Diesel Black Gold Fall 2013 Menswear Collection

Diesel's latest collection for Black Gold envisaged a psychedelic rock band on a worlds tour—plural, as in our world, the next, and the next. As The Cosmic Tour—Diesel's name for the collection—tripped through the universe, it did so in slithery, rock-god style. This collection was a natty, suited-up one, spit-shine polished right down to its patent-leather penny loafers, but the breath of other planets came through via satiny fabrics a man from Mars would love. Hairy furs and geometric prints, extrapolated from cathedral-meets-concert-hall graphics, tricked out the lot. Below you will find my favorite pieces and fashion stylizations from the Fall 2013 Diesel Black Gold collection.

Men’s fashion trends for fall 2013

Men's Fashion Week highlighted a few important trends for men's fashion for fall 2013. Make sure you sport these hot new directions if you want to keep up with the menswear fall 2013 trends and look stylish this year. From big ready-to-wear collections to luxury designs, men's trends for upcoming fall are shaping up to help you be elegant or cool, if you make sure to update your wardrobe accordingly.

1.Grey on grey

This season the safest color in your wardrobe is getting risky with multiple designers showing grey worn from head-to-toe. Charcoal suits were paired with contrasting hues and patterns at Viktor & Rolf and Bottega Veneta, not to mention the slate baseball jackets thrown over gunmetal trousers at Neil Barrett. Whether in the workplace or on the weekend, this is one of next year’s easiest trends to master.

2.Burgundy 

Burgundy seems to be one of the favored colors for the fall and is a nice change of pace from your typical black and white color scales. Dark red was the color that dominated the catwalks from Europe. Again, head-to-toe looks , were popular. My favorite trend is that paired with another complementary color. I especially liked Prada’s pairing of a claret jacket with teal trousers and the velvet waist coasts with bright red silk.

3.Bomber/baseball jackets

After showing up at a few shows last year, the varsity-style bomber jacket was seen on almost every catwalk this season, given a distinctly European twist with plush fabrics and a slim cut. High-school inspired outfits might be one of the most lasting menswear Fall 2013 trends. Varsity jackets have been remade in different ways for the modern stylish man. With extra zippers in the Kenzo men's collection, a netter sleeve designed by 3.1 Phillip Lim and a new slim silhouette from Julien David, varsity jackets offer a stylish and much less sporty look.

4.New Camouflage

While it never went away for some people, camouflage is back on the runway on t-shirts, jackets and even suits and might end being one of the most important men's trends for the fall. This is not the same camo that you had purchased from Gap or Banana Republic a few years back. Designers are looking to incorporate this transcendent print in a multitude of ways with pants being the more traditional route to something a little more outlandish, like the jackets seen below. Present in collections by Comme des Garcons Homme Plus, Band of Outsiders and Dries Van Noten, camouflage is a perfect companion to the more elegant navy.

5.Biker leather jacket

The motorcycle jacket is back and some of the biggest names at Fashion Week reinvented it for men or presented it in different and exciting contexts. Paul Smith, Kenzo and Balmain took the biggest liberties with men's motorcycle jackets, adding zippers and changing some key aspects while keeping the coolness intact. With an updated look, the jacket is one of the menswear Fall 2013 trends that keeps you cool even without riding a Harley.

6.Turtlenecks/Roll necks

If you’ve recently been benefitting from the extra blizzard-busting neck insulation a rollneck brings, you’ll be pleased to hear that the item isn’t going anywhere for fall and winter 2013. This item is the essential piece of knitwear for the season. Worn under suits or even under other sweaters, the item is the essential piece of knitwear for the season. Make like McQ (and Steve McQueen) and layer up under a tailored winter coat for the ultimate cold-snap solution.

7.The blues

While claret was the color of the season, a whole host of bright blues hit the catwalks too, with periwinkle at Gucci, electric Costume National and baby blue at Nicole Farhi to name a few. Whether you’re planning on investing in a casual suit or a new overcoat for the season, ditch the same old navy for something a bit brighter.

8.Cape Jacket

The most unexpected trend for this fall is the cape jacket. Perhaps the fashion world just can’t wait for Man of Steel, but capes were everywhere. It’s a bold look – just be sure not to pair it with any red underpants.

Men's Swimwear

“People shop for a bathing suit with more care than they do a husband or wife.” 
- Erma Bombeck

Finding the right swimwear isn’t always a day at the beach. Each summer brings about new styles, and it’s important that you keep cool by refreshing your swim trunks every season because nowhere is it more apparent that you’re out-of-season than when you go poolside.

Men's swimwear is essential to summertime fun. At the pool, lake or beach, wherever it is you go to take a dip, the trunks you wear are the one defining thing you have on. They have to look good for you to look good. When it’s all said and done, your swimwear could keep you afloat or leave adrift.

Men’s swimwear has come a long way in the last century. As late as the ‘30s, men were still wearing full-body swimwear designed for modesty. Well, those days are gone, and modesty has mostly gone out the door with it. Swimwear today offers versatile cuts, lengths and materials, all designed to complement a man’s build, not hide it -- which is how it should be. After putting in long hours at the gym, why not don a pair of trunks that showcases your hard-fought efforts.

Picking out swim trunks comes down to two things: how much beach fashion you can handle and how much you work out. It’s important that your swimwear makes you feel comfortable. Being in a bathing suit is really just one stop away from your birthday suit, so you want to look good in that final transitional stage.

Luckily, there are only a few tips you need to remember to transform yourself from beach bum to sand king.

The first of these is fit. By now we should all know that the secret to looking great in your clothes is whether they fit your body or not; your swim shorts are no exception to this. What you want to be aiming for is an ‘athletic fit’. What I mean by this is that the shorts tread the line between slim and skinny. You want the material to be just touching on your body, allowing you plenty of give to run, jump and swim while avoiding any garish ‘tenting’ effects.

Similarly, the length of your shorts is important as well. By now you should have realized that you would quite like your thighs to get a tan this year rather than strolling around in those baggy quicksilver board shorts you brought before you went to Uni. So out with the old and in with the new; make sure that when you purchase your swim shorts that the hem falls two to three inches above your knee. This, combined with the athletic fit, will help raise your swimwear to the next level.

Secondly, inject some color into your life! Summer is the perfect time to start experimenting with colors and finding out which ones you like or that look good on you. The best thing about swim shorts is that it is more than likely they will be the only thing you’re wearing at that time – so it means you can really branch out with color. Why not go for something in electric yellow or pink? Or maybe throw a pattern in as well and try a navy and green stripe or red gingham check? The options are endless and if you do need to wear something up top, stick to a fitted tank top in neutral colors like grey, navy or black to anchor your bottom half and let the trunks do the talking.

Lastly, make sure you invest in the new breed of swim shorts. These days designers and high streets alike are making shorts that blur the lines between beachwear and summer clothing. If you buy some swim shorts that are flat fronted and hang in a straight line, not only will they flatter any waist size and eliminate any risk of looking pudgy but, once you have dried off, you can take them straight up to the beach bar without looking out of place. Furthermore, some shorts are also being made without the elastic waistbands and now have zip flies and pockets big enough to actually carry large items like your iPod.

You may need to splash a little more cash but in the end, the benefit of having a pair of shorts that look great in and out of the pool will be worth it. Just remember to take your phone out of them before jumping in, ok?

Modern Men’s Fashion Swimming Shorts