Individualism » deck shoes

Fullcircle – Cofy Light Blue Chinos

aaron — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:20:00 +0000

It’s the fourth week into our London series and I’ve begun to realise just how stunning our city really is. This week we use the London Eye as the backdrop for our shoot for Fullcircle’s ‘Cofy Chinos’.

Summer is finally beginning to play ball. So the question that remains is what do you wear out when you’re not too keen on shorts?

A pair of chinos. That’s what.

Chinos should be part of every stylish gents wardrobe; they can be dressed up or down and depending on your outfit, they can be rolled up or down.

They’re are THE trouser choice for the summer, providing a light alternative to jeans, whilst being just as versatile. Whether you’re pairing them with trainers or shoes, chinos have just as much flexibility.

This Fullcircle offering comes in at £60-a-pop and are produced in 4 colourways: Stone grey, Light pink, Indigo blue and our choice, Light Blue.

Now onto the styling…

We kept this look very light but formal. Starting with a pinstripe contrasting collar, we dropped in a navy/white polka-dot scarf. We intentionally tucked it in halfway down the shirt to show of its timeless pattern.

A vintage Tie Bar helps secure the scarf down while adding another focal point to the outfit. A grey dress belt with gold buckle breaks up the colours.

STYLING & MODELING: AARON CHRISTIAN PHOTOGRAPHY: COOLOGRAPHY

Fullcircle’s light blue chinos are rolled up, edging it towards a more casual look. Its neutral colourway keeps everything fresh and understated and we used a pair of white deck shoes to crown off the look.

As always,

Stay Stylish

Aaron C.

We introduce…Sports Casual

aaron — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:28:00 +0000

There are certain things that will stand the test of time, things that are universally understandable and accepted. And in the fashion/style game, it is terms such as Casual, Smart Casual and Sportswear etc.

To start off , we are introducing the ‘Sports Casual’ dress code. It’s a mix of sportswear and casual clothes and some would argue that it’s simply ‘Smart Casual’, but with such focus on the statement sports pieces (in this case the Nike trainers), the word ‘sports’ needed exclusive love.

With this shoot we style up some looks with some classic Nike sneaker styles, showing you a variety of ways in which you can sport them (no pun intended). So gain some Sports Casual inspiration, throw away your tracksuits bottoms and just do it (again, no pun intended).

Boat shoes are a summer staple. You should own a pair already. Nike created a sneaker/shoe hybrid that looks the shit called Mad Jibe. Its perforated style adds a little more intrigue and when paired with nautical colours, this is a clean, no fuss look.

We made the look by teaming them with a fresh white T-shirt, topped with a plain navy fitted sleeveless cardigan. Also, the red chino shorts and a charity shop brown leather vintage belt breaks the colours up.

Remember! No socks lads, even if your legs are as hairy as mine.

These Nike Air Max are a classic and they’ve been recently re-released with better tech, (not that I really care, lol). The key with this look is that the trainers are clean. A grey cashmere crew-neck sweater underneath a sleeveless denim biker jacket provide that urban cool.

The camel denims lighten up the feel and adds a contrast to the denim top (a mix of blue denims would be as wrong as this backpack) and the rose belt is thrown in for its similar colour palette to the sneakers.

Too much colour co-ordination can look amateur but we felt that the purple was subtle enough to run with. We highlighted it with the lilac cardigan and although it’s not an exact colour match, it’s enough to show you’ve made the effort.

The grey cords provide the neutral bottom half and a classic cropped leather jacket is a no brainer; you can’t really go wrong. With the white T as the base layer, it helps the cardigan stand out a little bit more.

Styling: Aaron & Reuben Photography: Earl Alburo

YES! I looked pissed in the photo. It was the last of the day, I was hungry and as skinny as I am, I do actually eat. This shot shows you how you can style trainers in the same vein as a pair of leather boots.

The high cut style is perfect for it. We layered a grey cardigan with a sleeveless denim jacket, used a thick casual belt adds some weight to the look and it works well with the leather bag. The maroon chinos stop us going down the monochromatic look while highlighting the sneakers too.

Stay stylish,

Aaron C.

Banana Republic vs Blue Inc – Week 1

aaron — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:12:18 +0000

Good Look /Bad Look is our brand new weekly post and it came about from all the small tips we’d pick up throughout our week that didn’t seem to fit into a relevant article, but knew would still add value.

Over the week, we’d see so many fatal flaws- terrible examples of how to go about your daily style lives which, if executed properly, could teach many great lessons.

So we thought we’d combine all the great, the good and the ugly things we picked up, noticed, witnessed, been exposed to and even discovered during the week and place them into a post which could benefit everyone.

It’s also designed to get you guys involved too; send in your own ‘Good Look Bad Looks’ and each week, we’ll reward the best entries with a spot on our blog. (contact@individualism.co.uk)

We’re getting all philosophical on you now, all that collective conscious stuff. Anyhow, with everyone’s lessons, we can all learn a little bit more. So here’s to sharing our collective knowledge and spreading positivity.

So, without further ado, drum roll please- here’s our first Good Look /Bad Look:

GOOD LOOK BAD LOOK

Good Look

Love the neutral grey on these Banana Republic boat shoes. It provides a nice alternative to traditional navy while adding a touch of formaility to the style. And the use of patterns in this ‘H&M’ scarf flawlessly compliments the grey blazer and purple cardigan. A touch of layering here too. Take notes fellas!

Bad Look

Jamaican colour desert boots just ain’t a stylish combination. We love Clarks for creating the style and taking a chance but this is one chance too far and don’t get us started on those head turners in the background…

Secondly, another ‘Blue Inc’ just means more guys walking round with pillified jumpers. Did you know that every time they open a new ‘Blue Inc’ someone somewhere dies?!

Supraga Suem Coral & Off White Deck Shoes

aaron — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:16:45 +0000

The thing about trends is that once something becomes a trendy, it becomes extremely hard to stand out. And once a fad hits the hightstreet then, well you might as well give up any attempt to look different.

The deck shoes falls inbetween the lines as it’s both a trend and a classic. For those in the know, deck shoes have been a summer classic for decades. A classic design that has held summer’s hands for years on end.

Recently, however, it has hit the high street and the likes of Zara, Topman and H&M have all litttered their shelves with this iconic, nautical shoe.

So how do you look stylish and stand out when rocking deck shoes? Well one way is to find a design that stays faithful to its classic silhouette but deviates slightly.

Supraga decks do so through its amazing colourway; the coral, burgandy and off-white will definately help you stand out from your average high street joe.

Sporting beige stitching, unlined upper, rubber outsole with sipping for added traction, the Supraga deck shoe provides style and substance.

A good quality deck shoe normally retails around £60 and for an extra £20, you can get yourself a great stand out piece.

Available at: www.coggles.com

Related Posts: Top 5 Deck Shoes

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Summer Footwear Styles

aaron — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:07:54 +0000

It’s really starting to heat up over here now; jeans are out and shorts are om their way in. So why, when I hit the streets, do I see guys wearing the same things? (I know, it’s my usual rant!) Converse with no socks or a pair of Birkenstocks.

I’m not disrespecting those pieces of footwear, they are fine, in fact, they are better then fine. But sometimes you need to spice things up a little. You don’t wear the same pair of shorts or top all the time, so why do you have to wear the same shoes in summer?

This week we’re going to solve that problem for you. Here are our top five summer footwear styles. It’s time to mix things up and make life interesting.

1. Driving Mocs

Driving shoes or Moccasins are exactly that. They are shoes that were originally designed for driving, as the sole is thin allowing the feet to better feel what’s underneath it. Although they still serve their purpose well, they now also make a great piece of summer footwear.

Driving Mocs look a little like slippers and they’re usually made from one piece of material, making them light and extremely comfortable. Most Mocs come in suede, so immediately, they bring something different to your footwear collection. They also come in a wide range of colours, making them perfect for outfit co-ordination.

Their styles vary and range from tasseled mocs to loafer styles. They cheekily borrow from others styles but always seem to pull it off with their own unique twist. Pair them up with chino style shorts to create a great preppy look.

2. Boat Shoes

British summertime’s favorite footwear. Boat shoes are a classic style. Like Mocs, they come in a variety of shades although the main style remains the same. Team them with tailored shorts or wear them without socks with a pair of chinos. Don’t hold back with the colours! Summer is the perfect excuse to add colour to your look!

3. Sandals

Many men fear sandals. Why? Because their toes look like Nik Naks and could be mistaken for the feet of mumras! But for those of use who’ve been blessed without feet from middle earth, sandals are a great change.

Nowadays, the designs are really going all out with recent incarnations including a sandal/boot hybrid. However, most of us would be fine just sticking to a good pair of Birkenstocks. You’re best rocking your sandals with shorts, if you do want to pull them off with chinos trousers then go for it- they both work fine.

4. Flip Flops

Flip flops. Do I really need to explain? Flip flops work well especially if you’re on holiday. They’re probably lighter than your iPod and look good with almost any pair of shorts, from Bermudas to cargos.

A clean white pair is the most versatile and cost next to nothing (well 99p if you’re cheap enough to hit Asda. But don’t. They will dissolve into powder the MOMEMT you pay for them at the till.)

5. Loafers

Loafers are the classier footwear option for summer. As a rule of thumb, ankles must be creamed before hand as you don’t wear them with socks. Pair them with some tailored shorts or hemmed trousers.

Stay Stylish,

Aaron C.

Related posts: Deck Shoes, Top 5 Shoes Every Man Should Own, TK Maxx ‘The Pisstake’, Newcastle ‘TK Maxx’

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