We’re the first to admit that some of the ‘clothes’ that come down the runway at men’s fashion week really deserve those inverted commas. The AW18 shows have just wrapped in Paris, hot on the (occasionally stacked) heels of Milan, Pitti and London. Among the bolder looks for next season, we saw outfits made from supermarket stickers, lots of see-through tops and a few pleated mini skirts (yes, on men).

Somehow, we don’t expect to see those flying off the rails come the autumn. Which is fair enough. Some fashion shows are more about arty subversion or wider conversations about consumerism or gender politics. That’s fair enough, too. But we’re here for the clothes – the ones we actually want to buy and wear. And with that in mind, here are the trends that should make it to your rotation this year.

Plaid

If we had to give you just one takeaway from the AW18 shows, it was that you should be wearing a lot of plaid come the autumn. It was by far the biggest common denominator. From long plaid overcoats to patchwork plaid streetwear at Balenciaga, it was evident in every single style genre you could think of. The most elegant looks came courtesy of Dries van Noten who clashed three different plaid styles in one outfit. In fact, plaid-on-plaid was a recurring theme. The lesson? Don’t be afraid to clash patterns and genres next season.

If you only buy one plaid item, make sure it’s a long overcoat rather than another lumberjack-approved flannel shirt – you’ll be able to wear it formally over a suit during the week and then style it out with more contemporary sweaters, jeans and boots at the weekend. It will even offer a nice foil to a streetwear look. Check out Dries and Juun J for ideas on how to wear plaid in an elegant yet contemporary way.

Outfit Inspiration

Corduroy Trousers

You hated them as a kid, but you can’t get enough of them right now. And nor, it seems, can designers. In Milan especially, there were reams of corduroy on the runways and not just at the more tailored labels such as Brunello Cucinelli: even streetwear brands like Palm Angels were getting in on the action.