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Men's 1999 Fall Fashion Preview: A look that's relaxed with a dressy edge
Sunday, September 12, 1999 By LaMont Jones, Post-Gazette Fashion Writer
This fall, designers continue to steer fashion for men down the path of casual, casual and more casual. But this season sees the relaxed, comfortable look taking on a dressier edge with tailored, classic styles that applaud the well-toned male physique.
It's a road worth traveling, dotted with slightly tapered silhouettes, robust colors and more luxurious fabrics than in the past. You'll see a plethora of debonair styles that are relaxed but still suitable for serious settings from the office to the board room.
Here's a hot tip: Leave your double-breasted suits in the closet this fall. They're losing steam fast as two-button jackets with a higher button stance make a comeback. Three- and four-button suits hold a steady course.
It's a little easier deciding on the rest of the jacket's details. Shoulders can be squared or soft, lapels wide or narrow -- it's up to you. Pin stripes are part of the mix, à la handsome two-button suits by Zegna and Armani at Larrimor's. Patch pockets also are coming back big, in suit and sport coats as well as overcoats.
And there's so much variety, you don't have to look like every other guy in the office. Lydell's, for example, orders only six of each type of suit and does not reorder when they are sold, says chief executive officer Melvin Blanks. The Downtown store's selections are contemporary and urbane, with five-button jackets and wool three-piece suits with matching pants and vest.
Speaking of vests, they're in step with the season's dressier look. Wool-blend and cotton-blend pullovers with V-necks transition well from work to weekend.
Black and navy, classic and elegant, continue as the biggest suit colors this season. Brown, in hues from peanut to cocoa, is also very directional. Tonal shirts and ties -- blue on blue, brown on brown, black on black, silver on gray -- are a stylish complement.
Patterned ties against a checked or striped shirt and textured sport coat also make a stylish statement. Discreet plaids and narrow, closely aligned stripes in rayon and polyester blends are good-looking and low-maintenance. A crisp white shirt remains an always-appropriate choice, and French cuffs continue to rebound and provide a highly individualized fashion statement, thanks to countless styles of cuff links.
In intriguing, masculine combinations, black and blue are showing up together, whether in a single garment or in total looks pieced together from separates. Still chic and refined as a casual look is a blazer with a solid mock turtleneck.
-- LaMont Jones
There's still lots of gray in men's garments, such as charcoal gray dominating in lines at Moda in Shadyside. But it's always broken up by another color, such as black or winter white. Red, orange, greens and blues are big accent colors
"Along with the rich tones common for fall, we are seeing an emergence of lighter colors as well," says Lisa Herbert, a vice president at the Pantone Color Institute in New Jersey. "Some designers are using whites, icy blues and silvers, as though to cleanse the palette in preparation for the next century."
Details abound, from Velcro closures and drawstrings to zippers and removable hoods. Reversible is big in coats and jackets, among them Iceberg.
"This season's very design-oriented," says Moda owner Michael Barone. "It's not as plain as it was in the past."
Cashmere is the season's power fabric for men, whether pure or in blends. It's great in turtleneck or mock turtleneck sweaters. There's also lots of merino wool and even more shearling, especially in coats and handsome blazers and car coats by Hugo Boss.
Jeans are racier and roomy this season without being baggy, such as lines by Iceberg and Versace at Moda. A matching jacket adds a macho touch, such as pairings from the Ralph Lauren Polo line at Kaufmann's.
For dressier pants, wider legs are a silhouette gaining momentum. Pair them with a camelhair blazer or a cashmere mock turtleneck for an up-to-the-minute look.
Leather and microfiber are big in men's sportswear, providing comfort and a better fit -- two things that designers wanted men to have easy and abundant access to this season.
"People lead busy lives," notes Kenneth Cole. "They want easy-to-wear, functional clothing in colors they do not have to spend an inordinate amount of time coordinating."
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A wool blazer.