How men are mixing it up: the 'winterfication' of the summer wardrobe

Traditionally, menswear has strict seasonal boundaries: jumpers and dark hues for autumn winter, short sleeves and mankles for the summer months. But it’s a rulebook that doesn’t allow for the reality of how men wear clothes: namely that for most men, a couple of perrenials should last all year long. In this spirit, there’s been an increasing winterfication of the summer wardrobe in menswear.

“I think men are quite random about their wardrobe,” says psychologist Ros Taylor. “It’s like, they bought a hat in winter and felt they cut a dash with it, so why change a winning formula for a season change? As women, we coordinate, and buy magazines to inform us of the latest shoe combos. Men tend to wear what’s in their wardrobe.”

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Witness David Beckham hitting the gym in a black vest and a beanie, Harry Styles wearing a sheepskin shirt jacket with a T-shirt, and Pharrell, who has been mixing seasonal looks for years, combining loafers with preppy jumpers and cardigans with quarter-length trousers. It’s been happening on the catwalk for a while, too.

Gucci’s Alessandro Michele is never scared of mixing summer and winter: knitted shorts, coats with sandals, shorts with wooly hats, while Prada went for the boarding school boy look – shorts with coats in its spring/summer 2016 collection.

It’s indicative of a sea change in menswear, a relaxation of what’s acceptable. “You can see it in the way men are working active wear into their day-to-day looks, whether that’s a cycling jacket with tailoring or Lycra with a parka,” says Simon Chilvers, head of menswear at Matchesfashion.

This rule-breaking new era comes as sartorial tribes are mixing things up, combining differing styles in one look: the prefix of “new” on so many trends (new lad, new preppy, new grunge) suggests just that. “As far as men go they have traditionally been less seasonally conscious than women,” adds Chilvers. There are another reasons too. As the weather in one day lurches from blue skies to bursts of rain, it pays to sartorially hedge your bets and, like Joey in Friends, wear everything at once.

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John Galliano has already seen it on one of his under-the-radar trips to Los Angeles. Now the public can take in men’s fashion in all its carefully curated glory at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s “Reigning Men: Fashion in Menswear, 1715-2015,” which opens on Sunday and is on view through Aug. 21. Two hundred looks spanning 300 years have been carefully culled to highlight both the history of menswear and its ties to contemporary fashion, through an art museum’s lens, rather than a purely historical perspective.

The show is divided into five thematic sections — Revolution/Evolution, East/West, Uniformity, Body Consciousness and The Splendid Man — and 90 percent of the pieces, or about 350 total that make up the 200 looks, are drawn from LACMA’s permanent collection.

Sharon Takeda, senior curator and head of LACMA’s Costume and Textiles department, noted that many living designers ended up donating several of the requested looks, complete with runway accessories. The exhibit took five years from conception to fruition, mainly because gathering the correct pieces took so long. The other 10 percent that was borrowed took up to two years to secure.

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Indeed, the list of modern and contemporary designers and houses is extensive: Alexander McQueen (pieces by the late designer and Sarah Burton); Ann Demeulemeester; Balmain; Bill Blass; Brooks Brothers; Burberry; Calvin Klein; Chanel; Christian Louboutin; Comme des Garcons; Dries Van Noten; Etro; Giorgio Armani; Gianni Versace; Givenchy (by Riccardo Tisci); Gucci (by both Tom Ford and Frida Giannini); Helmut Lang; Issey Miyake; Jean Paul Gaultier; Louis Vuitton; Franco Moschino; Ozwald Boateng; Pierre Cardin; Pucci; Ralph Lauren; Raf Simons; Roberto Cavalli; Rudi Gernreich; Thierry Mugler; Thom Browne; Vivienne Westwood; Walter Van Beirendonck; Yohji Yamamoto, and Yves Saint Laurent for Rive Gauche, to name a few.

Among those based in Los Angeles or with close ties to California are: Phillip Lim, Chrome Hearts, George Esquivel, Jeremy Scott, Libertine, Rick Owens, and Yves Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane (the latter a true historical piece now that Slimane’s departed).

Said Michael Govan, LACMA chief executive officer and Wallis Annenberg director, “We liked the counterintuitive notion of men’s ‘fashion.’ When you look at something like a Louis XIV-period piece, the investment, craft and money in these garments rivals women’s clothing.”

Govan also pointed out that each ensemble is like a sculpture in that they weren’t necessarily created for the medium of photography, but rather as three-dimensional objects that are just as fascinating from the inside out. The mannequins weren’t placed under glass so viewers could see the details in the fabrics and finish up close.

Commune’s Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht transformed the white gallery space into a more intimate and masculine setting that focuses the eye downward from the high ceilings toward the clothes. The rich wall colors and period-specific architectural details such as cornices drew on references from Louis XIV to Michael Graves. “I wish we’d added scent and music,” mused Alonso.

In a neat twist, the “Reigning Men” galleries connect into the “Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Medium” exhibit, which allows guests to examine more male forms in art, sans the clothes.

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10 classic jacket styles that will make your wardrobe work harder

Cropped, boxy, a bomber, denim or tweed – the perfect jacket is an investment worth making. And will see you through our very British, very temperamental weather in style.

Here's your need to know on the best jacket styles to add to your wardrobe.

The military jacket

Military styles don’t need to be khaki. Try a chic navy option and pair with cropped denim flares and ankle boots for day, and for evening, wear over a black slip dress with heels.

The bomber

A recent addition to the classic jacket club, the bomber has had something of a cool-girl makeover and now comes in beautiful embroidered styles, set to transform your basics . Go bold and embrace silky prints, or stick to wearable styles in neutral shades and lightweight fabrics.

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The blazer

So good for work. Go for a navy tailored option and team with a crisp white shirt, cropped trousers and flats. On the weekend, throw on over a plain t-shirt with slouchy trousers and trainers.

Something suede

Reboot your off-duty wardrobe with a luxe-looking suede jacket. Imagine yours over a roll neck knit with the skinniest of jeans, or thrown over a printed dress with slides in summer.

The classic tweed

Classic dressers will want to keep a cropped tweed jacket to hand at all times. Avoid anything pastel and stick to a palette of black, grey, navy and white for real staying power. Wear with lightweight knits and silky shirts.

The biker

Your weekend hero, the biker is an essential jacket for any savvy dresser. Choose – and invest – wisely and transform every item in your off-duty wardrobe in an instant. Simplicity, along with practicality is key. Look for buttery soft leather and wear-with-everything tones.

The sleeveless option

The perfect piece for layering, stick to neutral shades and classic fabrics when investing in sleeveless jacket styles. Head to J Crew for workwear options, and H&M for lighter, fluid fabrics.

The embroidered jacket

You don’t have to go boho to appreciate the impact of a beautiful embroidered jacket. Choose oversized shapes and embrace bold shades to get your look right.

The do-it-all denim jacket

It’s the hardest working cover-up in our wardrobe, the humble denim jacket will always be a much-loved piece and only gets better with age. Frame Denim has your slim-fit styles, or head to Topshop, whose purse-friendly options look every bit as cool and won’t blow the budget.

The belted jacket

Plain or patterned, ensure your armed with a belted jacket for the ultimate evening cover-up. Try something light and floral for an instant outfit when teamed with jeans, or keep things paired back in something block colour.

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She put the one-piece back on the agenda this summer — by way of a high leg, ultra-low sides and back lines, creating a throwback to her original '80s design.

But then Merrilee Madrigal is no stranger to creating a buzz with her swimsuits.

Madrigal is the founder of the family-owned Merrilee's Swimwear — a Laguna Beach-based swimsuit design house and retail store known for suits with cheeky cutouts, reversible bottoms and colorful patterns.

For nearly 40 years, Madrigal has cultivated a loyal fan base among local beachgoers for her Bohemian and modern swimsuit designs, though she maintains that creating effortless and chic classics will always win over following current trends.

"A lot of this stuff is back again," Madrigal said recently at her Laguna Beach headquarters as she looked at a halter top on a back room table.

As if to emphasize that she would rather be a leader than a follower in the fashion world, Madrigal said, "I think a lot of trends are born here."

The tie-dye prints, paisley motifs and strappy bandeaus at the Pacific Coast Highway store are a nod to Madrigal's hippie flower days in Huntington Beach, when she was sewing bathing suits for friends and family while in high school.

Word spread among local beachgoers about Madrigal's hand-sewn bikinis. To keep up with consumer demand, her mother allowed her to stay home one day a week from school to sew suits, but under the condition that she continue earning good grades.

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The deal worked, and each weekend Madrigal would sell the swimwear out of a leather suitcase in front of the now-defunct Golden Bear nightclub. The iconic Huntington Beach venue had hosted famous acts from the 1960s through the '80s, including Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and the Grateful Dead.

In April 1977, Madrigal opened her first bikini store — on Main Street, within Sunline Surfboards. Jack's Surf Shop purchased the property a few years later and moved her business across the street into what was then Jose's Shoe Shop.

Shortly after, she was overseeing her own manufacturing facility, selling swimwear in shops across the U.S. and in Japan, with wholesale accounts like Pacific Sunwear, Wet Seal and Nordstrom. The company expanded with more retail locations and Madrigal selling to specialty boutiques and department stores.

In 1986, Madrigal opened the brand's 5,000-square-foot location in Laguna Beach, where the corporate office, stockroom, photography studio and manufacturing are now also located. The current Huntington Beach retail store is at The Strand, across the street from the Shorebreak Hotel. These two are her only retail locations in Orange County.

Over the years, Madrigal decided to scale back and return to her love of designing swimwear and selling the clothing directly to consumers. Her children help her operate the business. Daughter Felicia designs and manages the majority of operations, and her son, Robert, supervises the computerized and technical aspects of the company.

"The real reason we are successful is because customers know they can get a quality swimsuit," Felicia said. "My mom is a big stickler for quality, and she won't put something out on the floor if she isn't happy with it."

Together, mother and daughter look to European fashion forecasts and seek out what designs will work for the Southern California beach community. They also hire young girls from local schools to give their feedback on storyboards, and they pull from their library of swimwear designs to put a spin on classic cuts.

For example, the Halter-Kini Top was an original style from the '90s, but the look was updated with a crochet top piece and made to be reversible. The design was redone to appeal to swimmers who wanted to avoid sunburning their chests or show off the latest fashion in swimwear.

The Sash Halter has remained a best-seller since it was pulled from previous collections. The cut was redesigned with a twist: Sash ties, like those around the neck, were added to the back to provide more comfort and support. The bikini top's cinch sliders also allow a wearer to adjust the height of the triangle or go for a more traditional halter look.

And if a customer is interested in a special order, she may pick a style and fabric from the company library without having to pay extra.

It's a prolific time for the company — 10,000 swimsuits are handmade a year by three to 15 sewing machine operators at any given time. Many of the employees, Madrigal said, have worked for her for years, some for more than 20.

The family is already planning to put another swimwear collection together, increase the company's online presence and, perhaps, return to the wholesale market.

But no matter the trend or pattern that might reemerge in a collection, Madrigal said her priority is to ensure that customers know that they can find a selection of original and fashion-forward designs at her stores.

"I can spot a bikini worn on the beach and tell you the exact style number and what year it is from," Felicia said with a laugh.

"It's cool to see that we're setting trends and that the third generation is coming in," Madrigal said. "We're keeping those old faithfuls going."

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