Spring Trends

Congratulations! You’ve officially survived the winter. Although this year’s winter was surprisingly mild, the season generally drains the average man of his will to live. Standing outside the Student Union at 4am, after an intense essay writing session as the snow billows about you, waiting for the 142 puts you in such a state that you are quite unlikely to care about what you’re wearing the following day. As we have now lived to see March, the month where spring officially begins we must dress accordingly lest the winter gods punish us with more dreary weather. Below are this year’s spring trends.

Camouflage

Camouflage returned to prominence in the last quarters of 2012. Like most menswear trends this one found its foul origins in womenswear.  As you might have already gleaned, I am not a fan. Camouflage is something you expect to see on a 6-10 year old going through an Action Man phase, not an 18-24 year old pegged to be among the nation’s brightest. As reasonable and rational men we must band together in defiance of this plague on all good taste and sense. The fashion world may attempt to sway you with descriptions like retro-chic and effortlessly cool but the devil is a liar. They are not your friends. What good is a trend that has no staying power? If you must do it, go for the least obvious camo you can find and pray it works for you.

Stripes

Spring is undoubtedly the stripiest time of the year. Every year some version of the stripe finds its way to prominence on the high street. This year for perhaps the first time in history vertical and horizontal stripes seem to be on trend at the same time! At least Tommy Hilfiger thinks so. His spring ‘Bon Voyage’ campaign is so full of nautical inspired wonders that I haven’t had the gumption to visit the Tommy Hilfiger website lest I lose the greater part of my student loan in the pursuit of the preppy, fun and effortlessly cool.

Bright Colours

As the temperature rises into the double digits, there is no need to stick with the dreary and dull brown, grey and black. We must embrace the more optimistic lemon zest, nectarine and dusk blue. It is my guess that the fruitier the colour sounds the more on trend it is. Embrace your inner “rah rah” “gap yah” boy and pick up a pair of poppy-red trousers, or embrace your inner hippy and purchase a tie-dye t-shirt. It is wise to note that these things are often best done with a smidgen of moderation, but apart from this there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be your brightest, dandiest self this spring. Everyone else is.

New Balance Trainers

It is quite rare that we get to see a practical trend such as this. Fashion often forgets that most people do not like to be walking pieces of art. The New Balance sneaker is the perfect mix between practicality and style. It grows increasingly popular among the student population and soon those who do not have a pair will find themselves in the minority. New Balance trainers are the new Toms. It’s about time you joined the movement.

No Socks

I know that this seems a little bizarre as feet that sweat into shoes smell worse than feet that sweat into socks. Moreover, the thought of your feet in shoes without socks probably fills you with dread. But never fear, for there is a way to beat the no sock trend that has been displayed at all the fashion weeks from New York to Milan. It’s simple. Invisible socks are made by most high street retailers and true to their name they provide the indispensable barrier between your feet and your shoes without alerting the outside world of their presence.