The Next Summer '15 Press Day

 That Dapper Chap gives us a sneak peak of what we can expect from Next menswear this summer.

Being mid winter and trying to keep warm in the freezing wind and snow showers, I was pleased to be invited to the Next Summer '15 Press Day so I could look forward to the warmer days and see what us chaps will be wearing when the temperatures here finally get above 5 degrees and the sun once again warms our skin and comes with promises on long lazy evenings drinking Prosecco with friends at the beach.

Rolling up at the Ham Yard Hotel in the heart of London with a definite chill biting at every inch of exposed flesh and my second cold of the year in full swing I needed a bit of a pick me up. Not only did I get this from the food and drink on offer and the friendly welcomes from the PR guys but from the new range of menswear that temptingly hung from the rails.

A taxi brings a guest to the Next press day at the Ham Yard Hotel

The entrance of show room at the Ham Yard Hotel

After I posted an image of the the event on instagram with the comments "great cuts and colours are coming our way gentlemen" a fellow instagrammer posted a reply to say "really? Next are usually very vanilla". The thing with Next is that they are not a brand that really test the boundaries of fashion. That is not their aim in the industry but they do the basics of mens fashions and they do them incredibly well.  

Having said this they really are pushing on the edges of that box and creating a different look to what they maybe have produced before.

Suede desert boots in yellow, bright blue and chocolate

A suede derby shoe with contrast trim

As men become more image and fashion conscious, we are asking for specific looks, we want something just a little different, something that could give us and edge and help us to stand out from the sea of sameness and express a bit of personality. I think Next will give us a little of that this summer!

A patterned evening jacket

A closer look a this lovely jacket

Spring saw Next produce suits with a cropped trouser as standard really embracing the trend for a shorter leg and a bare ankle. Vanilla? I dont think so. Particularly as summer seems them offering a wealth of suits but with short shorts as well as trousers. Who else on the high street is doing that right now?

Slim cut suits. Most available with matching 'short' shorts

Suiting, always a good staple offering from Next

Bowls full of brightly coloured underwear

Summer 15 for us men sees a continuation of what we were offered in Spring but its evolved and we can expect light weight fabrics and colour, lots of colour! Tailoring retains a 60's vibe and we're seeing fondant colours, even in full suits. I became an instant fan of this dusty sun bleached pink suit in a textured cotton weave.

Fondant fancy, an eye catching pink suit in 100% cotton

Add a white rose for the perfect wedding suit

Printed separates will jazz up the formal offerings as will the geo print blazers and floral print trousers and bright graphic print shorts. Ties are coming to us in ditsy florals and a lot will also have a matching pocket square.  Socks remain bright and fun, ready to be shown off under your cropped trousers under a pair of colourful desert boots.

Straw blazers are still big news this summer

There is a huge focus on print, pattern and colour. Next are not playing it safe this summer so neither should you. Casualwear juxtaposes their soft formal tones with bold primary colours. You'll see conversational styles and Hawaiian florals, through to artisan weaves and simple typography graphics.

A geo print blazer, dress it for a smart look or team with jeans or matching shorts

A wealth of pattern and colour in these fun summer shirts

Guests enjoy a drink and discuss the coming styles

Something to sweeten the taste buds, cake on a stick!

Nobody ever said no to a sticky cake pop

Just one of the many short suits offered by Next this summer

Tasselled loafers will still be big news this summer

Make a slash in this bright floral shirt

More interesting patterns to tempt you

Just on pair of patterned swim shorts on offer this summer

So if you're one of those guys that thought Next were stuck in the 'basic' section and offered no flavour other than vanilla, look again because this time around they're offering something just a little different. 

I may just buy that pink suit or maybe its brother in powder blue. and while I'm paddling in the sea with my trousers rolled up and the sun on my back I'll be enjoying an ice cream, and there will be no vanilla in my cone whatsoever!

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What I Wore Today - The Denim Blazer

Craig of That Dapper Chap shares today look and follows his quest for the perfect denim blazer

The blazer is a go to item for any gent worth his salt, usually found in wool, tweed and cotton for those warmer days, and worn both casually and when the occasion calls for a smarter look. We all know the denim jacket too with is stud buttons and cropped shape. But have you ever considered a denim blazer? I have, and it took me ages to find one!

After deciding that I needed one in my life, I set about googling 'denim blazer' I was presented with, well, not much really. I was directed to various menswear sites, all to no avail. Plenty of denim, plenty of blazers but no denim blazers. Google Images didn't help much either as I was sent to pages that didn't exist or that didn't have the same blazer.

Barbour People

That Dapper Chap looks at the latest campaign from Barbour and introduces us to some 'Barbour People'

As the good folk at Barbour rightly continue to celebrate their 120 year success, they have turned their attention to the people that matter to them most, not their highly skilled design team or their sales people but their fans and customers. These are the People like you and I who value everything that Barbour offer, and who appreciate the heritage that comes with such a well loved and truly established British brand.

Aidan from London wearing his Bedale waxed jacket.

For the past 3 years Barbour have been photographing ‘Barbour People’ and are releasing a series of videos showcasing the stories’ of those with unique and varied styles. 

The first star of their Barbour People films is David: a singer/songwriter in two bands — Six Toes and Stranger Or The Plane — and a talented composer. So talented, that Barbour asked him to write the score for their series of shorts; in fact you’ll see him doing that very particular task in this film!

Barbour also has a dedicated Tumblr page where people can share their own Barbour story and upload their own style: http://barbourpeople.tumblr.com/ It would be great to work together on a feature, I would be happy to provide more detail and content if this is something you would be interested in.

Daniel has added a modern twist to his classic Bedale waxed jacket.

Ciaran sports the perfect everyday jacket for a cold and wet winter - the Beaufort. 

Our next Barbour person is Steve (and his dog Hoolie). Steve is a  photographer from my home county of Suffolk. Steve’s camera is an extension of himself — he finds it gives him reason to explore; an impetus for adventure. It’s also a profoundly simple and effective way of meeting and getting to know other people. A self-confessed ‘nosy person’, Steve travels the world taking photographs. He was recently in Mexico, and ended up meeting a group of cowboys for several weeks, documenting their lives.

Harry has created this everyday, casual style by pairing his 
Liddesdale quilted jacket with skinny jeans and trainers.

Fergus in London looking very smart in the Akenside quilted jacket.

So, don your Barbour jacket and wear it with pride, maybe you'll be snapped on the street by the team and featured on the Barbour Tumblr page just like Fergus and the guys above and all the other ladies and gents that they've featured so far! When you are drop me a line!

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