Men’s summer fashion during 2011 saw accessories become more of a trend than seasons before. Denim, always a staple, stayed around and shoes came in more styles than ever before.
Men’s Summer Fashion 2011
2011 saw white suits become popular in contemporary styles, made from textured fabrics and in light shades with minimal patterns.
Waistcoats also made a comeback. Worn traditional with the full suit as well as worn more contemporary alone with shirts and jeans.
Denim as usual was popular for men but this year not in the usual blue, instead customers wanted other colors. Colors included cream, grays, khaki, shades of yellow, basically anything but blue. Two brands to head to for colorful options: Levis and Gap.
Accessories got a reworking for men in 2011 with travel options being key items to own. Large canvas bags with leather trimmings in greens, grays and blues were must have items for summer 2011.
Leather also becomes a much wanted fabric for accessories in 2011, both for mid sized man bags, small wallets and I-Pad cases.
Shoes get a new lease of life for men, the usual black is out and color is in. All shades of blue, green, brown-reds, and corals are seen on loafer and lace-up styles.
Beige trench coats in light weight fabrics and lightweight short leather jackets are the outerwear of choice during both the 2011 seasons.
Collaborations always raise eyebrows and 2011 is no exception. Some of the menswear brands and designers that teamed up included:
• Lanvin for H&M
• Steven Alan for Dockers
• Levi’s for Pendleton
• Lacoste for Earnest Sewn
• J.Press for Urban Outfitters
• Hickey Freeman for Opening Ceremony
• French Connection for Sears
Men’s Fall Fashion 2011
Suit silhouettes are more defined for fall 2011; broad shoulders, slim waists, and slim fitting pants.
Outerwear goes seamless in the shoulder department for fall 2011. Key looks are plaid, single breasted and loose hanging.
Fabrics to look for include velvet, herringbone, cashmere and soft leathers.
The color palette for men this fall sees pieces in deep reds, purples, grays, beiges, and blacks.
Women’s Summer Clothes 2011
For women’s fashion during summer 2011 shoulders are being shown off with halter necks, cut out shoulders and bandeau style tops. The maxi dress style has comeback again this year with halter necklines and bandeau style necklines.
Sheer tees and blouses were basics for summer 2011. Two high-end designers showcasing the sheer fabric extremely well are Thakoon and Bensoni. High street brands such as Forever 21, H&M, and Zara all showcased sheer tops in block colors and prints, which were seen on women throughout the warmer months.
Prints inspired by the east and tribal patterns also came out to play for summer, both Diane Von Furstenberg and Vivienne Tam showed tribal inspired dresses in their spring/summer 2011 collection.
Accessories for spring/summer were big, in size that is! Bangles, necklaces, bags, hats and sunglasses all went oversized.
Key palette colors included all shades of orange, sea blues, bright greens, fuchsia pinks, and then on the other end of the scale the basic black and white colors were seen.
The difference in men’s and women’s fashion trends is that the men’s moves much slower than the women’s. Styles and silhouettes for men stay constant longer whereas women’s trends change with the wind. Both have their uniqueness but occasionally trends overlap and stay that much longer.
