But then, suddenly, everything changed. Walk around the capital now and it?s hard not be impressed ? as well as entertained. For not only have British men smartened up, they?ve done so in a way that is neither formulaic nor predictable; each of London?s postcodes has its own particular look, whether it?s the Hackney Hipsters, Clerkenwell Creatives or West London Jetsetters. And all of them, in their own unique way, look pretty damn good.
This is one of the many reasons why this week sees the launch of the first ever London men?s fashion week: for three days from tomorrow, the capital will host a packed schedule of fashion shows, exhibitions, events and parties showcasing the best menswear talent the country has to offer to a multitude of buyers and press from across the globe. Prince Charles is kicking it all off with a party at St James?s Palace, Tom Ford is hosting a dinner in Mayfair, both Esquire and GQ magazines are throwing celeb-packed parties over the weekend, and there are dozens of fashion shows parading the talent of the country?s most innovative young designers and most esteemed Savile Row tailors.
Menswear is big business and, as an industry, is growing at an unfathomably fast rate despite a turbulent economy. Last year, according to figures from the NPD Group, men?s clothing sales were up four per cent on 2010 to $55.71?billion (?36?billion). Not a number to be sniffed at; and tailored clothing, in particular, saw sales rise 26 per cent in the 12 months ending this February. So how come, when many of the world?s economies are in tatters, men are spending more and looking better? Ironically, it is, I believe, the economic meltdown in 2008 that first led to us all pulling our sartorial socks up.
First, when jobs are short and unemployment queues long, we all try harder to look fit for purpose. It makes sense to invest some time and money in looking younger, fitter and smarter: and a good piece of clothing, especially a suit, ticks all the boxes. A well-chosen item of tailoring hides bumps and lumps, straightens backs and adds confidence: it?s the perfect battledress (look at the way the double-breasted suit has come back into fashion).
Secondly, after witnessing the turmoil that an industry that chose to break the rules, ignore convention and put greed over good sense caused us back in 2008, many of us looked to the past not only for comfort but for guidance. Rules and convention suddenly seemed attractive once more ? of course, the rules could be given a twist, updated even, but not totally ignored. And this approach affected how we looked at everything from banking practices to the way we dressed. A whole new generation suddenly paid attention, and found inspiration in how their fathers or grandparents dressed: we saw the return of bow ties, waistcoats, tweed jackets, flannel trousers, traditional brogues and even velvet slippers (one of the hottest shoe trends this coming autumn). Twentysomethings in Dalston kicked off the trend by bringing back these classic items and mixing them up with skinny jeans, hats and even moustaches, and soon this trend spread across the country and even overseas. Head to a fashion show venue in any major city today and you?re far more likely to be surrounded by a sea of men in tie pins and pocket squares than dropcrotch pants and hi-tops.
Another reason for a nation of better-dressed men is the internet. The web has allowed men to research, discover, learn and evaluate dress codes and trends from all over the world. At the touch of a button you can look at a street style blog and see what men in Paris, Sydney or San Francisco are wearing that week, you can Google ?seersucker? and instantly find out what it means and how best to wear it, you can visit thousands of fashion websites, blogs and forums and seek the answer to the most obscure sartorial conundrums, you can check out what today?s celebrities wore on last night?s red carpet and discover that a blue tux is currently more fashionable than a black one. You can ask anything you want and, the best thing about it is, no one need know. Men fear getting something wrong and being ridiculed, and now, thanks to the internet, that need never happen. You can learn everything you need to know, in an instant, anonymously. And with online fashion stores you can then buy something you like, having studied it at leisure from your armchair, and try it on in the comfort of your own home without the pressure of a sales assistant standing outside the changing room asking you whether you like it or not. Shopping for men has become less a task and more a pleasure.
These are the reasons why as the world?s tastemakers land on our shores for the first ever London Collections: Men tomorrow they won?t need to flinch behind their Cutler and Gross sunglasses. Gone are the shiny slacks, the ill-fitting suits and the pointy shoes. We?ve become once more, after a rocky decade or two, a nation of snappy dressers; one that is influencing the way men dress all over the world.
Jeremy Langmead is editor-in-chief of mrporter.com
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