Aon! Black

By Owen Moss-Proctor
Everyone has a dark side.
No matter how we may try and hide it we still know it's there.
I invite you to show your dark side and follow the lead of Aon! Black for their autumn/winter collection…

‘Dark Dark Dark’

The collection is urbanized by light gothic styling, dark colours and an appetising black sense of style.

The brand was established in 2004, following in the roots of the brands predecessor, Army of No. Since then Aon! Black has not lost its military mantra and dedication to urban fashion and street wear. Apart from unique prints and styling, Aon! Black's garments are noticed due to their high sense of quality; each piece from the collection is charily crafted and a limited edition.

For this collection, Aon! Black continue to thrive in the world of street wear. Using their knowledge of gothic taste, they use a slightly darker more macabre edge to create innovative and clear pieces. Their 10 prominent graphic prints are available in vintage black & reversible black/white.

The brand also pride themselves on exclusivity. There are only 150 of each design, made to sell across the globe in the finest stores. Each individual t-shirt is given a number, to treasure that individuality.

So follow Aon! Black and myself, as we invite you to take a walk on the darker side of fashion by wearing ‘Dark Dark Dark’.

Visit Aon! Black at www.aonblack.com

Follow Owen's blog www.mossproctor.bogspot.com.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Mansnaps.com is just TWO weeks away from launch so make sure you keep in the loop with all the latest information by following us on Facebook!

This weeks top three picks from the high st embrace the current print trend.

This African print t-shirt is perfect for the Global Traveller look. It's an easy print to wear with jeans or chinos as well as chino shorts. If you're brave then mix with printed shorts. Check out Mansnaps contributor Owen Moss-Proctor editorial post for ideas!

Forever 21 offer affordable fashion had this vest is a prime example. The colour block print is a versatile piece, it will look great with shorts on the beach or layered under a shirt. Also the dark colour way will make it transitional through autumn as a layering piece.

I am in love with these paisley print shorts! If you're looking for something a little bit different this summer then these are perfect. Reasonably priced and a great style, these shorts will work well for print blocking or with a plain t-shirt or vest.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

It's not long now until the new Mansnaps website launches, so be sure to follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news and info on the launch!

This weeks picks of the week, come courtesy of All Saints! It's not often that I dedicate all three picks of the week from one retailer but I think this is very deserved. I was pleasantly surprised to discover colour, lots of colour, when I visited their store recently! All Saints is now so well known for being home to grey, beige and black that I was overwhelmed by their current collection. Pastel colours, light wash denims and cool prints are very much the order of the day. Don't get me wrong, All Saints style is still rugged and industrial but it's now available in a summer friendly colour palette.

First up is this colourful tourist print t-shirt. Whilst it isn't the same tourist prints you'll see in Topman or River Island, All Saints have adapted the trend without compromising their brand identity. I think the colours are really fresh and current and the beauty of not having a New York skyscraper print is that this t-shirt will be able to live past the current trend.

If you didn't know already, printed short sleeve shirts are EVERYWHERE. Aztec, Hawaiian, 80's and everything in between can be seen printed onto short sleeve shirts across the high st right now. Again, All Saints have adapted the trend to fit their own style and the end result is something quirky and easy to wear.

I originally featured this jacket in a post about denim jackets a few weeks ago. Now that their spring/summer collection is in full bloom in store, I'm loving this jacket even more. It's a great fit and although the £95 price tag might seem steep compared to some of the alternatives on the high st, the quality is worth every penny!

TAXONOMY AT TOPMAN

Topman have the best turn around of fashion trends of any other men's retailer at the moment. They manage to quickly translate catwalk trends and either sell them through their own brand(s) or sign up new labels for capsule collections.

Whilst some new labels have a great premise or niche, often I'm disappointed by the final collection. Thankfully, Taxonomy's first collection has left me wanting more. Made up of six printed t-shirts, the collection has a classic, vintage feel creating Hawaiian prints that are wearable and affordable with prices just over £20 each.

I'm looking forward to seeing where the label goes next.

Here's what Topman have to say about the exciting new brand:

"A new London based brand, inspired by the big wide world. We aim to achieve better - right down the finest details; Harmoniously blending modern trends, tradtional imagery and contemporary print, to bring you a truly unique premium garment that we know you’ll love! Say aloha to classic surfer style this season with our traditional tropical prints - Cool yet casual."

UNION JACK PRINTS

Rule Britannia!
The upcoming Queen's Jubilee and Olympics have resulted in a surge of patriotism across the high st. Union Jack prints are on literally everything, from t-shirts and vests to plates and bunting.

In recent years, the Union Jack print has been more commonly associated with British "Chav" culture which for the style conscious male, isn't the ideal advert. The time has come however to wipe the slate clean and where your blue, white and red with as much enthusiasm as the stars and stripes we see, season upon season in our stores.

As we start to build bridges with the Union Jack print there must be a degree of caution with your outfit choice, the last thing you want is to be branded a "Chav". So, it should go without saying that unless you are part of Team GB in the Olympics, avoid wearing sportswear with your Union Jack print. Certainly take inspiration from the Olympics but aim for a more "sports luxe" look mixing chinos, shorts with hoodies rather than jogging bottoms.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

Prints are big news right now. Whilst printed trousers and shorts are harder to pull off for the everyman, prints are accessible to every man.

With this in mind, this weeks top three items from the high st offer three very different printed tops.

Reverse prints are a big look right now and work particularly well with Aztec and Hawaiian prints. By printing on the inside of the item it creates a washed out look which is perfect for those of you not bold enough to wear the trends. This reverse print Aztec vest from Burton is ideal for spring/summer as it can be worn under shirts or on its own on the beach.

Bold, graphic prints are only for the brave. I love this longline banana print t-shirt from Horace at ASOS. It's really quirky and is certainly different to any other print I've seen on the high st.

Every time I see gold, turquoise and blue together on a print I immediately think of Versace and this beauty from Zara is no different. I love the vintage look to the print, I think it's a great 'every day' t-shirt. It's something than you can throw on with jeans, chinos or shorts for an instant style boost.

TOPMAN LTD - COLONIAL

Following on from 'Sportsday' comes Colonial, phase two of Topman Ltd's spring collection.

Colonial is a mixture of statement prints and patterns with a transitional colour palette of blues, burgundy and mustard. The collection feels like a natural move on from Sportsday with some of the key staples like the coloured shorts and peg leg trousers allowing you to mix between the two looks.

Here are some of my favourite pieces from the collection.