Introduction

True fashion followers always attempt to stay ahead of the seasons in order to be one step ahead of the trends ? so although your body might currently be craving woollens and layers, your head should be thinking about what might be when the sun pops his hat back on. And based on the collections showcased at various fashion weeks across the globe, one of the key pieces for SS13 are tailored shorts, and the notion of shorts suits. It may not be particularly ground-breaking to report that shorts are going to become an influential piece of menswear come spring/summer. Nevertheless, what you should be aware of is the style of shorts that are likely to become popular and the items you choose to pair them with. It is clear from my research that a more traditionally tailored style will be favoured by the majority of the high street come SS13, and as Shortlist magazine writes: “It’s all about the slim cut ? from hip to hem.” The high fashion designers also demonstrated a penchant for shorts paired with blazers. The concept of the shorts suit (aka a suit jacket worn with matching shorts) has been simmering within spring/summer collections for several years now ? could SS13 be the season that this trend comes to the forefront?

On The Runways

Turning our attention to the runways, several designers featured tailored shorts and shorts suits in their SS13 collections – from Wooyoungmi to Maison Kitsuné to Raf Simons. However, two of my favourite collections came from Richard James and Junya Watanabe, who showcased a range of much more wearable styles and looks.

Richard James

The collection by Richard James, showcased in our own fair city of London, was entitled ‘Urban Fete’ and featured crisp linen shorts in bright tones, paisley prints and exciting stripes. The collection worked so well due to the sheer amount of variation present in the outfits. There was a pair of pale blue tailored shorts with matching single-breasted linen blazer (also showcased in more adventurous shades of electric blue and tangerine), bold patterned board shorts and tonal patterned shorts paired with flip flops. Richard James also mixed things up by pairing mismatched shorts and blazer combinations. There were candy striped shorts paired with a casual white blazer and paisley print shorts in bright yellow/red paired with loose-fitting shirts for an injection of vibrancy. Vogue described the Richard James collection as “stunningly intense” and I truly believe that the collection could slip seamlessly into the wardrobe of any modern man: