Welcome to
the concluding part of trainers and sneakers
paired with everything else.
In the first
part, it was a look at how feminine dresses, female suits and the sexy pencil
skirt and tops has taken on a new dimension style wise. In today's world, to be
fashion forward or cool is wearing
sneakers and trainers with girlie dresses etc.
In this
concluding part, we take a look at how men's fashion is also on the same
trajectory. A style idea that was once a fashion faux pas is now today's trend. Male outfits like agbada, danshiki
or dashiki co-ords (pronunciation depends on you), including smart official
suits are now paired with these sports shoes.
As we all
know, trainers were mainly for sporting events and casual looks. In times past,
no one would have thought this ensemble is going to become uber fashionable. It was actually a forbidden combination mainly
associated with students, overworked employees, local and wazup guys as stated in the last article. Today, pairing
trainers with suits or agbada says "I
am cool and I know it". The same goes for chinos that have always been
associated with smart casual, (The chinos shoe of choice were mostly loafers
and boating shoes), but today like icing on a cake, chinos and sneakers are a
timeless classic. (Maybe those local
wazup guys knew a thing or two about fashion of the future, we are only
just discovering).
This outfit
combination works perfectly so let us not call any negatives on it. From
celebrities to the everyday man, they seem to have cracked the code in making
this a match made in heaven. From old guys to young boys, they all carry it
seamlessly. In my opinion, it is quite a
refreshing look, a breath of fresh air. This style puts a smile on my face as all I
see are confident and cool people breaking the rules and getting away with it
as was stated in the last episode.
The sports
shoe to fashion statement message of this outfit goes to show how fashion has
been turned on its head. It says rules are meant to be broken to create new
narratives for future generations. Going by what is happening in today's world,
it looks like the future generations are here already, all set to making and
creating new fashion narratives, taking the old "fashion order" along with them. The old order will have
to accept these changes if they do not want their brands becoming obsolete or
seen as outdated, and from the look of
things, they are already in line as luxury trainers and sneakers are in high
demand.
Like
everything else, there are rules to pulling off this look to create the perfect
silhouette. Pairing up one classic fashion item with another is to keep the
look crisp and clean, making the wearer cut a picture of casual and classy.
Take Richard Mofe Damijo's agbada and trainers ensemble as an example it is
flawless, Ellen DeGeneres wears the suit and sneakers style like a dream, and
so does other celebrities like Ebuka Uchendu, Daniel Craig, Tinie Tempah, Idris
Elba, Timaya, Yomi Casual and Robert Downey jr. amongst others.
One rule
according to experts especially for the work place, is to colour match so as
not to create unnecessary attention. This look creates a balance where
businesses, bosses and employees are not distracted by clashing colours, instead
of concentrating on their jobs. It is generally called the street to boardroom look. This term in my opinion builds the
picture of a chilled out atmosphere especially in a high profile boardroom
meeting.
Another rule
is never to attempt this style for Black tie events and tuxedos. ( I can bet
you someone will attempt to break this rule too).
In trying to make suits and agbadas casually
acceptable, the right sneakers and the right pants matters. Slim cuts and
tapered legs where the length ends just above the ankle works very well.
Wearing colours that opposes each other for that athleisure look sends a
striking message. For the sophisticated and elegant look, creams and greys cut
a fine picture. Also, carrying a man bag adds
even more pizzazz.
Furthermore,
to play safe, white sneakers are the way to go just as it was said for the
girls. Still, my take is, each person knows what works for them, and if they
are confident to pull it off their own way, why not!
In
conclusion, this style combination on both the male and female sides have come
stay. It is both classy and casual, confident, sexy, but yet fun. What is there
not to love about it.
I did struggle
with it at the initial stage, but I have joined the bandwagon and loving the ladylike but charming cheekiness of it all.
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