When party season hits - it won’t be long - we often forget about our dancing feet. For something simple and fashionable opt for a dose of sparkle in the sock department. Lurex or ‘Glitter’ socks add a Michael Jackson element to your shoe and look great particularly with slip on loafers and cropped trousers. Gucci pioneered the look with their logo lurex socks and while there are a few styles for men, the majority are women’s, so just buy the largest size and they’ll stretch.

Left - Gucci lurex logo socks - Chintz optional!

Left - Pantherella - Sparkle Sock - Soft-Touch Lurex Cotton/Cashmere Blend Men's Luxury Socks (Over The Calf) - £20.50

Below - Gucci - Lurex Interlocking G Socks - £100

Left - Ignore the high-heels - Leg Avenue Xmas Lurex Glitter/Shiny Ankle Pop Socks/Anklets - £9.25 from eBay.co.uk

Left - ASOS DESIGN - Sports Style Socks in Glitter - £4

Below - ASOS DESIGN party socks in glitter zebra design

Need some more sparkle in your life? - Read Menswear Trends Daytime Sequins

It’s time to shine! You’ve probably noticed menswear getting bigger, brighter and sparklier, recently. It can probably be pinpointed to social media - how much black do you ever see over there? - but menswear has never been more experimental - I wrote about it here - High Street Peacocks

Left - Gucci - Sequin Bomber Jacket - £4040 from Farfetch

Well, it’s time to get the sequins on and not in the traditional night time/office Chrimbo party type way. This is sequins everyday, down the shops and out for coffee.

The most versatile shapes are the bomber jackets, which give you a Michael Jackson quality, and festival type T-shirts or shirts, which look great as the nights before longer and our days need some magic and sparkle. Don't be scared, shine bright like a diamond!

Left - ASOS DESIGN - Skater Trousers In Silver Sequins With Red Side Taping - £40

Below - ASOS DESIGN Festival Oversized Sequin Chevron Stripe Shirt In Silver - £40

Left - Valentino - Sequinned Bomber Jacket - £6250 from Farfetch

Left - Christian Louboutin - Huston Sequin-Embellished Ankle Boots - £995 from matchesfashion.com

Below - Jaded - Black, Green & Red Sequin T-Shirt - £50 from Topman

Left -River Island - Men’s Jaded Red Sequin Bomber Jacket - £130

Want sparkly feet? Read more here

It could be part of the new push for a genderless society or simply the boundaries being widened for what is, or feels, acceptable for men to wear or carry, but it feels right and looks right for men to carry handbags, right now. This isn’t about making a statement or being provocative, it’s about design, rather than gender and size, that is dictating what a stylish man carries.

Left - The Dior Saddle bag reborn on Kim Jones' first catwalk for Dior Homme

There are certain styles that are simply great pieces of design or are fashion classics and look just as good on a man’s shoulder as on a woman’s. This isn’t about ‘feminising’ men, it’s just something of beauty that is practical in carrying what needs to be carried. Enough said.

What started with Loewe’s ultra-chic ‘Puzzle’ bag has ballooned to include many other classic women’s styles. It was the reintroduction of the Dior ‘Saddle’ bag on Kim Jones’ SS19 catwalk, at his new gig at Dior Homme, in Paris in June, that cemented this new feeling. The #DiorSaddle hashtag featured male influencers reintroducing this style designed by the former Dior Creative Director, John Galliano.

Luke Ross, blogger at Fashion Samaritan, says, “I noticed a real change around 2012 when Hedi Slimanne debuted his first Saint Laurent collection that featured his signature slim cuts that really made pockets obsolete. 

“Guys wanted to wear these skinny silhouettes, but the garments just didn’t have sufficient pockets” he says. “You couldn’t carry a wallet, keys, phone etc in them as it ruined the lines and for the first time we started to see men carrying bags with them that weren’t just backpacks.”

Right - Spanish influencer, Prince Pelayo

We have so much more to carry today: wallet, phone, keys, charger, water bottle, notebook, that unless you have a coat with huge pockets, a bag is an indispensable accessory for men. Men want the elegance a bag can give their total look, rather than numerous bulging pockets which can make you look dishevelled and untidy.

Alvin Cher of Bagaholicboy, the dedicated blog for bags, fashion and luxury based in Singapore, says, “I think it was just a matter of time before men got more and more confident and realised they were not restricted to just bags made for them. And if the ladies can dip into what was offered for the guys, the guys can do the same too.

“Boys actually loved the Boy Chanel when it first came out. And started buying. Then slowly, but surely, more and more brands came in.” he says. “Remember Tisci's Givenchy when they had the Pandora? That was a hit too. Even Mulberry's Alexa was deemed 'boyish' enough by some guys to use. After that the gates opened, Dior did it, so did Gucci, Loewe. Even Celine has fans amongst the men, remember the Cabas that everyone wanted?” says Cher.

“I think everyone played a part by releasing a piece that helped the evolution - Ghesquiére released those 'Arena' leather document cases at Balenciaga that every guy in fashion had and they kind of trickled down as more and more people were carrying ipads and laptops so they could be justified as practical even if they weren’t for the everyday man.” says Ross. “For me, Loewe really moved things along by making it cool to have a bag that was a replica of a female bag with the Puzzle. It’s large enough to look like a duffle bag, but then also can be small enough to look like a camera bag.”

This new trend has been pioneered by men’s celebrities, bloggers, influencers and street style images, all making the look believable and cool: men seeing other men carrying these types of bags, making it feel contemporary and fresh.

Navaz Batliwalla, founder of disneyrollergirl.net and author of The New Garconne: How to be a Modern Gentlewoman, and champion of androgyny in womenswear says, “With the influence of streetwear on men’s luxury, men's style icons like A$AP Rocky and any Korean boy band member you care to mention, have long embraced their fashion-forward side, so increasingly, the idea of carrying a bag that’s more exciting than a briefcase or a Uniqlo backpack is no biggie.” she says. “Plus, the fact is that everyone is simply carrying more stuff. Why let your outfit down with a sad generic gym bag, when you can have something that’s as considered and design conscious as the rest of your outfit?”

Left - Luke Ross, Blogger, Fashion Samaritan 

The term ‘manbag’ was from the age of the ‘Metrosexual’ and feels just as dated. Who can forget that episode of Friends when Joey becomes too attached to his new shoulder bag, and the ribbing he took from his friends. Looking back, it was huge.

“I think the rise of the reusable tote also fuelled this fire as it became normal for a guy to carry a tote without it looking like a ‘manbag’.” says Ross.

Men don’t need the labels anymore: manbag, mutch - male clutch - or whatever else adds a masculine moniker to a name. I think brands will start to offer more gender neutral shopping areas and put more styles into the men’s shopping areas and advertsiing. This is a market growing into another and actually the true meaning of ‘unisex’.

So, what should us guys be looking for?

“I'm all for a guy carrying a bag made for ladies, but it still boils down to my proportion ratio. You have to try it on and see if it looks correct visually.” says Cher. “I think the time has gone when it comes to specifying which bag suits which gender. More and more brands are coming out with versions that look exactly the same for both guys and girls, so it is all about trying them on, seeing what works and having fun. It is a bag after all at the end of the day, we don't have to be so so serious about it.” says Cher.

Right - Blogger - The Modman with the Loewe Puzzle bag

“I think it’s about being authentic and genuine to your attire and aesthetic.” says Ross “Don’t do a tailored suit and then wear some flimsy nylon, touristy looking money bag.” he says. “Lastly, buy the bag for what you want it to do not the label. I’ve bought bags in the past that I wanted because they were cool, but they actually couldn’t take that much weight in them before the leather started to warp leaving them at the back of my closet and mind.”

The opinion formers in menswear have been carry women’s styles of bags for a while now, but with the new Dior grey Saddle bag set to hit stores in February, I think we’ll see a huge expansion of men carrying styles that were traditionally seen as women’s.

“Men have evolved, which is what fashion is all about anyway.” says Cher. 

Male handbags were a major trend on the Milan AW18 catwalks - See more here

Once the preserve of bank robbers and Mexican wrestlers, the balaclava is AW18's biggest headwear - or should that be facewear? - trend. Seen on the catwalks of Calvin Klein and Gucci, the balaclava is a literal disguise from the cold weather.

Left - Calvin Klein 205W39NYC AW18

Right - Calvin Klein 205W39NYC - Striped Wool Knit Balaclava £232 from luisaviaroma.com

The name comes from their use at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War, referring to the town near Sevastopol in the Crimea. British troops wore them to keep warm.

The designer brands have produced their own versions, as seen in their latest ad. campaigns, but you could easily pick a cheaper one up on Ebay or find somebody's grandmother to knit you one. Go bright and fun. You don't want to scare anybody.

An item of clothing that only shows your eyes? Now, what would Boris Johnson say?!

Left - Calvin Klein 205W39NYC AW18 catwalk

Below - Knitting Patten

Right - Gucci - Mirrored GG Jacquard Wool Balaclava - £175

Left - Mexican wrestler inspiration

Above - Gucci AW18 advertising campaign

It wasn’t so long ago a ‘slider’ was something containing pulled pork and came in a mini brioche bun. Today, it’s one of the biggest categories in casual footwear.

It was our obsession with everything sportswear and retro that saw the return of Adidas’ ‘Adilette Slides’ which, arguably, started the whole mainstream trend. Teamed with white sports socks it became the default cool and comfortable warm weather shoe for fashionable geeks.

Slydes - 'Flint' AW18 - £25 

Fast forward a couple of summers and ‘Sliders’ has become a footwear category in its own right. Much more ‘on-brand’ than flip-flops, luxury brands have piled into the market attracted by the volumes and margins. This is their cool entry shoe and shows no signs of going anywhere and will, no doubt, be one of their biggest selling footwear categories this year.

“I love how fashion works in mysterious ways and the pool slide is a great example - five years ago it would have been a faux-pas and, now, it’s a must have summer shoe, trending globally. Since this humble shoe’s luxury makeover, at the hands of brands such as Bottega Veneta, Gucci and Prada to name a few, it has grown in popularity becoming a style to not only wear on holiday, but in everyday city life too. It’s also been a great platform for brands embracing the logo mania trend to position their logo.” says David Morris, Senior Shoes Buyer at MR PORTER.

Ben Carr, Buyer at MATCHESFASHION.COM, says, “Sliders can be a great way to buy into a designer brand because of their competitive price point and with celebrities like A$AP Rocky and Justin Bieber often wearing these styles we’ve definitely noticed an uplift in their popularity.”

“Sliders and sandals have become one of our biggest growth areas, the biggest fashion houses have made it their focus on runways and within their collections. Prada champion the sandal and have reintroduced a range of sliders. The competitive price point enables increased accessibility for a wider audience.” says Carr.

Right - Balenciaga - Logo-debossed Leather Slides - £435 from matchesfashion.com

The slider is the cheapest shoe for many luxury brands. The margin on a pair of £435 Balenciaga logo-embossed leather slides would be significant. That’s an understatement, I know. Just imagine how many £225 sliders Gucci has sold this summer to the Love Island wannabes. This is big business.

On the more affordable spectrum, and founded in 2014,  the footwear brand ‘Slydes’ specialises in, well, slides. Brand Owner, Juls Dawson, says, “Four years ago the founders spotted the trend as to was coming up over the horizon and jumped all over it. The rest, they say is history.”

He won’t reveal how many pairs of £16 sliders he is, now, selling, but says, “we can say sales are doubling year on year.”

Dawson highlights the versatility of the slider for its growth and popularity. “They are so versatile, worn from gym to pool and from beach to club, spanning not just most age groups and demographics, but the globe. They have been embraced across all genres of music, Influencers, clubbers, Millennials, keep fit fanatics, to name but a few,” he says.

The slider is part of the dominant sportswear trend and, of all the summer styles, the flip flop has probably taken the biggest hit from the slider. The slicker slider has managed to upstage the flimsy flip flop, which still looks somewhat underdressed, dirty and cheap.

“The flip flop, albeit a classic open toed sandal doesn’t have the scale of a slider. Limited to a narrow thong and a thin rubber outsole, where as the slider’s outsole can be raised, coloured, embellished and re-designed the upper of a slider. By its very definition, as long as you can slide you foot, it’s a slider, and, you can do pretty much anything with the silhouette.” says Dawson.

You also can’t wear flip flops with socks. So, what’s the future for the slider category?

“Every trend will reach a peak at some point, but Slydes have the capacity to move on and evolve as the uppers are like a blank canvas to add embellishment, print, texture, grahics, logos, materials…the possibilities are endless.” says Dawson.

“I think it will be less branded and graphic, moving into a more simple design. The rise of the logo focussed collections is down trending and we can see it already starting with footwear.” says Carr.

The slider looks set to become more subtle and lowkey. One brand introducing sliders for the first time is Grenson, which featured a couple of styles in their latest SS19 collection.

“I love looking at styles that are ‘on-trend’ and seeing if I can do a Grenson version, that makes sense. This was a challenge as most sliders are rubber with huge logos, but I found a way to do a leather version.” says Tim Little, Creative Director and Owner, Grenson.

“People needed a replacement for the flip flop for the summer, but also the ugly shoe trend made the slider the perfect choice. Added to that, of course, is comfort and convenience.” he says.

Explaining the attraction to many premium footwear brands, Little, says, “The flip flop is very basic and cheaply made, whereas the slider allows more opportunity to create a crafted version. I can’t see us doing a flip flop as there isn’t much that we can bring to the party.”

While the slider is still cool, it’s grown to a size which makes it bigger than a fashion trend. The slider category will continue to grow and become more permanent as more and more people buy and wear them. Attracted by the branding, comfort and the infinite designs and finishes, the slider category will continue to see more brands enter the market. Much like the designer trainer trend before it, we’ll see more brands put their own DNA onto this simple shoe and happily price it to match. Even Tom Ford has done a dressy velvet pair named ‘Churchill’.

Left - Tom Ford - Churchill Chain Trimmed Velvet Slides - £370 from MRPORTER.COM

David Morris, from MRPORTER says,  “Slides have never been as relevant as they are now, especially as we’ve seen a shift in the market as men continue to embrace casualwear and sportswear as part of their everyday wardrobe. Luxury brands such as Prada and Balenciaga have seamlessly incorporated luxury slides into their collections giving credibility to the footwear style, so they are now an option to team with the ready-to-wear. This footwear category will continue to dominate over the summer seasons whilst this sportswear trend is still key.” 

Right - Grenson's first sliders for SS19

I remember a few years ago, at a River Island press day where they were previewing their new summer collection, I spied a patterned short sleeved shirt and matching shorts in the same fabric. It was the first time I had seen a holiday suit like this and it looked fun and fresh.

Left - River Island - Jaded Red Tropical Short Sleeve Shirt - £45, Shorts - £35

I remember badgering them to let me know when it was released and it turned out the matching shorts never went into production. Damn. They did, thankfully, send me the sample, FYI. WIN!

Anyway, men’s holiday wardrobes have come a long way and, now, matchy-matchy ‘Co-Ord’ shirts and short combos sets are everywhere. 

They’re a little bit like holiday pyjamas you can wear out and show a fun and confident side. Holidays are a time to experiment and these suits are a comfortable no-brainer. Get involved.

Left - Topman - Jaded Baroque Shirt & Shorts Co-Ord Set - £75

Left - Boohoo - Top - £15, Shorts - £12

Left - ASOS DESIGN - Retro Sports Print Co-Ord - £34

Left - Jaded London - Sliver Sequin Shorts - £50, Shirt - £60

You've probably got the idea - I've been banging on about them for months - that this season is all about vertical stripes.

Left - SS18 Marni, Balmain, Etudes

Every designer and brand worth their stripes showed multiple variations of them. There are many ways to wear the trend - matching and mixed. Clash, contrast or complement, the choice is yours!

Credits - Jacket - Scotch & Soda, Short-Sleeved Shirt - ASOS - Trousers - Scotch & Soda, Slip-Ons - Base London

TheChicGeek took Vertical Stripes to Marrakech, see more here

Your shirt should be like fashion, this season - one minute you're in, and one minute you're out. Or, you could just compromise, like seen on the Marni catwalk, and wear it half-in and half-out.

It's like messy business attire. The walk of shame, the morning-from-the-night-before chic. Try it.

Credits - Jacket - Scotch & Soda, Shirt - Scotch & Soda, Trousers - Moss Bros, Shoes - Base London , Bag - ST Dupont

Left - Both Marni SS18

With the Russian World Cup coming, or should that be looming?! We're going to get all nostalgic for Panini stickers and short-short football kits. Retro sportswear shows no sign of slowing down in fashion circles and anything branded, or with brand's old logos, is as popular as ever.

For this World Cup, dress like it's Argentina 78. Think Sta-Press denim, simple loafers and you're favourite, skin-tight football top. Come on, England!

Credits - Loafers - Base London, Jeans - Raey, Top - Vintage

Milan gave us handbags, more shiny coats and reasons to look like a tourist. Here goes AW18:

Handbags

Ooooo, look at you! Bags have been getting smaller, so we may as well call a spade a spade.

From Left - Fendi, Palm Angels, Prada

Mr Sheen

The future is wipe clean and the quicker you get your head around this, the better.

From Left - Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Versace

Below - Both Moschino

Diagonal Stripes

Like a walking 70s airline logo.

Below - Both Fendi

Distorted Stripes

This could be one of my favourite trends of the season. Not blurred lines, but distorted ones.

Above From Left - Fendi, Ermanno Scervino, Marni, Moschino

Open Arms

The new caping.

Left - Gucci

Tourist

Nothing wrong with looking like a tourist in AW18. The worst the better. Just don't look up!

Below - Fendi, Prada, Prada

Blanket Coat

Any blanket looking design cut into a coat or simply just thrown over your shoulders.

From Left - Fendi, Gucci, No.21, Marni

Below - Marni

Go Wilde

What did Oscar say about resisting temptation? Dress like you haven't.

Below From Left - Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbana

Badges

This is part normcore, part 80s, part 90s, part...

Both Prada

Coloured Lenses

Fear & Loathing lenses. I wore these all last Summer and they ain't going anywhere. 

Below Both - Dolce & Gabbana