Caitlin: Attn KC Confidential Shoppers! Spring 2012 Menswear Blue Light Specials

If you’re reading KCC chances are you: 1) are male; 2) are disgusting; 3) have pondered Hearne’s sexuality and Glazer’s weird hair-like thing on top of his head far too much; and 4) are in dire need of some fashion advice.  While I can’t fix the disgusting part, I can make some recommendations on how to at least hide that part when you’re out in public.

As photos are released from the runways in Paris, I’ve spotted a few overarching trends noticeable across the board.

Sportswear:

Designers have scattered Spring 2012 collections with sporty, lighthearted vibes. Models at Givenchy wore ballcaps and army-green tank-tops, white or green jackets and high-end sweatshirts. Models at Junya Watanabe were clad in statement utility coats, bright orange rain parkas, and lightweight denim jackets.

And taking the sporty-trend to a whole different level, Alexander Wang’s entire spring line seems to be based upon this notion. His collection features clothing that a guy will understand. Clothing that Wang, via style.com, claims, ‘isn’t for a fashion guy—it’s [for] the guy his girl likes.’ 

And I say Amen, Wang.

A basic uniform—tons of jackets, hoodies, cotton shirts, track pants, good denim, and tennis shoes—all with surprising details, perfect for the well-dressed but no-fuss dude.

Classic:

If collections weren’t doused in sporty, street-wear vibes, they maintained fairly classic, traditional feelings. Lifetime accessories, like leather carry-alls and brown leather loafers were all part of the uniform at Louis Vuitton, where models wore equally classic apparel—soft grey trousers, navy double-button sport coats, and white pocket squares.

Yves Saint Laurent’s spring collection included upscale, luxury items—the step up from the classic item, the one you purchase after you’ve already got two brown pairs and two black pairs of decent dress shoes lining your closet. My favorite accessory at YSL was a pair of snakeskin loafers, worn with shorts and nude-toned socks.

Stripes:

Stripes are one design pattern that will probably never go out of style. Stripes for menswear spring 2012 felt slightly sporty and slightly nautical. They were layered on clothing beneath suits and printed on long-sleeve shirts and socks at Jean Paul Gautier; they were used to make bright, bold statements at Dries Van Noten, where orange, white, and blue striped pants were modeled; and they popped out on the runway at Kris Van Assche, creating clean lines and just the right amount of detail.

Other Trends:

-Get yourself a windbreaker, boys. Everyone from Comme de Garcons to Adam Kimmel included these perfect spring jackets in their collections.

-Don’t want to shave for a few days? No prob. Scruffy, bearded men showed up at Jean Paul Gaultier, and cleanly shaved, long-haired men graced the runway at John Varvatos.

-And if you can’t vacation, spruce up your wardrobe with some tropically-infused threads. Get the ultimate inspiration from Givenchy’s Spring 2012 Menswear collection, which is patterned with plants and rainforest-esque frogs.