Kens Eye View: Spring/Summer 2022 Menswear Trends Part 2

 

Following along with the women's trends, menswear trends for next spring summer season focuses on classic, easy-to-wear, COMFORTABLE styles. For part 2 of my Ken's Eye View Report, I used only three main patterns: classic shirt, trousers and blazer. But, as I learned.....simple is anything but easy to pull off a super stylish look! When I thought I had finished the clothes for this report, I discovered everything looked almost the same. And unless you are only interested in making basics for your guys (not a bad idea), the way to make each garment a little bit different lies in your choice of fabric, adjustment of proportions and even one or two tiny details. So I went back to the drawing board and remade or restyled a few of the looks below.

Quiet Storm

Nothing extravagant, just simple elements combined for an easy way to get through the day. Neutrals reign while the look is as simple as a shirt tucked into a pair of bermudas or a chocolate or navy blazer teamed up with white trousers. But notice the palette... lots of summer darks and in some cases worn over white.

This is simply a shirt-jacket, a top and a pair of shorts. But....I struggled to keep the look from falling into the doldrums of mediocrity. After much reflection I figured out that to successfully pull off this look, each black item should be a different texture. His shirt-jack was cut from crinkled taffeta, the top made from a semi-sheer striped nylon (from a sock), and the shorts are a simple broadcloth. It's not so apparent in the photo, but in person, you can best appreciate the subtle differences which make the look so compelling.

This is simply a black silk shirt and a pair of cream white linen shorts. At first I did the black over brown palette and tried it on several of my guys to no avail. It was so....ho-hum! Since we already have a dark toned shorts-set, I thought the contrast of dark shirt-white shorts was lots more interesting and looked more "summer." It's a quick and easy way to get your guys in tune with next summer!

Chalk It Up!

A key color for next summer: Chalk White! Whether it's shorts, full trousers, short jackets or coats...if you are limited in what you can make for your dude doll....make it in white. Again, notice how simple and easy each and every one of these looks are!

A big, new trend for next spring....loose trousers! This takes a bit getting used to because they tend to resemble your grandfather's pants! But.....trends are favoring looks that are COMFORTABLE. For Loic's look, I cut the jacket out of linen to give it more structure and keep the look from dissolving into sloppiness. On the contrary, for his trousers, I used a very soft cotton (my old bed sheets) and used a pleated pant pattern instead of the ones with drawstrings. 

Sahara

We're off to the dessert where the habitat influences the the color palette. Think safran, sand dunes, or even a golden sunset. Keep the trousers loose and opt for a classic safari look or a sleek variation.

I admit, I do have a penchant for safari jackets. Rob gave me a good excuse to cut a new one just for him. It's a basic square shirt-jacket with four pockets and flaps and a drawstring waistband. We wanted something a little different for the pants, so we paired this jacket with a pair that also features a drawstring waist and is gathered at the ankles.

Short Story

With the weather patterns a-changing and summers hotter than ever, it's no wonder that monsieur is opting for shorts. Here is a good variety of looks at lengths we think works best. But again, notice how the palette favors neutral tones of chalk, putty, light blue and pale grey. The key word here is COOL.

This is a look that takes a little while to get used to. And I admit...the first time I saw a guy wearing shorts with a suit jacket, it looked a little weird. But... My guy Kim, has just the kind of edgy look and attitude to pull it off. The "tailored" jacket is elongated and worn over bermuda length shorts. There's a pocket for his pen on the collar and another pocket on one sleeve. But there is also something you can't see here. For Kim's suit, I used a dress fabric. Men's summer suits are usually made of very light wool and I figured that the lightness of the dress material was about right for a 1/6 scale summer suit for Mr. Doll. When constructing the jacket, I used an interfacing to structure the front. The fabric was very easy to work with and when I was finished, I was very delighted with the results! 

Take a look at the model in the middle. When I first saw this photo, I assumed the shirt/shorts set was made from a crisp cotton. Carlos, my guy on the right is wearing the set I made from a soft cotton with a shadow stripe. It's nice and looks good on Carlos, but when I finished, it looked too much like everything else I made for this post. When I took another look at the original outfit, I realized that it wasn't made from cotton but rather....silk! That inspired me to make the set again....this time using a fancy silk jacquard. I thought it would be a very interesting outfit for a formal summer evening event. The jewelry detail....an earring that extends to the button on the jacket--is an idea borrowed from the next image.

Royal Flush

My dear friend Richard brought this photo to my attention. We both agreed it was fashion forward worthy. I loved elegance of the satin jacket with the brooch immediately caught my eye, but the trousers were a little to wide and long for my taste.

For Atsushi, I created this version. I used a satin, though not quite as "soft" as in the original photo. Soft fabrics are usually the quality for womenswear and not menswear, though I know those "norms" have changed. Still, I used a heavier satin for Atsushi's jacket so that it would have structure. The length could have been a tad bit longer, but because the doll has slightly different proportions than the human, often calculating length and volume is a hit or miss thing. (Ideally, making the design in cotton muslin would allow you to see this and make changes to the patterns in advance.) For the trousers, I used a softer satin which I feel is ideal. The original jacket has a classic collar/lapel which is closed around the neck of the model. I chose to simplify my jacket by incorporating a funnel collar. Underneath it all, I wrapped Atsushi's neck with a cream chiffon scarf. 

As I've said before...it's not easy to do simplicity well...which is exactly what menswear (or shall I say "Kenswear,") requires.  I have made much progress since my initial tutorials on basic Ken fashions several years ago. However, this post allowed me the opportunity to perfect those basic garments. I have a few more tweaks to make and then I'll share the results (and my patterns) with you soon.

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