STYLE July 2007
FASHION
FOR MEN
SHORT WORK
Noticing a lack of simple, stylish beach and swim shorts for men, photographer Adam Brown and lawyer Julia Simpson Orlebar teamed up to produce their own label: Orlebar Brown. Their first collection could not be more timely. Understated, neat and full-cut, their classic shorts chime with this summer’s trend for tailored shorts for men, from Comme des Garçons to Ozwald Boateng to Burberry and Armani. Wear them with a jacket for the full schoolboy look or think Bermuda – the island home to the smart shorts of the same name, where they’re worn with pleats three inches above the knee as propriety dictates. Just leave the socks at home.
GET THE LOOK
Tailored beach and swim shorts, £110, by Orlebar Brown +44 (0)207 351 3873
SHINE ON
If the beach is an opportunity to splash out on colour, a key men’s trend for this summer is the bold and the brash: skimpy trunks with a tiger head print from Aquascutum, typography over trunks from D&G, animal prints from Galliano and Sonia Rykiel and neon brights from Bikkembergs. High-street versions opt for a more understated graphic treatment – one that still draws attention to your drawers. New label Punto Blanco (available via the internet) and swimwear, newly launched in the UK, from Bjorn Borg – yes, the tennis great – are among the best, if not for the shy.
GET THE LOOK
Satin swimming trunks, £30, by Bjorn Borg +44 (0)1604 654 277
TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL
If you wore Aertex tops for PE lessons, you’ll remember how the fabric’s holey weave mysteriously kept you cool without letting you get cold. Indeed, the Cellular Clothing Company, which created Aertex in 1888 thought it had medicinal value. Now Aertex has been relaunched with a collection of short-sleeve, long-sleeve and collarless shirts that can be dressed up or down.
GET THE LOOK
Short-sleeved shirt, £39.99, from Aertex +44 (0)161 828 5076
FOR WOMEN
INDIAN SUMMER
Kaftans are ideal hot weather travel companions: crease-free. lightweight, useful for keeping the sun off your shoulders, but often they’re cut more like tents and consequently lose any femininity. StarBlu have recut the traditional kaftan with a view to keeping it as functional a beach piece as it ever but flattering at the same time: a bold pattern, low v-neck, thigh length cut with side splits and a back-tie that can be left loose on the sand or tied tight for an hour glass shape for a dinner out.
GET THE LOOK
Chiffon kaftan, £34.50, by StarBlu +044 (0)7800 650 463
SMOCK SCREEN
In the heat of summer, linen beats cotton every time for comfort. The natural stiffness of linen – which is undergoing something of a fashion resurgence – means it stands away from the body, allowing the skin to cool, and the fabric can absorb up to 20% of its weight in moisture before it starts to feel damp. It is also highly abrasion proof and stain-resistant. An outsized linen smock or shirt-dress makes an ideal beach cover-up, for when the sun is scorching or it’s just time for lunch.
GET THE LOOK
Linen smock, £14, by George at Asda +44 (0)500 100 055
SEXY SHADY
Oliver Goldsmith used to be a big name in sunglasses, in a time before designer brands cornered the market. Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Ursula Andress and Grace Kelly both wore sunglasses from the company founded by its namesake in 1926, pretty much reinventing sunglasses as fashion accessories. The brand has been relaunched by Oliver’s great granddaughter Claire, with both an off-the-shelf collection and an archive couture service.
GET THE LOOK
Sunglasses, £180, by Oliver Goldsmith +44 (0)870 754 1898
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