The Best Slip On Sneakers For Men

As the lines between formal and casual clothing blur and with streetwear becoming ever more prevalent in the world of high-end fashion, the ways in which we decide to dress and the rules which have previously been in place are becoming obsolete.

Slip-on trainers are a prime example of these blurred fashion lines; once the preserve of school gyms and package holidays, the slip-on has become a quintessential part of the mans wardrobe worn with both your formal attire and your casual wear.

Here’s a look at five of the best slip-ons for the coming months…

Vans Slip-Ons

When it comes to the slip-on there really is no other place to start that with the classic black and white check trainer made famous by Sean Penn and those high school slackers in seminal 80’s film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

The must have for any skater out there; this slip-on has crossed over into the mainstream with effortless ease.

Teamed with a pair of Dockers and an oversized t-shirt, this classic will never go out of fashion.

Converse X Missoni Slip-Ons

Collaborations between designer labels and mainstream brands have become all the rage of late and these two fashion behemoths have been quick to follow suit.

Combining the famous colourways of Missoni with the craftsmanship of Converse, these slip-ons will look great with a pair of tailored black trousers and polo shirt.

Common Projects Slip-Ons

One of the hippest footwear brands on the market, Italian shoe designers Common Projects haven’t failed to miss out on the rise of the slip-on.

The brand have produced an array of slip-ons for the forthcoming season but the off-white, perforated number are the ones we here at MFM keep coming back too.

Of course if you’re going to wear Common Project trainers the rest of your outfit has to been upto scratch so wide, straight leg trousers and a old school t-shirt for that effortlessly cool look are a must.

Valentino Rock Studs

Thanks to skaters and stoner movies the world over the slip-on has always had a rebellious edge to those smooth rubber soles and Valentino have added another dimension with this studded version.

The grunge / punk look has been an inspiration to designer collections for the past few seasons and this slip-on pays homage to those rebellious times.

A must with ripped skinny jeans and a biker jacket we could definitely see Keith Richard’s rocking a pair of these.

Dries Van Noten Slip-Ons

When the humble slip-on goes from Californian skate parks to Parisian catwalks you know it has become something of a status symbol in the fashion and while we here at MFM won’t be splashing out £300 on a pair of trainers any time soon, it just goes to show those in the fashion business are taking note of the voices on the street.

If you do happen to have a casual £300 to burn, invest in a good suit (or separates) to give this look a real sartorial edge.

No matter where you sit at the fashion table there will always be a slip-on trainer to suit your personal style and needs; be it heading to work or off to the beach, this classic piece of footwear is more than happy to accompany you on your journey.

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3 Ways To Look Better In Photos

How To Look Good In Pictures

Have you ever looked at a photo of yourself that somehow managed to ruin your entire day?! That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I think we could all use a little help when it comes to looking good in pictures. Some of us get labeled as being “photogenic” (and others not so much), but I think a lot of that has to do with how you react to the camera. We all get caught in front of those flashing lights now and again, and when we do, here are some tips on how to look your very best!

1.The Slimming Stance

How you stand can instantly add or subtract 10+ pounds. If you stand with your hips shoulder width apart, your weight on your back foot, and your front leg slightly bent, you’ll create an instant slimming effect! For more before & after pictures like this, hop on over to Kate Pease Photography.

2. Don't Square Your Body

It makes sense. Standing straight into the camera can make you look frumpy. Standing at a 3/4 turn or even with your body to the side is much more flattering, especially if you’re with a group of people; it cuts your size in almost half. Go visit Rebecca Danzenbaker Photography for a lot more tips like this!

3. Forehead Forward, Chin Down

If there is anything you can do to be more photogenic, do this!! Even if you don’t have a double chin to hide, it accentuates your jaw line. It is also suggested that you squint your eyes slightly. Hop on over to Lifehacker for more information, including a video.

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In Conversation With Adrian Azodi of Monsieur Fox

Monsieur Fox founder, Adrian Azodi was born and raised in the US and now currently resides in Dubai.

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Adrian’s life in the menswear world is one of someone who lives an elegant life; naturally, whilst building his brand which consists of hand crafted men’s accessories; from pocket squares to lapel chains.

With a new collection set to launch this autumn, Monsieur Fox has been featured many a times at Pitti Uomo on some of the world’s most stylish men. We chatted with Adrian about the new collection and the trials of launching a successful brand.

When and what was it that made you want to launch Monsieur Fox?

I felt, and still feel, that most of the big, ready-to-wear brands offer collections that are either relatively uninspiring or very overpriced. I wanted to make something with a little more character, that would last for years and wasn’t irrationally expensive.

This became the driving spirit behind Monsieur Fox; the specific intent of what we call, “Everyday Elegance”. It’s a commitment to deliver luxury quality products without the retail markup.

We wanted it to be affordable so that someone can pick up a few pieces every 2-3 months yet also designed in a way that when they’re worn at the office, out with friends, on the weekend, and 3 years from now, they don’t feel out of place.

Is there a comparison to any brands out there in which inspire you?

Of course, certainly there are a number of brands out there that serve as role models, and those that personally I consider superb; Drake’s is probably the most well-known in the men’s accessories space, and then you have brands like Rubinacci, Attolini, Liverano, etc. that carry the flag for classic Italian menswear as a whole.

Newer brands like Christian Kimber, Post Imperial, and Ikire Jones are bringing some new perspective to the industry, which is great to see. That being said, we do our utmost to ensure that what we create maintains our own unique identity, while respecting our predecessors and contemporaries.

Can you tell us a little about the production behind the materials, and the process?

We design all of our collections in-house, and the process can take a few months, depending on how big of a collection we’re planning.

We make all of our pockets squares, ties and scarves in southern Italy, and all of our cufflinks and lapel chains are handmade in Dubai, which is where I live. I’ve focused on what I think is important in the making of a piece: the delicate balance between creating something wearable and familiar while maintaining our own personality.

You’re set to release your latest collection. Can you tell us about it? Inspirations etc.

Yes, we’re very excited about this new collection! At our recent trunk show in London, we had some great feedback as attendees got an exclusive preview of these pieces.

We were inspired by Japan in the 1860’s. At the time, it was illegal for the Japanese to travel, particularly to the West, yet we found out about several groups that were recruited and secretly sent by regional leaders (daimyo’s) to London to study, learn and bring their knowledge back to Japan. These young students were told to fully integrate into the culture and city, and the difficulty of that must have been incredible!

For us, it served as an interesting starting point, as we imagined that in a foreign country, with both language and cultural barriers, in clothing one has never worn, these students wanted something that would remind them of home, yet still fit into the regular life of a London resident.

We created pocket squares with this in mind, thinking that they could have worn these as a small way for them to hold onto a piece of what they knew with them without attracting undue attention. We’re dedicated to creating unique designs and I think we’ve been most successful when we connect our products to a story that will resonate with people.

As a start-up, in the beginning what did you find hard, anything you didn’t expect to encounter?

I don’t have a background in fashion or clothing design/production, so almost everything was something I didn’t expect! However, I knew it was not going to be easy and I think that’s a great place to start for any business owner.

I came into it willing to learn, either by finding it on my own or asking the right questions. There’s a reason that certain brands last and most fade away, and I think its consistency, not only in what you release but how people experience your brand.

We are doing our best to ensure that design, product and creative development are always moving forward and living up to our ethos and what our customers have come to expect of us.

You have begun a number of collaborations recently, do you think this is one of the best ways to get your brand noticed and exposed?

Working with other brands in the industry has been great, especially when we find other young brands that have a similar message and spirit.

The power of collaboration is that we get to connect our audiences and show how these various perspectives augment each other.

Trunk shows have been a large part of our marketing strategy this year, as we don’t have a physical shop, and that gives people a chance to experience the brand first hand, which is always helpful in building genuine customer relationships and getting the word out.

As a well-dressed man yourself, what do you think are key elements to dressing well?

You know, within the past 2 years or so, my style has changed quite a lot. I think I’m actually becoming more conservative in the way I dress!

For me, I think fit is the first thing to focus on; the better a garment fits (how it conforms to your body) the better you’ll look and feel. Something I try to keep in mind these days, as well, is to use colour and texture to create depth and dimension for an outfit and that helps when we’re sourcing fabrics and pinning down final designs.

Finally, one or two small details do really go a long way. And that’s where I have the most fun.

Find out more about Adrian Azodi and shop the full collection by visiting Monsieur Fox.

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How To Pull Off The Smart Casual Dress Code

Recent advice has often made things confusing but I’m here today to strip it right down for you, giving you the foolproof principles to follow effortlessly.Nothing screams elegance like formal attire, but often occasions don’t call for a full suit. With the smart casual dress code being admired by many, how does a man pull it off?

Want to pull off the smart casual dress code? Here’s how.

1. The 80/20 Balance

Have you heard of the 80/20 principle by Pareto? Not to worry if you haven’t. It simply means 80% of the outcome comes from 20% of the input.

The issue most guys have is when trying to pull off the smart casual look they go for a complete even balance. Typically 50% formal attire, 50% casual attire. It doesn’t have to be even.

In fact, the 80/20 rule makes it a lot simpler to understand. I tend to stick with 80% formal, 20% casual. Why? Because 20% of casual will dramatically bring the formality of the look down.

Here’s an example.

You can see in this look, the addition of jeans instead of a full suit and removing the tie dramatically reduces the formality of the look. It still heavily consists of ‘smart clothing’ but it now bridges that gap between smart casual.

Getting the balance is the most important thing but don’t strive for an even 50/50 balance.

2. More Smart Than Casual

As stated in the previous point, it’s easier to strike the balance but injecting a small amount of casual attire into the look.

Piece together your formal attire first and then inject some casual clothing to pull off that smart casual dress code.

The smarter clothing will of course carry more weight, it will create more of an impact and typically always be the focal point the the outfit. Therefore put your emphasis on this, and then decide how you want to dress down the outfit.

Your options? Here’s a few ideas…

* Replace suit trousers/formal trousers with jeans of chinos.

* Swap formal shoes for casual (white sneakers work well)

* Replace your shirt with a t-shirt/polo shirt

* Lose the tie

* Swap your blazer for a more casual jacket (Bomber, Harrington, Leather Jacket)

* Add in knitwear…

Using the options above you can easily start to strike the balance between smart and casual. Remember, the more casual clothing you introduce the more dressed down you’ll be.

Personally I recommend opting for more smart attire over casual.

3. What’s The Occasion?

The occasion obviously plays a big factor in how you strike the balance as well. Is it a date? Dress down Friday’s at work? An interview? A night out? What kind of formality does the occasion call for?

A good example of this is sneakers. You can easily dress down a look by replacing your trusted formal footwear with a pair of sneakers… but what if the venue doesn’t allow them?

A night out with friends might not call for you to wear a blazer, so it’s trying to strike the balance between smart and casual without overdoing it for the occasion.

Look at the venue, think about the type of occasion you’re dressing for and then take inspiration from some of the images below.

Why It’s Important

Personally smart casual is something I always strive towards. Too formal often makes your style look to corporate, and in some instances it looks like you’ve tried too hard. Bridging that balance isn’t difficult, just don’t overthink it.

Apply the tips shared in this article and pulling off the smart casual dress code will become a lot easier.

Leave comments below, share on social media if you found this helpful and don’t forget to reach out.

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