The menswear scene is seeing a resurgence right now, with the fashion industry banking on it to boom this year – possibly even surpassing womenswear in terms of growth.
So, everyone should start paying attention to what the trends are for Spring/Summer 2023. They are calling for men to be less inhibited, and instead, embrace lots of colours and unconventional cuts.
Loose is the way to go, as it signifies a certain swagger. Dopamine dressing, a term indicating how bright clothes can help uplift a person’s mood, is also a key influence for this season.
There seems to be themes that designers have fallen in love with, namely biker looks or cowbow outfits.
Like in womenswear, the Y2K era is coming round knocking again. Yes, trends are indeed cyclical – and fads that exist around the 2000s have returned.
Denim-on-denim is everywhere on runways, for example. As is grungy getups, which once took pride of place in the wardrobes of those from the MTV generation.
We are far past lockdowns, but track bottoms are still persisting. Some labels are even including pyjamas in their Spring/Summer 2023 collections.
Streetwear is not going anywhere, of course. The athleisure aesthetic can be seen in pieces like cargo pants.
Put all of these trends together and you will probably end up with a 21st-century hipster – a man who draws retro inspiration from past decades for his relaxed dressing, but with his feet firmly planted in the present, while filming a TikTok video.
Read more: Menswear taking centre stage, as the fashion industry shifts its focus to guys
Of halcyon days
The fashion industry is hung up on optimism and this is seen in the crazily bright colours put out by designers. So much so, there is even a term for it: dopamine dressing.
It is believed that wearing “happy” clothes can boost your mood. There is no conclusive scientific study done on this, but it doesn’t hurt to only select outfits that bring you a certain sense of joy.
Louis Vuitton, Versace, Paul Smith and more all presented brightly coloured designs for Spring/Summer 2023.
It is a 180-degree turn from what was seen during the pandemic. The shuttering of entertainment outlets at that time led to more subdued colour choices, as it reflected a stay-at-home lifestyle.
On the opposite end of the aesthetic is the biker look trend.
Full-on black leather outfits were spotted on the season’s runways. Alfred Dunhill presented leather blazers, while Alexander McQueen sent out a leather jumpsuit.
Leather micro shorts even made an appearance at other shows. This is in addition to the usual offerings like bomber jackets, button-up vests and trench coats – all crafted from leather, of course.
Retro comeback
Talking about thematic dressing, designers also have the hots for cowboys this season.
Think tasselled suit jackets, sleeveless vests, denim chaps and silk Western shirts. Throw in cattleman hats and the result is the quintessential cowboy look.
Givenchy, Dries Van Noten and Thom Browne all went for the full ride down this route.
Not yet overdosed on denim from the American West trend? Prepare for it to get worse.
The denim-on-denim trend has made its way to 2023 from the 1990s and 2000s.
Do you remember Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake performing in full-on denim outfits back in 2001 for the American Music Awards?
He wore a hat, jacket and trousers all in denim, she a denim dress and a small handbag in denim look.
Hate it or love it, such looks are back. Y/Project, MSGM and Moschino brought them back with double-denim (or even triple-denim) ensembles for the runway.
Also seen are Y2K grunge designs, which draw from the MTV era – a time when many people were influenced by the MTV television channel.MTV looks mimic the celebrities seen in music videos or awards shows at that time – from Spears and Timberlake to Christina Aguilera, Paris Hilton and Avril Lavigne.
The celebrities wore bedazzled tops, fedoras, layered T-shirts, arm warmers and other items now considered to be rather eccentric.
Well, maybe such clothes and accessories are now cool again – looking at how fashion houses slipped them into their Spring/Summer 2023 collections.
Read more: Menswear is expected to boom, as Paris Fashion Week Men's makes big return
Still relaxed
The fashion industry has long forgotten about the pandemic, with physical runways and seasonal collections in vogue again – or didn’t it?
Tracksuit bottoms appeared on the Spring/Summer 2023 runways. It is still not fading away, despite talks about formal tailoring coming back to the forefront.
Maybe the athleisure trend is just here to stay. The same can be said of streetwear, which has conquered the scene and become a mainstay of menswear.
Labels like JW Anderson and Bluemarble showed off skater boy (or sk8ter boy, as the MTV generation spells it) outfits, with shorts, sweaters and hoodies in abundance.
Cargo pants are also everywhere. They now come in various colours, and made with patterned fabrics.
Almost everyone is back in the office, but pyjamas still pop up on runways.
It shows that such clothing is not just for Zoom calls. Indeed, there are a few very elegant pyjamas unveiled by luxury brands like Emporio Armani.
Perhaps you should see it as an evolution to tailoring, with lightweight shirts and thin trousers being a staple – instead of suits.
You can even describe it as pyjama-esque, if it makes you feel any better. Or stretch it further and say what you are wearing comprise formal essentials for “indoor-outdoor occasions”.
No one can fully dispute it, as even trench coats have become more relaxed.
Oversized and deconstructed, this outwerwear staple for guys living in colder climates now resemble bathrobes of sorts.
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