MFL for him - mens fashion blog, trends, shopping

Given the speed with which Balmania has swept the fashion world, it was only a matter of time before we began to see exaggerated shoulder pads on the high street. And now we’ve received an exclusive tip that the self-proclaimed arbiter of male style, Kanye West, has jumped on the trend for his latest movie with a specially commissioned shoulder-pad-tastic jacket by womenswear designer and stylist Romero Bryan.

Bryan has already adopted the Balmain style shoulder in his own clothing, adapting t-shirts for nights out:

“Giving myself wider shoulders makes my waistline appear a lot smaller giving me the perfect V shape body,” says Bryan. “If I ruled the fashion world there would definitely be more shoulder pads!”

The truth is that menswear designers and tailors have a better understanding of the power of the shoulder pad than anyone.

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Hark, men’s fashion is exuding a renewed optimism, with jarring silhouettes and inspired tailoring shaking up tradition. The cummerbund is a case in point. When Stuckey & Murray reinvented the tuxedo’s cummerbund to take on a more detachable utility, I applauded its progressiveness. Since then, I’ve seen the cummerbund take on dizzying new heights in men’s wear courtesy of Marc by Marc Jacobs and Burberry Prorsum.

Conventional use of the cummerbund has been largely confined to formal appearances alongside a dinner jacket. However, Jacobs and Bailey switched formality for exuberance in the form of expressive patterned cummberbunds that would leave Alan Flusser sweating in his boots.

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In comparison to our female counterparts, menswear can be viewed as rigid. To some, the stoic tradition that defines men’s fashion is what keeps things on an even keel. For others, these rigours serve as creative license to unsettle what seems to be the norm. I say all this because I’m noticing a rebel of sorts within menswear that would leave the staunchest traditionalists livid. However, for the longevity of men’s fashion, I think this break with tradition can be healthy. Or maybe not. Well, you be the judge as I share with you some recent avant garde encounters and sightings that had me shook.

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John Legend may have eschewed all levels of style etiquette by venturing out with a suit complete with Wellingtons, but please don’t let his missteps lead you to cast a finicky eye over the trend. Unfortunately Mr. Legend didn’t get the memo, but keeping one’s Wellingtons away from the red carpet is a no−brainer.

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It seems as though designers have found inspiration from the Scottish highlands this season as runways at the Autumn/Winter 2008 shows saw the return of the check.

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