man show. If the rule you already plan to break can’t involve the abstinence of nicotine adoration, make it a labour to improve.
Perhaps it’s a good thing you already plan to break your rule because ‘Be yourself’ is about the worst advice you can give to some people.

Moving into SS11

The spring/summer months are conjoined by name but apart in their necessitate. The confident man will give a barber the least amount of worry as he will sit in the chair – mirror facing – point straight forward and say, “make me look like him”. It’s the type of sanguine discourse that needs to follow in your preparation for the months ahead.
The trends that emerge preceding any removal of coats often fluctuate around the concept of a ‘like-clockwork’ variable. Colour, cut, lines, texture, print…you get the clichéd idea.
I could bet my bottom Christmas giftcard every year off the back of tailoring. Last year saw tailored shorts usher us into the short suit (often greeted by the unexpected wearer). In the spring and in the summer of the oh-11 we’ll be taking on a trend that won’t be put off until the pins are suitably displayed.

Men’s SS11 Fashion Trend: Soft tailoring

Soft tailoring – sometimes referred to as relaxed tailoring – is the dumbing down of suit. The reason I choose to call it soft, rather than relaxed, is to avoid causing relaxed attitudes. Designers this season won’t be pushing exact fit on you, in fact, exactly the opposite.
Creases and folds look good on a man; call your suit Clooney if it helps at all. Suits erring around your frame rather than dragging on the floor is still a cardinal sin so don’t take it into your own hands. Cheap(er) suits flocked to market like sheep a good few seasons and many FashionBeans posts ago.
The high street in SS11 will be daring you to dabble in suits that act less like a suit. Jackets that slouched where their Mummas told them not to. And trousers that fancy saying F-U, I’m off work today.
They’ll be ushering you to go off-kilter with your pairing. Relaxed-fitting suits are to be paired with jersey basics and carefully considered accessories. The shock horror when a Sheppard (metaphoric, sorry farmers) decided he wasn’t a sheep and paired his blazer with a t-shirt soon died down after the gaspers soon realised… it looks bloody good! Spring and summer of this year is about making the gaspers gasp once again for a further five minutes.
The structured blazer against the rough grain of a t-shirt is to be replaced. Rough all round.
We’re taking your prim and proper suit, and making it dirty. Something you feel required to take on a weekend away just so your wife doesn’t meet her.

Soft Tailoring on Lookbook:

The looks featured on lookbook.nu, and the ones at the end of this piece*, are still using structured blazers as part of their dress up to dress down. It won’t be until the spring/summer collections drop at the close of February and the come around of March that lookbookers will be flocking to show off their relaxed tailored finds. Take from the pictures their ability to guise the stiff structure with neutral colour pallets, styling and accessories.

When attempting this in the sprung spring, keep in mind the need not to over-bundle yourself up top. The attraction of the trend is the ‘I don’t give a f*ck-ness’ so a relaxed blazer with a snood, with a low-hang chain, with a broach, with a pocket square and with your wayfarers (or nearest relevance) hanging off of the cuff might be a little too much. Don’t you think? No? Come back in a few months.

Trend Secret: Linen Suits

The secret behind every menswear buyer’s lips is the linen suit. Now not all may be picking this up just yet, but the ones who have are telling you about it with a wink and a nudge. The linen suit is the traditional man’s summer stitch. Far from what is popularly believed, it’s not a busman’s holiday.
The material is what is going to be behind making this trend accessible throughout that summer we all predict/hope for/result in dismay over. Linen is made from the fibres of a plant. Serial dress-god, Hardy Amies describes it as having “a distinctive smooth shiny surface and keeps it pretty well throughout its life”.
Linen is the lightweight alternative when it comes to opposing the heavy gauge of traditional suits. The breathable material is one that is not only suited for summer but also for the trend. It creases with more class than just being creased and with each crease you get your own unique style.
Often found in America (with awful pleated pants), these suits are going to be the one to watch on the English high street. Opt out of the expected beige and stone colours seen over the pond and put a stamp on British fashion by going as bold or as slick as you like.

Dressing down your suit:

Going into this style, you’re always going to be compared with the wall of truth that people have been dressing down the blazer for years going from one extreme to the next, so aren’t you just the next stepping-stone in the process?
This trend is not about pushing a previous, but an effort to create a new one. We’re not to go over your attempt at the Mona-Lisa that is so bad it’s blasphemous. We’ve gone and brought a new canvas and locked the liquor cupboard.
The laid back approach to franticly compiling this look is what makes it so uneasyful. What I mean by making absolutely no sense at all (and throwing in the occasional made up word) is that you cannot be seen to give a sh*t.
The basic levelling of rules applies as ever.

• Where layering is concerned keep pieces thinner towards the skin.
• Don’t outshine, steal the thunder of or rain on the parade of your focus. If your main piece is your creased and wrinkled blazer don’t add the entire contents collected by the forty-thieves.
• Play with breaking the suits colours, dressing up, dressing down, over-sizing (under-sizing not so much) because it’s a playful trend. If you take it seriously, you’re suddenly wearing a suit and if you do it half heartedly, you’re wearing a suit badly.

Our vaudeville heritage means the British like showing off, but we don’t like to be seen to show off. As with any trend, it’s a façade of how you want to be perceived with how you’re dressed for the day. Here are a few FashionBeans compiled lookbooks to not giving a sh*t – while actually giving many – through the tailoring trend of SS2011. *

Look Book

Look 1:

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Look 3:

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Thank you for reading this post, feel free to get involved below and let me know whether you agree or disagree with this story. Do you like the products selected? Have anything extra you would like to add? Add your comments and make yourself heard!

High Fashion Report – Meggings

Meggings

Early last week I took a visit to the London College of Fashion and I have to admit, I felt incredibly inferior on arrival. After all, these young, avant-garde and incredibly tall creatures are the next generation of the fashion industry. If that’s not enough intimidation to cause your senses to collapse into a puddle of gibbering goo, there’s always the fact that some of the student-fashionistas make Lady Gaga look like another high-street window shopper.
The major trend I spotted circulating amongst the boys was meggings or man-leggings teamed with huge, loose fit, cotton Tees. It seems the skinny jean has been given the boot and replaced by a whole new level of skinniness. I must admit that I do love this look: it’s simple, easy, and practical, being that most of these boys spend a lot of their time in a studio. The downside: all of these guys were very tall and very slim and I definitely think it’s a trend only to be donned by the long legged “iron-board-boys”
OK, I know this trend has been ridiculed more often than Hitler but (this is where I get on my ‘Fashion Equality’ high horse) if certain girls can go out in skin tight jumpsuits, badly crafted from cheap net curtains, with nothing but two plasters keeping them dignified and lawful, then us boys can wear spray-on-tight leggings. However, oversized upper wear is essential. No one needs to see your (in the words of my Nan) meat and two veg clad in shiny, skin-tight spandex. Ever! *ahem* moving on.

One of the forecasted trends for next season’s menswear is Man-leggings under shorts. Cargo, denim even micro-suit shorts. When I first saw this future trend, I couldn’t help thinking I had seen it before. After a short while I discovered why. In 2007 Sam Sparro wore ripped, denim shorts over new-rave print Meggings in one of his music videos. In fact I think he debuted digital print leggings way before they hit the shelves of PRI-MARNI and went global, but I think it’s only in the last couple of seasons that menswear has acquired this new element of fun and that’s why it is catching now and didn’t three years ago.

I have also seen guys wearing Man-leggings as part of an uber-skinny suit or with the oversized, low-cut T and blazer ensemble. In-fact the Senior Commissioning Editor of British GQ recently conducted a personal experiment and decided to don a pair of black sequined leggings conjured up by Belgian designer Martin Margiela as part of a casual day suit.

“the response was fantastic. This must be how an X Factor winner feels the morning after the vote. Pretty girls smiled, tourists stopped me for a shoulder-hugging snap, builders wolf-whistled and colleagues cheered (mostly).”

I think he looks awesome [Below far right], and if he strolled into my office I would definitely be a cheerer. I mean come on it’s so much more fun than wearing black suit pants:

I haven’t yet ventured into the world that is the megging, not through any intention to avoid it but for the pure fact that I can’t seem to find a pair of shoes that don’t make me look like I’m just about to go water skiing… maybe it’s also a trend just for guys with small feet? [I think the meggings pushed up under shorts shown above would be the way round this? Ed]

Men’s High Fashion Report – Corsetry

Editor Note: Today is a two part report on what is going on within the world of men’s high fashion. Now I know these will definitely not appeal to everyone who comes here to read this site, but there are masses of males all across the world who wear avant garde and high fashion garments on a daily basis. If you love fashion as much as I do, then you should still enjoy seeing everything that is happening within it, whether you agree with it or not. We live in a world of narrow minded individuals and I think we should all open our minds to new ideas and styles. Enjoy guys…

So this is an item that’s beginning to trend in the high fashion world, one that I expect you all to start wearing, *ahem* The Male Corset.
Yes that’s right, whale-boned, rib-crushing, corsets. It took women hundreds of years to be relieved from the crippling pain of corsetry only for it to pass over
into men’s fashion. However we’re not talking Mr Pearl severity.
The male corset is a trend that the late Alexander McQueen began to create, and is now slowly taking flight.

The Trend Setters

AW10 saw John Galliano take very feminine, satin corsets and place them over masculine tailored suits, giving a sort of 1950′s bondage effect. However not all male corsetry looks are so reaction provoking, most looks have maintained the corset idea but adapted it for a more feasible look; one which I predict will catch on in high street menswear.
Giuliano Fujiwara placed belts over knitted, girder style corsets. Snug however not exaggeratedly cinched, keeping the outfit masculine and dark.
For A/W 10 Lanvin has teamed belted waists with oversized, knitted cardigans and tees, whilst Damir Doma used the same cinched waist over voluptuous layers, again creating that modern twist on the 40′s and 50′s silhouette:

I spotted this look in a window display last summer, and a few guys at London Fashion Week teamed oversized trenches with wide leather waist belts. I can see this filtering down to the high street, seeing as Topman has already introduced dressing gown style wrap cardigans into their menswear collections.
Raf Simons, created harness-like belts, wrapped around nautical, minimal suits in keeping with the clashing of contradictory eras look. I wear something similar to this style, it is very simple yet effective (in fact, I use leather bracelets to create a mock-harness):

Comme Des Garcons, who normally creates quite theatrical designs, has produced a sort of waistcoat slash life jacket. Keeping the waist band in the same style and colour as the rest of the suit but with the addition of life jacket style, plastic buckles for fastening.

Obviously I don’t really expect you to start crushing your ribs to the point of oxygen deprivation and some will even find this trend absolutely ludicrous. But you can easily see how this may filter down into our favourite high street stores. I think the commercial variation we will see are belted, chunky knit cardigans and coats. Although a modern take on the professional suit would be a nice change, practicality will probably prevent us from wearing a cinched waist in the office all day. A heavy lunch could prove fatal!
I personally wouldn’t mind losing a couple of ribs and a bit of oxygen for one of those John Galliano pieces.

The Finishing Touch

Picture this: you are stood in the middle of a glistening department store, surrounded by heritage tweed jackets, softly draping shirts, strong tailored blazers, casual printed tees and polished leather shoes. But do you notice the paisley print socks in the corner, the silk pocket square sat next to the shirts or the leather bound notebook on the counter?
I think it’s true to say that, when confronted with such a wide and diverse selection of pieces to wear, we can often become distracted by more stand out, statement garments such as the shirt, jacket or trousers. However, in doing so, we miss out on utilising the impact of those finer details, the finishing touches that can turn a good outfit into a great, well thought out look.

The Sock

The trend for rolled up trousers has been on the fashion radar for a few seasons now and, whilst many of us are making the step to lose those extra few centimetres, we often forget that this leaves us open to a whole new area of attention; the sock. An afterthought and bi-product of dazed draw fumbling for many a man, the sock, when utilised correctly, can bring together key sections of an outfit and reinforce the colour scheme of a look. There are 3 main ways in which to style the sock:

1. Matching accessories – A tip once whispered by our very own Ashley Cover and one that works best with brighter colours. Matching your socks with your belt, as opposed to your trousers or shoes, can add that extra pop of colour and draws attention to the lower half of your body. This look is best paired with simple, neutral coloured trousers.
2. The patterned sock – Especially handy in to liven up a simple outfit, patterned socks in complimenting colours can offer a fun and interesting element to a relaxed outfit. However, I use the word ‘patterned’ to mean paisley, zig zag or spotted and in no way do I endorse the wearing of garish shapes or favoured cartoon characters.
3. Colour Pop – Bright, contrasting socks can really draw focus to footwear and add a much needed flash of colour to a look. Use this tip sparingly and avoid clashing two opposing bright colours together.

Length of the sock is a matter of choice but as a rule you should ensure your sock always meets your hem. We can do without any unnecessary flashes of leg hair.

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The Pocket Square

So, we’ve established that socks are more than just a black and white area, literally, but the finishing touches don’t stop there. One of my favourite accessories is sadly one which has gone into declined amongst the modern man, the elusive pocket square. A Pocket squares provide a touch of gentlemanly swarve and is the perfect accompaniment to a crisp white shirt or classic tweed blazer. If wearing with a white shirt, opt for a contrasting brighter shade to give a hint of colour amongst a chest of white. On the other hand, if wearing with a tweed or coloured jacket, be sure to choose a complimenting colour or pattern, perhaps in a shade lighter or darker, to avoid overcomplicating things. Both Vintage stores and Ebay are a great source of pocket squares, particularly those of the patterned variety.

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Everyday Items

Whilst socks and pocket squares may put you on the right track to adding that something extra to an outfit, what about the everyday items we never even knew could be used as fashion accessories? Like many people, working in fashion I am bound to be carrying my notebook and diary 24/7. But who says I can’t use this to my advantage? There is nothing worse than seeing a well dressed man carry a tatty paper-bound notepad and, in a time when the man clutch debate is at its height, carrying a diary or notebook can offer a midpoint between style and femininity.

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So, next time you open your wardrobe or walk into a store, take a second to think about how you could work some of the finer details into a look. After all, it’s the little things that make and big difference. And who says you have to stop here? You could think about broaches, tie pins, belt buckles… The list is endless, as are the possibilities.