Q-Tips: Five Menswear Lessons Learned in Milan

Milan Fashion Week took menswear to another level for Fall/Winter 2012/2013.  We saw trends like camouflage make a silent exit, and the tailored look keep its firm hold on menswear for another year.  Fur collared coats, printed suits, and leather accessories dominated the runways, and we saw more illusions of skirts than actual skirts, which is a good thing.  Aside from the given "Italy Does Menswear like No Other" phrase of wisdom, there were five lessons learned throughout the collections shown in Milan, and I share them below:

Lesson #1:
If you wear a coat, it better be cool.
(l to r: DSquared2, Versace, Roberto Cavali, Ermenegildo Zegna)

By cool, we do intend the pun.  Full length coats with fur collars, leather straps, crazy colors and bold prints were covering the runways, making statement pieces go beyond belts and shoes.  

Lesson #2:
Winter Bearding is Acceptable and Important.
(l to r: Missoni,Vivienne Westwood, Umit Benan, Diesel Black Gold)

Whether its to show support of the trend of growing beards in winter, or to rough up the collections, beards were not taboo this season.  It was a nail in the "male models should be hairless, frail, and pail" coffin; only fitting since the majority of men  didn't fit into that category.

 

Lesson #3:
Suits are classy.  Just, classy.
(l to r: Canali, Jonathan Saunders, Fendi, Bottega Veneta)

From printed, to classic tailored fabrics, designers brought tailored perfection to Milan this season.  Double-breasted, four buttons, and two-toned suits made it back to the runways, acceptable because of the impeccable fit that the modern man requires.  

Lesson 4:
Wear Blue like There's No Tomorrow
(l to r: Z Zegna, Iceberg, Costume National, Salvatore Ferragamo)

Going as light or as deep in hue, blue is remaining a constant colorway to incorporate into menswear collections.  You can essentially put more than two hues of blue together in the same look without it losing its class touch. 

Lesson #5: Leather Weather is King
(l to r: Jil Sander, Bally, Pringle of Scotland, John Richmond)

Again, with the emphasis of tailored execution, leather can be colored, suited, bagged, or gloved for Fall 2012.  Black leather reigned in man of the collections, but colored options were not scarce, and adding a pop of color to your gloves is a must-have for the season. 

Red Carpet Review: 2012 Golden Globes

The 69th annual Golden Globe Awards aired tonight, and it poses as the first true evidence of the glamorous Red Carpet season!  Before the sadly anti-climactic hosting performance of Ricky Gervais, and the surprising win for Octavia Spencer ( in Tadashi Shoji) and Idris Alba ( in Ozwald Boateng), we saw Hollywood's finest strut the Red Carpet in a variety of designers, many of whom the celebs couldn't pronounce.  Overall, it wasn't an exciting moment for Red Carpet, as everyone went safe with fitting gowns and over 80% of the looks were nude in color. There were some key looks that created their own moments tonight, as you will see below:

 The Best Fashion Moments of the Night:

Tilda Swinton - No surprise here.  Tilda will forever bring the art of fashion to the Red Carpet, and did not disappoint us with this look from Haider Ackermann.

Andrea Riseborough - Though she was joined at the hip with Madonna (wearing a Reem Acra gown) all night, the leading lady of W.E. made a statement in Vivienne Westwood; a designer whom we don't see enough of on the Red Carpet.

Now, for the Overall Looks on the Red Carpet

Best Dressed:

Charlize Theron - Wearing Dior Couture, Cartier jewelry, and those legs, she was worth the anticipation of gracing the Red Carpet.  

Claire Danes - For an actress who has won every Golden Globe she's been nominated for, she wins in the best dressed category for this black and white gown by J Mendel.


Worst Dressed:

Sarah Michelle Gellar - This dress looks well on a hanger, but it did not work in any regard on Buffy tonight. The volume swallowed Sarah up and she didn't have any form of appeal to draw us past the fact that the print was too bold for a Red Carpet. 

Jesse Tyler Ferguson - It is very difficult for men to be unique on the Red Carpet; the smallest choice can go so far, since there isn't much creative direction for men's formalwear.  His attempt to do velvet and two tone the look made the Modern Family Star look more like a groom than a Golden Globe assemble winner.



Close, but no Cigar:

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Together; they look stunning.  Angelina's gown is immaculate.  Brad's execution of the three-piece formal look was spot on.  So why aren't they on the Best Dressed list?  First, the red purse is way too matchy with Jolie's lips and collar detail.  Brad Pitt from waist up is sharply fitted, as you look at the pants, you see they are too long at the bottom. His biggest mistake,however, were his shoes.  Nothing beats a broken-in pair of shoes, but not on the Red Carpet.  

Honorable Mention

Nicole Kidman - Its been a long time coming, but a change has come! Nicole used to be a no-brainer when it came to being best-dressed on Red Carpets, but she has fallen from grace over the last couple seasons.  Wearing a Versace beaded gown, she shows us that she can still wow us in a positive light.