© Paul Smith

I’ve been searching for a parka that fits for years. For some reason they’re always massive and I’ve just been swamped by them. Now I’m not tiny, like a miniature man or anything, but around this time every Christmas I’ll wander round men’s fashion shops trying on the winter jackets and parkas - and not find one.

I’ve been doing this since the 90s, when parkas were seriously cool, and even though they’re a bit questionable now I still want a SMALL parka, not one that drags on the floor.

I once found my dream winter jacket - it was a parka in 2003, made by Paul Smith. It fit perfectly but cost over £600. Obviously this is a stupid amount to pay for a winter jacket, especially for a parka, so I left it, and I’ve never found another one since.

So what men’s fashion advice can I give you about winter jackets? Here’s the moral of the story - Buy the Paul Smith one you saw and you really liked in 2003. It’s expensive but it’ll save you time in the long run. I sound like a girl talking about her favourite shoes now don’t I!

Peter

Rated: from 34 votes

© Lambretta

Lambretta has a big following around the world as the home of retro mod clothing. The fashion brand started in 1997 and in that time it has traded strongly on mod fashion from the 60s - from sharp jackets to parkas to retro t shirts.

You’d think that that a label so intertwined with the cool fashions of the 60s would make truly retro t shirts. But unfortunately I don’t think they do.

Lambretta have made a few lines that are directly reproduced from those worn by The Who in the 60s, and some of these were great, including retro t shirts worn by Keith Moon, but these were only released to a few high profile fashion stockists. It really frustrates me when men’s fashion companies do this. Why design some tip top fashion, get people wanting them and not roll them out across all your stores?

So what we’re left with is standard blokewear, with a logo that implies retro but doesn’t actually deliver. It’s a shame, but in reality I don’t think Lambretta makes retro clothes at all, but is just a retro brand.

If you’re after a retro t shirt, you’ll be far better to get yourself a retro t shirt that’s actually designed and cut as a real retro item, rather than a modern item with an old fashioned picture or logo on.

Rant over.

Peter

Rated: from 61 votes

© Taylor Reece

Big, black and woollen - it’s the classic men’s coat and it helps you look smart but casual and keeps you toasty warm. These men’s coats have been in the stores for months now and they’ll start getting the spring stock soon, so make sure you get them fast. It’s the small things that make the difference with men’s coats though, so here are three small things you should be looking for when you buy men’s coats this season

1 - Epaulettes - like with the Ben Sherman coats from a few posts ago, epaulettes are cool this year - its part of the military look and I see them staying round for at least a few seasons. They emphasise and broaden your shoulders too, like shoulder pads only not as 80s.

2 - Exposed buttons - there’s a bit of a trend for coats to have flaps to cover the buttons when they’re fastened. But this is a weird look and not in a good way. A nice row of buttons adds symmetry to the coat, hide them and that balance is lost.

3 - No belts - belts on long black coats make them look like dressing gowns. Do you think you’d look cool walking the streets in a black dressing gown? No you don’t. Either wear a dressing gown or a coat, but not a combination.

Peter

Rated: from 78 votes

Call of the Wild © Threadless

Following on from my post about band t shirts that I wish they’d make, I found a website called Threadless. Essentially it’s t shirts designed by the people, for the people. Submit your design, members vote on it, and the winners each week are made and sold on the website (with the designers getting a cut of course).

Some of the designs are just plain weird, like “in us all”, a graphical representation of your insides, complete with lungs and intestines. I suppose that’s what happens when you let the public loose on t shirt design. There are some great novelty t shirts here too, along with bold logos and colourful designs. And I like some of the more subtle t shirt designs.

The best thing about Threadless is that the designs change so often, with new t shirts available to buy every week. It’s a sort of t shirt community, and in the unlikely event that you saw someone else wearing the same t shirt as you it would be a talking point, rather than a reason to hide. The only drawback is they’re not designer t shirts, but they don’t claim to be - wear your Threadless t shirt for a bit of fun and your designer t shirts to impress.

The range is so large that you could spend hours trawling through the different t shirts, and I especially like the way people send in photos of themselves and of famous people wearing Threadless t shirts. I may well get one myself and send in a photo - I’ll let you know when it’s online!

Peter

Rated: from 93 votes

© Goi Goi

I’m getting more negative as I get older but there are still some labels I like.

Such as Penguin that I talked about recently. Well another label I’m keen on at the moment is Gio-Goi (pronounced “jeeoh goy” for the uninitiated)

You’ve probably seen the t shirts -they’re everywhere at the moment with the bold logo, and I like the label because they have stayed true to their Manchester roots. In fact these logo t shirts annoy me a bit because they bring the label to the level of cheap, shouty logos. Most of the menswear from Gio-Goi doesn’t have the big logos on, but they do make fashion that’s a little bit Manchester-blokey - sweatshirts, t shirts jeans and so on.

It is what it is though, and doesn’t claim to be anything else. I like some specific pieces from Gio-Goi too, especially the stripy Chev jacket in black and some of the trackie tops that are just the right side of trendy

But I suppose the reason I really like Gio-Goi is they are selling like really hot hotcakes this Christmas, and as a shop owner this makes me ignore the negative points. Buy Gio-Goi for good, hones menswear, just keep away from the loud logo t shirts.

Peter

Rated: from 95 votes

© Penguin

I was looking through my posts recently and was amazed to see I hadn’t mentioned Penguin!

Penguin Clothing started in 1955 and back then it was based around golfing and sport leisurewear. Since then they’ve managed to avoid being pigeonholed as casual sportswear designers like Lacoste, and become a fashionable brand.

The Penguin logo is an iconic symbol in the US, but still quite rarely seen in the UK, and I’d like to see that change - along with Superdry I think Penguin are going to explode across UK men’s style in the next few years.

Unusually for an American fashion company its collections include stylish t-shirts, hoodies and tops that don’t look too American fratboy. Maybe it’s because they concentrate on using top quality materials like 100% lambswool or cotton, or maybe they just have designers who are aware of how fashions can lag behind in the US

I especially like the t shirts from Penguin, mainly the ones with the penguin logo - other companies would plaster their t shirts with a slogan or the brand name, but Penguin are happy with a fun colourful penguin. As a basis for men’s style, it’s subtle, it’s colourful and it’s a penguin - what more could you ask for?

My favourite at the moment though is a black Penguin hoody with a white penguin motif across the chest. Perfect men’s fashion for snuggling away from the cold wind. Brrrr

Peter

Rated: from 113 votes

istockphoto © benbeltman

A bizarre phenomenon I’ve seen in my shop this week is several lads wearing white socks. Not together in a strange white sock club - this was a far more sinister phenomenon because the lads all came in separately, and to me that signifies a change in fashion.

I hadn’t seen white socks at all in the last 12 months, but this bubble of white sockness could be spreading. Time for this menswear blog to nip it in the bud!

White socks are strictly sportswear. They are probably acceptable with trainers and jogging bottoms, but you shouldn’t be wearing jogging bottoms unless you’re homeless or a hoodie, so that’s pretty irrelevant.

White socks go grey in the wash, they accentuate your ankles in a weird way, and they won’t be cool for the next 5 years at least - and when they do become cool again you still shouldn’t wear them because, well, they’re white socks!

The worst possible fashion error is white socks with dark shoes and trousers. If you’re one of the guilty parties, just take a moment to think about who you look like…….

I’ll give you a clue.

Four words.

“Michael Jackson in 1987″

Peter

Rated: from 123 votes

© Shopzilla

Say goodbye to your everyday band t shirts like rolling stones and Led Zep. This is the band t shirt collection that they should make.

3 – Educate people with Kraftwerk

I’m a bit of an anorak when it comes to music (A smart, designer anorak, not a cheap red one from C&A). And when I’m choosing a band t shirt I like to wear something different – classic rock certainly, but not the obvious ones, that’s why I talked about Blondie t shirts a while ago.

So wouldn’t it be great to have a band t shirt from your favourite underground classic? I’d choose a t shirt for Autobahn by Kraftwerk. It might just educate people about this seminal album that was years ahead of its time, and start a fashion trend too.

2 – Amuse people with Dollar

Do you remember Dollar? They were a light pop duo from the late 70s and early 80s - think Bucks Fizz but even naffer. They sang “Love’s gotta hold on me” and “o’larmour” which were kitsch pop classics of the time. No one in their right mind would ever wear a band t shirt with Dollar on, except you – that’s right, pay homage to David Van Day and start lobbying the band t shirt companies now.

1 – Puzzle people with Rick Astley

Why I haven’t seen any of these in the band t shirt section of HMV I have no idea – ok, not a band, more a singer, but this would be an amazing t shirt. Rickroll your wardrobe with a Rick Astley t shirt. I bet someone’s already made one – if you find one let me know. Or have a look at this other amazing thing I found.

Peter

Rated: from 114 votes

© Berghaus

I’m sorry, but if you buy a Berghaus jacket to look fashionable, you’re wasting your time. If you’re wearing it because it’s a great bit of kit, then that’s more like it. By now you should know about all the selling points of a Berghaus jacket - good waterproofs, using Gore-Tex, hard wearing. You know the sort of thing.

They are designed for walking across fields in country and there’s not usually any need to wear them in a big city. Especially on a night out. But for walking through the winter rain storms on the way to work they’re a brilliant choice. They’re a more serious choice than the likes of O’Neill, but they’re designed to be seen when you’re stranded on a mountain.

If you don’t mind looking like a foreign exchange student I’d definitely recommend you pick up a nice Berghaus jacket. I’ve got a money saving tip too - spend your money on a Berghaus jacket, but shop somewhere like TK Max for the fleece liner. You can pick up a decent fleece for around a tenner, and you’ll get all the Gore-Tex benefits without paying the hefty price for both parts. Take your Berghaus jacket along to the shop though when you’re looking for a fleece liner to make sure it fits.

Peter

Rated: from 168 votes

© Orvis

No way partner
If you are even considering buying a cowboy hat, you’re either a woman on a hen night, a member of the Village People or very, very brave. Good quality cowboy hats such as originals from the US are a decent bit of fashion, but when are you going to wear it in the UK, on a cold winter night?

There’s a case that a cowboy hat would make a good sun hat, but the sun seems sooooooo far away right now. So it’s not the hat itself, it’s the situation it’s worn in. Any lad who is wearing a cowboy hat and isn’t in fancy dress will clearly be an attention seeker, and wearing it as a talking point to make up for their lack of personality. Unless they’re a middle aged country music fan, in which case good luck to them

If you’re going to wear a cowboy hat make sure you take it off before you leave the house. Sarah will disagree, but she’s obviously wrong.

Peter

Yeehah
You’ve got to be charismatic to pull it off, but if you’re the man enough, the girls will love you for it. A man in a good cowboy hat has confidence, a sense of humour and they don’t care what anyone thinks of them. Wear a cowboy hat and everyone will be looking at you, so you’d better be prepared to take the attention. Are you man enough to be a wowboy and wear a cowboy hat out on the town?

Sarah

Rated: from 194 votes