Men's Fashion 2010: New Colors

The start of a new year usually signals the entry of new movements and trends in men's fashion. That, however, rarely means a complete wardrobe overhaul. Most of the time, getting on board the newest bandwagon of male style simply requires the purchase of a few items that will update your existing repertoire of clothes. With 2010 now upon you, it's high time to give some thought about the new entries to your wardrobe.

Bright Shirts
It's a widely held notion that men's fashion tends to lean on the drab side as a means of adhering to 'classic' styles. That's part of the reason why plain white shirts and plain black shoes hold their place of honor in every man's wardrobe. Some novelty is on the horizon, however, as brightly colored shirts will be an emerging trend in the next few seasons.

Men shy away from color for a number of reasons. Some see it as an effeminate aspect of clothing, while others simply don't know how to wear any color other than black, white or gray. This emergence of strong, bright colors is not without purpose. When done right, it adds life and energy to any old outfit that would otherwise have been humdrum.

The trick to pulling off a bright shirted style is to allow your shirt to be the star of your outfit. Keep the rest of your look to simple, nondescript pieces, and that goes for every item from your eyeglasses to your shoe laces. Giving the spotlight to the eye-catching hue means giving it the attention that it's meant to get, while at the same time avoiding any clashing or possible eyesore that it could create with other pieces you're wearing.

Lively Pocket Squares
If men's fashion as a whole already leans in a not-so-interesting direction, then the office attire segment is even more drab than the usual. Considering the kinds of dress codes that are usually imposed in offices, you're not left with a lot of space to dress up creatively.

One way that you could add some life into an office ensemble that's dull as dishwater is to tuck a patterned pocket square into your front jacket pocket instead of the usual solid white fabric. Plaids and checks are becoming increasingly common in men's boutiques, and fashion observers are taking notice. Buy yourself a set of five, wear one a day to the office and watch as your colleagues try to spot the imperceptible difference in your look.

Remember, however, that pocket squares have very little visual real estate, so keep its competition to a minimum. Like what you would do with the brightly colored shirt, the lively pocket square must be paired with simple style pieces to achieve maximum effect.

Brown Accessories
For decades, black leather has maintained its dominance in the accessories segment of men's fashion. Whether it's a pair of lace-ups or a tote bag for the office, odds are good that you own it in black leather. You may, however, want to change that position for 2010, as brown is beginning to steal the thunder that once belonged to black.

It's been an ongoing trend for the last few months, and it's highly likely that brown leather accessories will enter the year 2010 in the spotlight. More and more men are switching allegiance over to brown (for now, at least) as a pleasant break from all the black. And why not? It's as traditional and classic as black, and has a similarly rich heritage rooted in centuries of menswear. In short, it's just as good as any other color, if not better.

A big part of the trend began when men began wearing brown shoes and belts instead of black ones with gray suits as a more traditional and sartorial choice. Now that the range of the selection has expanded, though, don't be surprised if you see magazines and store displays putting brown belts and shoes on everything from gray suits to denim jeans. It takes some getting used to, but it strikes a particularly dapper cord in any outfit.

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