Menswear – without a doubt, thee most under-appreciated forte of fashion.

I took my new Canon for a spin and caught some really good stuff that men wear, or could possibly don.

I guess, through looking at the personal style transformations and the scope of fashions progress, saying that “Clothing is genderless” is apt. Tilda Swinton and David Bowie are my favorite androgynous style icons. Their striking features and eclectically unisex apparel are commendable.

While moping about in Babette – a vintage store in Cape Town, I saw some leather shoes that are old but so perfect for the No-Holds-Barred man of today.

Chinos, shorts, skinnies etc. can be worn with any manner of shoes – high top leather boots too. England craftsmanship is evident in some vintage items so if you are lucky enough to get a piece of that foreign aristocratic sophistication – Invest!

Buttersoft leather , regardless of quality, may wear out easily if the shoes are used consistently, so the Tip of the Day: Begin making acquaintances with Tailors and shoemakers. They will help maintain some of your wardrobes most irreplaceable items – including leather belts, jackets, suit pants etc.

I’ve been told by many guy friends that belts precede cuff-lings and any other accessory for men.

Belts are important accessories and investing in a good leather belt is a good step in any modern mans wardrobe.

Simple black and brown belts are not the only options. Many affordable shops offer belts in leopard print, red, blue, and other colors and fabric mixes to ensure variety.

 Tourists are the trademark of Long Street, and this one stood out for me.

He doesn’t have the patented Safari regalia that almost every other foreigner dons, as if Africa will unpredictably put them in a situation demanding survival skills and all.

The relaxed street style is a jean, cotton blend of coolness.

…and whats an outfit without wicked sunnies?

Aviator Swag!

 Walked into a shop on Kloof street which had thee most interesting decor – 2 adjacent wooden chairs in 18th century craftsmanship, and a table laden with a miniature ship model, a miniature mini Cooper and a bottle of Kraken. clearly the ambiance they wanted to set is a contemporary study paying homage to quintessential masculine affirmations.

 Bowler hats are never far from Capetonians who have readily embraced the trend these past 6 months.

Teaming them with simple apparel or complex layering is an individuals prerogative.

Here we see the combo of the hat with Spitfire shades, a crisp white T, and black beads.
Backpacks.

Enough said!

Invest in bags in general.

 Whether for utility or style, Backpacks are the Beezniz!  My campus is not that full of stylish individuals, so its nice to occasionally run into some.

I dug this dudes jacket.

Leather jackets that fits ones frame and accentuates the shoulders are a winner.

Men brave enough to rock shorts are the real MVPs.

As a public Service announcement: Men, shaving your legs this summer would be great.

Show us them calves!

 I used to HATE these shoes with vehemence (I still occasionally do) but when I saw this guy sitting around, he just made them work ya know?

 I’m not done with accessories and shoes.

Belt buckles and shoe laces are increasingly being made to be changed by shoe owners. You can now customize previously set clothing items.

Take the time to go to fabric stores and vintage markets where you can buy as many as you want, in any shape, and be unique in your ownership of clothing items.

 Brass, gold, aluminium, silver etc.

Buckle up!

Dont be afraid of colour, print and fabrics guys. Even if you find an outfit doesn’t work – give everything a chance once.

Learning what works with ones skin, body type and personal taste is hard.

Fabric choices are many but I recommend linen and cotton as wardrobe basics. Working around those fabrics in colors like black, white, navy, dark green, greys etc. means that wearing patterns and prints in any color will create a more tolerable aesthetic.

...stay tuned for Part II - coming soon!