“All of our men jackets and trousers are sold separately, even if they match,” points out Clive Derby, owner of new menswear brand, RAKE. In these few words Derby is summing up not just his brand’s ethos but also the direction of men’s tailoring today. Suits are being split up and mixed with casual gear in new and unlikely ways. A formal jacket worn with jeans, T-shirt and white Converse trainers no longer garners comment.

Take RAKE’s high-twist wool and cashmere Prince of Wales check jacket. It can of course be bought with matching trousers to make a suit. Or, it would just as smartly sit a-top straight-legged darkest denims, grey flat-front trousers, even white jeans; for each of these combinations creates: a dressed down weekending banker, a casual Friday lawyer and even an Ibiza-bound party animal. Mixing tailoring with sports and casual-wear offers up a range of possibilities for the wardrobe, turning it into a running buffet rather than a set menu.

“When I was thinking about the collection I had Serge Gainsbourg in mind,” says Darby, referencing the crumpled elegance of the Gallic crooner, lothario, and yes… rake. Darby, with a background in buying and retail development with smartest labels Browns, Richard James and Kilgour understands men’s classic clothing consumption, with a depth of experience gained from over 20 years in the business.

He also seems to be designing for himself, looking low-key smart and relaxed wearing a navy cashmere sweatshirt and fine jersey flat-front trousers from the brand’s next collection. He looks like a sophisticated design tutor as he talks me through the range.

There’s a particularly fine dark-navy ‘one show one’ double-breasted jacket that, indeed, could be a Serge Gainsbourg cast off. It’s only missing the whiff of stale Galloises. Importantly for this first collection, the suit block is slim without being skinny. The RAKE customer is in his 30s or 40s, and is not trying to look like a youngster in body-hugging clothing.

There’s subtle branding too. “It’s the RAKE ‘halo’,” says Darby, pointing out the fine hand-stitched buttonhole found on the back of shirt collars and jacket lapels. “And look at our labels too,” he enthuses, “RAKE is about subtle difference in fabric texture and the label is formed by three built-up fabric layers. It’s that attention to detail we know our customer appreciates.”

With a collection this considered, it’s no surprise that even seemingly simple accessories like silk neckerchiefs are cleverly designed so the merest tug while tying it under the chin makes it look rakishly right. A feat even Hermès versions struggle to emulate. Or a simple waistcoat that is reversible, flipping between navy and grey.

Gainsbourg of course would be wearing his stained with Claret and cigarette ash, but then again so might you.  Rake is such a brand, and tailors high quality and beautiful men jacket, suits, and blazers for gentlemen!

Rake’s website:  http://www.rakestyle.com

Suit fabric really does make the suit literally and figuratively. Linen, polyester, wool, cotton, tweed, herringbone, flannel, silk, poplin, seersucker, and cashmere, are the materials that usually make up a men suit.

A mens linen suit will not feel the same as a polyester suit, and a polyester suit will not feel the same as a wool suit…etc. Also a suits price will vary greatly depending on what kind of material it is made up of.

Below you will find a brief overview of the different types of suit material you may find while searching for your ideal suit. Click through each to get a quick rundown on the advantages and disadvantages of each suit fabric.

Cashmere suits are highly coveted for their soft feel and quality of fiber. The quality of this material is well renowned throughout the minds of consumers everywhere.

Below you’ll find some of the advantages and disadvantages of owning one.

Advantages

This material is great to have on you when you live in an area with rapid climate changes. The reason for this is because it tends to insulate you depending on the moisture levels of the air.

Another great benefit is that it is softer than even linen or cotton making it feel great on the skin.

Also if you’ve ever watched Seinfeld you know that beautiful women will walk up to you and feel your material before asking “is this cashmere”.

Disadvantages

You will probably pay an exorbitant amount of money to wear this material. This type of suit may be hard to find in 2008. Many companies are moving towards more synthetic materials for all types of suits.

The cotton suit isn’t the most popular suit on the market, but cotton is the most popular fabric for clothing. In my humble opinion this is because cotton is cheap, wrinkles easy and is not meant for all types of suits. However, as always there are advantages and disadvantages to wearing one.

Advantages

This material is nice and breathable and makes for a nice comfortable fit. Also the material is inexpensive and therefore these garments are usually much less expensive than their counterparts.

Disadvantages

Wrinkles are much more prevalent with this material. This material is apt to shrink, which means extra care will be needed when dealing with it.
The flannel suit is made from thick worsted wool or a wool/cotton mix. It is similar to tweed and herringbone suits but much softer in feel.

Advantages

This material is heavy enough to make a great winter suit but not quite heavy enough as to be useless in spring and fall temperatures. The versatility of the fabric gives it the ability to provide both plain and textured patterns. Also, its soft feel makes it more luxurious than most winter suits.

Disadvantages

Suits made from this material are more rare than standard worsted wools and can cost more. Although this suit will be lighter than most winter suits, it is still a winter suit and can be uncomfortable to wear in the hot summer months.

Mens linen suit is gonna be one of your more comfortable options when choosing a suit material. Linen is one of the oldest materials in the world and has many advantages as well as disadvantages.

Advantages

These suits are are light and resist moisture which makes them great for summer or heavy sweaters. They are also machine washable meaning you won’t have to read my page on finding a good dry cleaner after all.

Disadvantages

A linen suit will wrinkle very easily and although durable, they will crease easily at heavily folded areas. Creases can eventually lead to damaged fabric; at this point a tailor or trashcan will be needed. Fading under direct sunlight occurs quite easily which is bad for a suit designed for summer wear.

Polyester suits are not quite as common as they were in the 1970′s. However you can find many fiber blends these days. If your looking for one that is 100% you should look into a vintage suit. Read through some of the advantages and disadvantages below.

Advantages

This material is hard to wrinkle or shrink and less expensive than any other type in its class. A great suit for somebody that is prone to getting caught in the rain because of its low water absorption levels.

Disadvantages

These suits do not have a natural feel to them. Also, this suit is usually easy to spot because it is much cheaper. Trapped body heat is also an issue which can lead to discomfort after prolonged wear.

Seersucker suits are a type of cotton suit specifically made for warm weather. These garments are great for keeping cool in late spring through summer.

Materials are woven differently from the traditional cotton clothing. Strands of fabric are bunched together in some areas of the design to help keep the jackets and pants away from your skin.

Colors are usually white with blue stripes, but you can find just about any color imaginable.

Advantage

The superior design helps keep the wearer nice and cool and eliminates any need for ironing. A side benefit is the ability to machine wash this garment – be careful not to shrink it in the dryer.

Disadvantages

This material is noticeably different than your average fabric and may not be appropriate for your line of work. Also these suits are generally made in festive pinstripes with bright summer colors making it completely inappropriate for somber occasions.

Silk suits originate from the same insects that ruin suits…moths. Ironically they are also some of the most comfortable garments out on the market.

Advantages

- Extremely smooth and cool to the touch.

- Shimmering material – looks great under club lighting.

- Hard to Wrinkle.

Disadvantages

- Hot and sticky in warm conditions.

- Needs to be dry cleaned often.

- Lacks warmth in cold weather conditions.

Tweed suits are a heavy form of wool suit. They are made from a coarse woolen material created by combining three different color yarns. The yarns are twilled, leaving a distinctive pattern not found on other types of suits. Some of its more popular forms are Harris, Lovat, and Donegal.

Advantages

This material makes a great winter suit. It is thick, warm, and resistant to water. Many people love this material for its high durability.

Disadvantages

Warm weather makes this suit useless for the owner until it gets cold again. Also the coarse feel can be a turn off for people that prefer more comfort.

Wool suits are currently the most popular suits on the market. There are also many different types of wool to look. For instance mens suits can be made from virgin wool and worsted and can even be spun at different speeds to provide different comfort levels.

This material can be spun at super 90′s all the way up to super 200′s. The higher the number the higher the quality. Look to buy something that starts at super 100′s and above.

Advantages

These suits are the most durable on the market. They can also be effective against the fight on wrinkles. The versatility of this material has led to it being used for both summer and winter suits.

Disadvantages

Dry cleaning is a prerequisite for cleaning these suits. Cleaning costs can become quite expensive if you wear suits everyday.

Poplin suit is made of a combination of lightweight fabrics to include: silk, cotton, worsted wool, and even polyester. This silky smooth material is found mostly in high end models.

Advantages

This material is lightweight and makes a great summer suit. Also the silky smooth feel to the fabric makes it a great luxury suit. You can’t go wrong wearing using this material for your luxury summer suits.

Disadvantages

The major disadvantage to this fabric is its poor versatility. Do not wear this suit in late fall, winter, or early spring – it is much too light. Durability can also be an issue for the more aggressive suit wearer.

WHEN cosmetics began disappearing from her bathroom drawer a few years ago, Gretchen Bain knew the culprit. Her husband, Jarrod.

It turned out that Jarrod, 34, a burly customs and border-protection officer whose uniform includes a 9-millimetre handgun, had developed a fondness for his wife’s under-eye concealer, which hid his occasional dark circles. He was also swiping her face lotions and mud masks.

“At one point, I just started buying stuff for him because I don’t want him stealing mine,” Gretchen said.

Now, she orders products online for him at Menaji.com, which bills itself as a “masculine” and “undetectable” line of cosmetics and skin-care products. His favourites are an eye gel and stick concealer that target dark circles, and an anti-shine powder that comes (shhh!) in a compact.

Whether they admit it or not, more men are using cosmetics, judging from sales figures and the number of new products arriving on store shelves.

But please don’t call it “make-up” – cosmetics marketers pointedly steer clear of the term, which men tend to find emasculating.

Neither the “manscara” look of Adam Lambert, the American Idol star, nor the “guyliner” stylings of Russell Brand, the comedian, will likely be adopted anytime soon by the guy who fixes your car. But men’s use of stealth make-up like concealers is on the upswing.

American consumers spent US$4.8 billion ($6.4 billion) on men’s grooming products last year, according to market data firm Euromonitor International. In 1997, the figure was half that.

Among the fastest growing men’s segments is skin care, which refers to non-shaving products like facial cleansers, moisturisers and exfoliants. That category grew more than fivefold over the period, to US$217 million from US$40.9 million.

While the data suggests more mirror time for men, it doesn’t give the full picture. By and large, men’s cosmetics are sold online by companies that fly under the radar of researchers.

Among those brands, business appears to be booming. Menaji, for example, reports a 70-per-cent increase in online sales over the last three years, according to Michele Probst, the make-up artist who founded the company 10 years ago.

“People thought it was nuts when I came out with the idea,” said Probst. “But men have always been very vain and always have groomed, and these are just new grooming tools.”

A Canadian men’s line, KenMen, has quadrupled sales since 2005, according to founder Lee Gilbert. The film industry make-up artist developed the products for Hollywood actors, but now many use her line every day off-screen, she said, though she declined to name any. KenMen’s products include Guy-liner pens, a slightly tinted lip salve and pens to “sculpt and define” eyebrows and to fill gaps in beards.

One argument that men’s cosmetics are going mainstream: Some men are not even self-conscious about using them. Jeffrey Lederer, 63, a principal in several investment partnerships and a former Wall Street trader, openly applies Menaji products – including a Bronze Star facial bronzing gel, concealer and anti-shine powder – after his workouts at a private Manhattan club.

Lederer, who wears tailor-made suits from Milan, called himself an “aesthetic person” who attains an “airbrushed look” from the cosmetics. Mainstream beauty brands are listening to men like him. Among the big-name brands that make products for men are Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Clinique.

Julian Kynaston, the founder of Illamasqua, a unisex make-up line from England, said the obsession over whether make-up is manly ignores the past: “The irony for me is that it’s only in the last century that make-up and men parted company.”

As far back as 3500BC, Egyptian men and women wore an eye colour made of crushed ant eggs, perhaps more for the sake of sun protection than decoration, according to Stephan Kanlian, the chairman of the master’s programme at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Use of make-up by men was common among the ancient Greeks and Romans, and throughout the Renaissance, and America’s founding fathers powdered their cheeks as well as their wigs, Kanlian said.

Today, the heirs to this tradition include Peter Albert, 41, who directs a corporate training programme for an education company. He applies Illusionist Concealer by Vapour Organic Beauty to the circles under his eyes.

Fifteen per cent of Vapour Organic Beauty’s customers who order the make-up online have been men, “which is really kind of shocking”, said founder Eric Sakas.

But Sakas, who lives in Los Angeles and is hired to do women’s make-up in their homes for special occasions, said that something has been happening in the last couple of years that might have prepared him for this trend.

“I’ll be doing her make-up, and the husband will poke his head in and say, ‘Can you do anything for these dark circles under my eyes?’ or ‘Can you do anything for this redness?’”Sakas said. “That never used to happen before, and I would say it happens 60 per cent of the time now.”

The inevitability of progress stimulates, as when entering into the eclectic house of an artist. Never subject to rules, new aesthetics flow throughout the collection, conveying a feeling of unsentimental refined street dandyism.

SINGULARITY. An independent spirit and visible good taste epitomises the portrait of the cultured street dandy. A touch of irony and personal eccentricity is a visual device, not a way of life.

DESIGN. Sophisticated sharpness penetrates through the solid tailoring background. Street art prints harmoniously synthesise the aesthetic to create a refined urban backdrop. The ‘Giacca Doppia’ debuts for summer, reinventing tailoring with a deconstructed double layer.

SHAPE. Tall, lean and slender proportions are shaped to be graphically masculine. Raw edge tailcoats and sleeveless jackets with clean yet soft necklines are paired with narrow trousers elongating the silhouette. Jackets with multiple layered pockets and trench suits emphasise the waist and enhance the shoulder proportion.

MATERIALS. An invigorating thrill resonates through all the fabrics and materials, miraculously light and compact. Fresh touch cottons, tussah, translucent silks and oversize striped suitings portray a effortlessly breezy air. Kangaroo leathers, ultra-light suedes and linen satins are all strikingly weightless while conveying a sense of inner strength and fortitude.

COLORS. From modern painters to graffiti artists without yielding to any nostalgia. The palette playfully juxtaposes a mix of stripes and contrasting colors, with opaque and shiny finishes. Shades of blue reign supreme, from navy to ink to royal. Discrete tones of natural whites and concretes compact and blur into lilacs.

ACCESSORIES. Distressed raffia top hats give a mercurial twist to the aesthetic. Soft and romantic leather highlights uplift travel bags, belts and bi-color boots. Eccentric coin chains and revolutionary rever scarves confirm the intellectual and fun character of the collection.

“Derived from diverse street dandy sources, Z Zegna is an independent projection of style and look. A touch of personal eccentricity and refinement define the spirit of the Summer collection.”  Alessandro Sartori, Z Zegna Creative Director.

Some people view shoes as practical necessities, while others have a shoe obsession. Most people probably land somewhere in between. This article provides some basic but useful rules for men to choose shoes.

General rules:

1. Try to pick a shoe that matches, or is darker than your pants.
2. Although it is a safe bet, socks do not need to match your shoes. Instead, think of your socks as you would a tie – an item that can bring bring the whole outfit together.
3. If wearing a belt, try to match your shoes to it, unless of course, your belt is some multi-colored striped thing.

Men’s Shoes for Jeans
You can wear almost any color or style of shoe with jeans, but avoid very shiny shoes that were obviously intended for more dressier outfits.  Boots, lug soles, sneakers, loafers and sandals all work great with jeans, so you may find it helpful to let the style of your shirt guide you.  For example, a sporty, polo shirt might work with a loafer; t-shirts go well with sneakers or retro-style shoes; long, artsy button-downs work well with sandals or contemporary styles.

Men’s Shoes for Casual Pants
Whether you call them Dockers, chinos, or khakis, there are a variety of loafers, oxford and other men’s shoes that work well with casual pants.  Let the ornamentation and style of the shoe guide you towards the look you’re trying to achieve.  For example, a tassle or a buckle is a little more on the dressy side, while a woven pattern or heavy stitching is a little more on the casual side.

Men’s Shoes for Dress Pants
With dress pants, shoot for the same type of shoe that you might wear with a suit. Shinier materials usually indicate a dressier shoe, as do less bulky heels and soles. Choose a shoe that is the same color or darker than your pants, and if wearing a belt, match your shoes to it.

Color Matching for Men’s Shoes

1. Black shoes work well with navy, grey or black pants.
2. Brown shoes are best suited to tan, brown, beige, greens, other darker earth tones.
3. Burgundy shoes work well with khaki, lighter browns, blue and grey.
4. Tan shoes look great with lighter earth tones, blue, beige, lighter tan or white.

Ermenegildo Zegna, this Italian brand’s can make you like a real gentleman.  Cutting of their suits are so nice, and I deadly love them.  Men, consider it.

Here is the Zegna’s fashion show video:

1. The Gray Suit

Think of it as the anchor of your business wardrobe—strong, elegant, and always appropriate, whether you’re interviewing for your first job or addressing the shareholders at your last. A gray suit looks sharp and clean with a white, soft blue, or light pink shirt but is versatile enough that it’ll go with just about anything. Any shade will do, but we recommend a medium gray, like the one this gentleman is wearing. Click on the NEXT button below for the season’s best gray suits, in three price points.

Suit, $1,705, by Jil Sander. Shirt, $250, and tie, $115, by Ralph Lauren Black Label. Shoes, $595, by J.M. Weston. Cuff links by Montblanc.

2. The Solid Navy Suit

You can’t go wrong here. A navy suit is always a safe, classic choice, and it travels seamlessly from the boardroom to an evening out. It lends itself well to almost any shirt-and-tie combination, but to up the elegance factor, pair it with a crisp white shirt, a dark solid tie, and a pocket square (think Cary Grant).

Suit, $945, by D&G. Shirt, $295, by Versace Collection. Tie, $98, by Emporio Armani. Shoes, $595, by Tod’s. Watch by Rolex.

3. The Solid Black Suit

It used to be that a black suit wasn’t a safe choice for the office, but these days it’s a staple. Just make sure yours is cut on the slim side and fits correctly. (However you feel about your job, you don’t want to look like you work in a funeral home.)  Anyway, black suit is the most common one in Hong Kong.

Suit, $3,295, by Giorgio Armani. Shirt, $475, by Giorgio Armani. Tie, $125, by Band of Outsiders.

4. The Pin-Striped Navy Suit

A cool classic that exudes confidence. You can anchor it with a solid shirt and tie or get adventurous— mixed it with a striped shirt and a striped tie. Just keep the components within one basic-color family and make sure that the stripes of the suit, shirt, and tie aren’t too close in scale; one of the patterns should be bold and the other two more muted.

Suit, $1,590, by Etro. Shirt, $59, by Tommy Hilfiger. Tie, $98, by Emporio Armani.

5. The Khaki Cotton Suit

A business wardrobe might consist mostly of dark suits, but spring and summer give you the chance to lighten up (literally). Do it in style with a khaki cotton suit. Pair it with a solid (blue, white, or pink) shirt and a dark tie for the office, then loosen it up (e.g., lose the tie and socks) for an evening out.

Suit, $1,550, by Dolce & Gabbana. Shirt, $355, by Dsquared. Tie, $100, by Burberry London. Shoes, $895, by Martin Dingman. Watch by Rolex.

Emporio Armani hosted 2010 Men fashion show in Milan on Jan 16, 2010.  Following are the fashion show’s’ video.  It also has Emporio Armani’s ladies fashion show video.

Men Fashion Show Part 1:

Men Fashion Show Part 2:

Ladies Fashion Show:

Fashion always involves some investment. Fortunately, it’s not an expense that you have to incur very frequently, especially if you subscribe to the quality over quantity principle. 2010 is bound to bring with it a whole year’s worth of new trends in men’s style, which likely means a purchase or two down the road. Spotting these trends ahead, however, lets you buy all the key items early on, before they’re so popular, and so expensive.

Plastic Watch
Since men’s fashion is all about heritage, tradition and quality, it might seem strange that plastic would get recommended for an item that’s usually done in precious metals. This year, however, you just might be seeing a shift in public attitudes toward plastic watches.

Plastic timepieces are largely restricted to a young, prepubescent audience that’s fond of bright colors and cheap goods. Your segment of the market, however, isn’t always averse to such things; it looks like bright colors will be an upcoming trend in the spring, while few men are against buying inexpensive fashion. Plastic watches might not be a long term commitment, but they’re worth buying for the next year or so.

What’s not to like about them (besides the material)? They’re functional. They’re fun. And with manufacturers like Nixon selling them for less than $100 a pop, they offer pretty good value for money. If you want a quick style piece that adds a jolt of color, this is it. Throw it on over any casual outfit or to give shock value to your usual office attire.

Structured Leather Bag
Men’s luggage is one segment of the market that’s been changing quite a lot these past couple of years – fairly rapid, all things considered. From artisanal leather to outdoorsy canvas, trends in bags have been coming hard and fast. The next movement looks like it’s in the direction of luxurious leather bags that have some structure to them.

As financial problems forced everyone – including the fashion industry – to go back to the basics, so did the design perspective on bags. But since there’s a near consensus on how stuffy the traditional old briefcase is, a less rigid (but still structured) replacement was in order. Look for ones that have a defined rectangular shape, but aren’t necessarily rigid all throughout so that you avoid the look of the ancestral briefcase.

Choose it like you would any other item for work. That is, minimize external detailing and prioritize function over form. Aim for a bag that’s as simple as possible, yet can accommodate all of the things you need for work at the same time.

Three-Piece Suit
A new year might not seem like significant cause to buy yourself a new suit, but a three-piece job is always a good buy – regardless of the time of year – if you don’t already have one. It’s an even better idea now that it’s turning out to be such a major fashion trend.

Throwing a vest into the standard two-piece mix has its advantages. First of all, it adds some definition and shape to your midsection, thanks to the support of the vest. From a practical standpoint, it lets you look sharp and dapper even when you’ve ditched your jacket – something you’re wont to do anyway. At the same time, you get to adopt a much more mature and traditional look, without necessarily looking stuffy if the suit’s cut right.

A three-piece suit in black can seem much too imposing even for the highest officers in the office. Pick one up in navy or gray instead so that you don’t end up like you meant to dress up for an opera gala. Chalk or pin stripes should also help lighten the mood of your suit. Wear it like you would your two piece suit, only make an extra effort to pick a tie that stands out to balance the visual real estate of the suit itself.

Quality should be a constant factor in all your fashion purchases. Remember that these are investments and not mere expenses, so you’ve also got to think about whether the items can last at least a few years of service.