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.
Spring is on our doorstep and the high st is gearing up for warmer times ahead with shorts and t-shirts starting to fill the stores.
The 'Global Traveller' look is really starting to build now with Aztec prints, backpacks, wovens and moccasins being the key pieces to look out for.
Two of my picks from the high st this week will sit perfectly into the 'Global Traveller' look and the third pick is from the trend which is showing no signs of stopping, the tourist print.
I love the t-shirts from Pull and Bear. Not only do they produce great prints which fit perfectly but they are so affordable. This tourist print is a cool take on the trend and a nice change to the usual New York skyline prints which have dominated the high st.
You have to give Burton credit. This season they are flexing their fashion muscles and proving that Arcadia has two menswear brands to be proud of. This Aztec print hoodie is a great up style for this seasons most versatile piece and it's perfect for the 'Global Traveller' look.
I need these woven shoes in my life! The colour and leather will look great with ikat shirts, Aztec prints and chino shorts. If ASOS is reading, I'll have mine in a size 9! Thanks!
Mansnaps has been featured in Republic's blog, The Edit.
I created two looks for Republic's readers featuring their Soul Cal Aztec lined gilet. The first look incorporates the gilet into the 'Global Traveller' look that I posted about earlier in the week. The second look is called 'Winter Sports Luxe'. This is taking inspiration from the upcoming Olympics and using bold primary colours to create a statement.
The look, which I am calling 'Global Traveller' has been building for some time. I first mentioned Aztec prints in the beginning of January and since then they have been all over the high st. Not that I'm claiming to be responsible for it's success, more pleasantly surprised. I was initially cautious to post about Aztec prints as some of the styles have been quite wild, which for menswear, never usually translates into mainstream success. Although, I think that the growing popularity of fairisle every A/W and the introduction to Navajo prints earlier on in the season have paved the way for this Global Traveller look.
The look is made up of lots of elements and is slighty complex, more so than the nautical look for instance. The key pieces for this look are Aztec prints, moccasins, backpacks, woven (belts, shoes, accessories) and Ikat shirts. Ikat is a dyeing technique (similar to tie-dye) which uses a resist dyeing process. This technique results in creating amazing prints with an ethnic feel.
I will be approaching this look with the word 'balance' in mind. Whilst I would love to be able to throw together an Ikat shirt with some Aztec shorts, woven moccasins and a backpack and look instantly amazing, sadly I know that this won't be the case. Instead, I will try and create balance by wearing my Aztec/Ikat prints with a basic and use accessories and colour to give the look a global feel.
ASOS are launching their new trend 'Laurel Canyon' soon and this image is a great example of how to wear the look.
‘ASOS have been heavily influenced by 70s west coast America for SS12, resulting in a range of psychedelic ikat shirts. The shirts are washed to give an authentic look and feel, a key element of our Laurel Canyon Trend’ Marty Thorne MW designer.
Here are some Global Traveller pieces available on the high st now.
It's fair to say that low cost air travel isn't always as low cost as it may seem. Whilst the cost for your seat might be reasonable, some of the additional charges and taxes aren't.
I love to travel abroad and I'm always lured in by the adverts of return flights to exciting European cities for under £20. Yet by the time I get to the payment screen the price has doubled, if not tripled. And the one charge I always begrudgingly pay is for check-in baggage. Not that I don't want the extra kilos (believe me I do), its just that the cost attached for the privilege is extortionate.
A friend of mine tweeted at me a couple of weeks ago with the only solution to to avoiding check-in baggage costs, hand luggage.
Never one to shy away from a challenge, I started thinking about what I would pack for a seven night stay in Spain using hand luggage. I excluded toiletries and sun lotion as I'd buy them at the destination to allow maximum room for clothes!
My top tips for packing for a hand luggage holiday are:
1. Plan your outfits. I always lay out my tops and match my trousers or shorts to ensure I have outfit options. There's no point packing your favourite shirt, if you have nothing to wear with it. Also, try and wear the bulkiest items on the journey.
2. Pack versatile pieces. It's important to have a good mix of basics and patterns to ensure you can mix and match the things that you pack.
3. Contingencies. Although your space is tight, try and make sure you have packed more tops than you have the number of days you are staying. This is to cover any unplanned activities or accidents.
Whenever I go on a summer holiday I always pack too many footwear options! I always kid myself that I will be able to comfortably wear gladiator sandals around the city but the truth is, I usually wear them on the first day, burn my feet and can't wear them again because the straps rub against the sunburn. So what I have now learnt is that I spend the majority of my summer holidays wearing flip flops. Comfortable, great for the beach and the city and you can wear them with anything. I also always take a pair of shoes for the flight and for going out at night. There's nothing worse than getting off the plane on your journey home to wet weather when you're wearing flip flops. Trust me, those aircraft steps are a hazard in the rain.
For a seven night, hand luggage holiday I would take three pairs of shorts. I love mixing prints through tops and shorts so I would pack one plain pair that I could wear with print tops and one patterned pair I could wear with plain tops. When I'm on holiday I prefer to explore the place I'm visiting rather than stay by the beach everyday so one pair of swim shorts would be enough for me. I love these bright orange ones inspired by the S/S collection from DSquared2.
If you're going somewhere like Spain then you are almost guaranteed sunshine and warm weather so unless you are incredibly unlucky, you should be spending most of your time in shorts. Personally, I never like to fly in shorts as I always get cold. So these chinos are a great travel and evening wear option.
I can not go on holiday to a hot climate country without a selection of vests. I think that slub vests are the most comfortable thing to wear during the day and look cool on the beach or when you're off exploring. The loose fit means that they keep you cool and if you haven't had time to hit the gym, they won't show you up. I always try and pack a selection of different prints from a selection of trends to try and create a different look each day.
With t-shirts I always try to include a few basics to wear with the patterned shorts and also as layering pieces for your shirts.
I never usually pack many shirts as I find them too restrictive to wear when the weather is hot. It's good to have a little selection though for daytime and evening wear.
This hoodie is perfect for travelling. It's lightweight and it will keep you warm during the flight. Plus it's always good to have jacket incase the weather takes a turn for the worse or the nights get cold.
Sunglasses and a straw trilby are a must have for a summer holiday, they're both essential for sun protection. I always carry or wear my hat on board as packing it usually ruins it and I hang my sunglasses from my t-shirt.
