Dressing to impress

The trends and styles in women’s fashion are much discussed. However,men’s fashion has rarely found an open avenue. Kochi Express finds men too are very fashion conscious and self styling is becoming a trend among them

KOCHI:Gone are the days when the style quotient was restricted to celebrities alone. Men today, especially those in the twenties and thirties, are rewriting the rules of popular dressing. A survey conducted by Kochi Express on leading branded outlets and tailoring shops in the city revealed that most men are following the principle ‘dress to impress’. Not only party goers, but also top executives and IT people are rewriting the rules of proper dressing.

Casuals and cool dressing code still remain on the top. “Casuals are the most moving. Among the T-Shirts, V-necks and polos are the most prefered ones. Formal floral printed shirts are always in need along with polka dot shirts,” Saranya, a staff at Jack &Jones said.

Even formal brands are now coming up with casual or printed shirts. Many have brought out shirts with Chinese collars. Floral printed shirts are a favourite one among the youngsters. “Floral prints are very eye-catching. More than the idea of being easily noticed,  I possess a genuine love towards printed shirts. They are cool,” said Firoz Najeeb, a Central Government employee.
Semi casuals are always selected by youngsters since they are apt for functions as well as other occasions, said Shifnas of ‘Woodland’.

Meanwhile, Bonny Sebastian, a software engineer, said, earlier, everyone used to wear light colour solid shirts and tailored fit trousers to meetings. “But now the trend has changed. We prefer sleek suits and tailored tuxes for such occasions,” added Bonny. Blazers are preferred by many as formal and semi-formal wears. Indian wear – collarless light coloured kurtas are also in huge demand.

Self Styling

Though online sales have witnessed a surge, many youngsters prefer self-styling. “Most of our regular customers have a clear idea on how to customise their shirts. They force us to be updated with the latest trends. For instance, when they approach us with a shirt material, starting from the collar to cuff, they have a style guide. Classic, spread, banded, button-down and wide-spread collars are the most sought after types. Some even prefer wing-type collars,” said the staff of New Zodiac Tailoring.
Customising shirts is an art, said Firoz Najeeb. “You do not need to be a costume designer to customise your shirt. I usually look at the styles which are really noticeable and try to find out the specialities. While giving the material for stitching, I give clear directives like whether a placket should be added or not, I might want French or rounded or angled cuffs, box pleats or side pleats. Even the pocket style, rounded or angled or no pocket, assumes importance while customising the shirt,” added Firoz.

The breathing fabric

Shirts which sell the most include solid colours as well as prints (mostly micro prints). Full sleeves are preferred over half sleeves by a majority. Smaller collars and Chinese collars are also in fashion. White shirts for formal functions have been replaced with darker shades. “Cotton shirts are preferred over linen as they are more wrinkle-free,” said many shop owners.But when it comes to linen, the cool fabric has many permanent customers. “We have got a good clientèle including film stars who always prefer linen kurtas. Floral printed linen materials are also in great demand,” said Thanveer of Burgoyne.

Normally, linen shirts start at Rs 2,500 and above. “But the price is not a criterion when it comes to dressing. I have a good collection of jackets. I am working at Bengaluru. Here jackets go well especially during the winter. I cannot go for the same dressing style when I visit Kerala. What I am trying to say is that more than the price, even the weather conditions do have an impact on our dressing style. Linen goes perfectly in summer since it is known as the breathing fabric,” said Rakesh Melery, a software engineer.Among trousers, jeans are still in great demand. Skinny cuts have been replaced by the slim fit.