A Suit, Shirt and Complementary tie

Few men will find they never have need of a suit.  If it happens that you never wear them for work, buy one in a classic plain black or dark grey, and single-breasted (which means one row of buttons, doing up on one side only).  Complement the suit with a smart, plain shirt, best in white or maybe muted blue, plus a good tie.  Avoid gaudy prints, although there is no reason to go plain if you prefer a colour or simple pattern.  A solid navy or deep burgundy is a good choice, or chunky diagonals.  Keep all items clean and well pressed, with a regular dry clean.
 
Smart, Classic Black Shoes With Matching Socks

Clean, well-fitting shoes are an essential.  Trainers have no place next to a smart suit.  Black leather will take you anywhere, but take care to keep them maintained.  Scuffs or battered heels are unacceptable.
 
Denim Jeans

For weekends, evenings or any relaxed social event, you cannot go wrong with a pair of good 883 Police jeans, but resist any urge to press creases into them.  If you are looking for a stylish image, ensure they are a good fit, clean, and without frayed hems.  Dark blue and black both work well.  Be careful with other colours.  Add a dark leather belt if required.

A Relaxed T-shirt or Shirt

Stylish men do not sport slogans.  Plain white or black t-shirts are ideal, or a plain muted colour shirt, kept clean and ironed don’t be afraid of colour though especially for summer.  Ensure they fit properly, with no straining over stomach or biceps.

A good watch

A stylish man always sports a classic timepiece, but it does not have to be expensive.  Something that can go from football game to smart dinner is perfect.

A Good Haircut

There is no point putting in the effort on the clothes if the personal grooming is amiss!

Designer Hats

Many designers have produced beautiful hats.  For example, Gucci designs wide-brimmed fedoras.  Wearing such an item is sure to add a touch of seventies glamour to your outfit.  For a forties feel, try Marc Jacobs.  Here you will find chin-strapped pillbox caps.  If you are after sixties, then it has got to be a beret designed by Burberry.

Hats on the Catwalk

On this season’s catwalk, you can see John Rocha models displaying large hats, giving a slight appearance that they might just fall over from the weight!  Lanvin’s models were wearing low hanging black sheriff hats that practically covered their eyes.

Hats in your Wardrobe

If you want to work a hat into your own wardrobe, then the best thing to do is buy a knitted beanie from Missoni.  A beanie is chic, but does not compromise practicality.

Hats

Era clothing – Over autumn winter we had 1970’s and 1940’s fashions which were hugely popular, for spring we have 1960’s and 1920’s fashions. Most season designers look to the past and take fashion inspiration from past decades.

The 1960’s trends come from the popularity of the US TV hit Mad Men, many women craving the sensual style which highlights a woman’s figure. Embrace the mod style with Lipsy clothing, keep lengths mini or midi and remember add plenty of colour.

TV also paved the way for 1920’s styles on the catwalk, again popular TV such as Boardwalk Empire and films such as the Great Gatsby re-introduced 1920’s style back into the fashion forefront. Look out for elements of flapper with a modern twist and vintage sporting styles with long shorts teamed with boxy jackets.

Colour trends – This season colour is at the forefront of the fashion trends, keep in mind for spring and early summer; candy colours. Ice cream shades anything sweet light and airy is what you want to work into your wardrobe. Then as we move into summer the tones take a brighter tone, with neon and florescent colours domination in blocks, patterns and prints. Bright and bold is the way to go really for your Republic clothing and perfect for a hot summer.

A good way to start is by brushing off dirt and dust. This gets rid of a layer of grime that can make shoes look dull and worn. This could include dust, pieces of grass and bits of dirt. Sometimes, a damp cloth may be required to remove all of the dirt. However, the shoe must be bone dry before it is polished as any excess water will not mix with the wax.

After an initial wipe, a seam brush should be used to reach creases and folds that a rag would miss. It is not necessary to brush the shoe hard. However, it should be brushed thoroughly. It is essential to pay close attention to the area in which the shoe and the sole meets as this is where dirt can easily hide.

Next, the shoe needs to be polished. Only a small amount of polish is required. Once placed on the shoe, the polish should be rubbed all over the shoe in a circular motion. It is essential to ensure that all of the leather parts of the shoe are polished. Following application of polish, the shoe should be left to dry for at least ten minutes.

Lastly, the shoe should be buffed. During this stage of the shoe polishing process, it is okay to be rough. The shoe should be visibly shiny and clean upon completion.

Polished shoes

The Vogue app was successful at the 2011 Digital Magazine Awards and was awarded the Digital Fashion Magazine of the year.  Vogue was up against entries that came from over 20 other countries across the world.  The Vogue app was selected to win the award by a judging panel that included CNN International Digital vice president, global manager Peter Bale and Thomson Reuters chairman David Schlesinger.

The judges chose the Vogue app because they were impressed by the art direction, photography and interactive content.  Additionally, it works well on the ipad platform.  It is said that the design fully utilises the technological platform.  Competition was strong, and Vogue was up against apps from Pandora, ASOS.com and Company magazine.

About the App

The app costs just £0.99 to download and includes the full cover story, along with images, video and audio.  It is not the full magazine, which is available to buy in hard copy, rather a special edition of the magazine.

There will be future editions of Vogue within the app.  These will contain developed content, and users will be able to download issues as they are released.

The app is currently only available for the ipad, because this is the best technological device for it, enabling users a smooth and flawless experience.  Vogue are on a mission of creating the app for other platforms, such as ipod touch and Android phones.

Keep an eye out on the high street with Republic clothing, for the first signs of spring. These will be spring time prints in tonal shades for spring such as the pastel palette with hits of clashing brights. As we head into summer and just in time for our holidays we will see plenty of bright tropical prints moving in mainly thanks to directional designers like Thakoon Panichgul who is a fashion favourite of Anna Wintour’s, so you know its going to be a hit.

You don’t need to worry about co-ordinating your prints, for the past few season it’s been all about clashing and this season is no different, the more prints you have the better, the bigger they are the better and the brighter they are the better.  On the catwalks designers such as Mary Katrantzou, Holly Fulton and Duro Olowu opted to show case both floral prints and animal prints which always work in perfect harmony.

To keep up with this trend look for bold print dresses, blouses, skirts and trousers and if you aren’t extrovert enough to go for clashing prints then team with simple crisp white items for summer. If you want to mix your prints then why not add a leopard print scarf to a fun floral dress or vice versa, accessories are the easiest way to work these trends so keep an eye out for print shoes and bags.

Prints

Biography

Prior to becoming interested in fashion, Gabrielle was born to a mother who worked in a poorhouse, dying when Gabrielle was only six years old.  Her father was left to raise her along with five other children.  He abandoned them all to relatives to care for them. 

Gabrielle became known as Coco when she used to sing in cafes between 1905 and 1908.  She later became the mistress of a successful military officer and then an English industrialist.  It was the resources of these two men that Coco drew on in order to be able to start up her millinery shop that started in Paris, and then spread to Deauville and Biarritz. 

Coco Chanel became a premier fashion designer in Paris, starting with the opening of her first millinery shop in 1912.  She became famous for losing the corset in favour of comfort and casual elegance.  Her designs included suits, trousers, dresses and perfumes.

Clothing

Coco began working in couture, and she became famous for the fashion trend which gave women a little boy look.  This was in deep contrast to the corset fashion that was popular at the time.  Coco enjoyed wearing her own fashions.

Coco’s signature cardigan jacket design was introduced in 1925, followed by the little black dress in 1926.  The fashion Coco created did not tend to develop and change very much, and are still popular in the modern world.

Perfume

Chanel No. 5 perfume came about in 1922.  This perfume is still popular today.  Coco found a partner in Pierre Wertheimer for her perfume business in 1924, and he owned 70% of the business against Coco’s 10%, with her friend Bader taking 20%.  The perfume business is still controlled by Wertheimer today.

Fine gauge roll-necks are great for layering.  This makes them particularly valuable for when the weather starts to take a turn for the worse.  A thin polo neck in a dark hue can work wonders with a fitted suit in a complimentary colour.  The best way to layer and style your roll-neck during the day is to wear it underneath a classic heritage style jacket, however, if you can stand the cold weather you will be able to get away with wearing a roll-neck both on its own and underneath jackets and coats, whatever your age, shape or size.    

Roll-necks are synonymous with long sleeves and it’s perfectly acceptable to roll the sleeves up to balance the abundance of fabric at the top half of this item of clothing and make the garment more practical for everyday wear.  Don’t be tempted to tuck your roll-neck into your trousers as this will take away the casual ease of this look.   If you are not very confident with trying new looks, the high street has an array of relaxed grey and black tones available to ease you into the roll-neck revolution.

Black leggings are the only way to go.  Grey can sometimes work, depending on the rest of the outfit, but steer clear of other colours unless going to a fancy dress party.  The shoes worn with leggings are very important as they will make or break the look.  Avoid trainers at all costs, as this will look as if the wearer is in a fitness class.  Also, steer clear of high heels and flip flops. Ballet pumps and flats work well though.

Black leggings can look especially good with a black and white or grey long top or dress teamed with flat knee high boots.  This look makes for a very stylish outfit and still is feminine, as well as warm and cosy in the winter months.  The leggings should match the colour of another item worn, as this will coordinate well and make for a really fashionable look.

A top is better off being baggy, as if it is too tight then the whole outfit will also look tight.  It needs to be proportioned properly, so your body shape is balanced.  Younger women can get away with leggings whilst wearing a mini skirt, such as denim.  This creates a very simple and casual look.

Regarding colours, it is important to think about which ones you suit the wearer and the occasion.  Skin and hair colours both play a part in what shades of outfit will look good or not.  Black, is always a good choice as it looks classy, timeless and sophisticated and has a slimming effect at the same time.

There are different necklines to choose from.  V-necks should be chosen with caution, as these can sometimes look trashy if they are too low.  Necklines also depend on the event and what will be deemed acceptable.  Scoop necks and Cowl necks are always a good option to chose, as they do not show too much cleavage.

The length of the dress is always an important consideration.  For elegance, it may be worth going for dresses that end at the knee or even lower.  Different heights and body shapes may suit different lengths, so the best thing to do is to try on various dresses and see which look good.