#and how the menswear in those games was so aesthetically limited

[regallibellbright]

Played Fashion Dreamer until my Switch battery went low, so at least for short-term entertainment I suspect I’ll be able to get my money’s worth out of it personally, and spent some time afterwards reflecting on what I think it’s doing good at and where it’s falling.

As predicted I log into Online Mode and I am greeted by a vast and wonderful array of lolita clothes fitting into at least two distinct subgenres. Since I played more online than off, I’m pretty sure I got an overrepresentation of that branch of the design options, and the comparatively understated but still distinctly dainty stuff, but I saw at least a couple people preferring the more professional or cool looks, respectively. Relatively little of the cutesy pop stuff, which I’ve always had a soft spot for, but I DID get a very cute oversized sweatshirt dress with a polka dot stegosaurus on it in several colors, and that served me quite nicely.

You’ll notice all of this is talking about women’s fashion in a game that also has playable men in a first for Syn Sophia’s fashion games. The gender lock’s aggressive and annoying, and the fact that fucking SOCKS are gendered when headwear and earrings aren’t is baffling. I have to assume it’s something to do with the modeling by this point, because you can give a Type B body a bunny-eared maid headband and whatever earrings your heart desires, and I have. I struggle to see why you would then draw the line at equal opportunity fishnets. Hair isn’t gender-locked, awesome, and Type A bodies can actually have facial hair, which surprised me because my expectations were in the toilet by this point.

But yeah. The menswear. It may just be because I was playing mostly in online mode and therefore more at the whims of player choice the way I could recognize the heavy weighting towards lolita style for the women’s fashion wasn’t representative of the game as a whole, but all the Type B characters I ran into were generally dressed in an aesthetic I’m going to call “slightly generic 2020s boy band”.

Which sounds unflattering, yes, but I consider this a genuine improvement, because the 3DS games’ menswear was mostly an aesthetic I struggled to place for a bit before settling on “totally generic stock photo model.”

I’ll get comparative pictures for you all at some point, but genuinely. Legitimately. The 3DS games were bleak. There were maybe eight aesthetic categories for men’s fashion, total, to the fourteen non-bag women’s fashion brands with corresponding aesthetics. (Granted, one of them was “costume”, so you could argue thirteen, but especially in the later two games there was still a fair bit of depth to that brand such that it had a defined aesthetic.) All of the women’s brands and aesthetics were very distinct - you could tell the difference between “professional officewear” and either “preppy” or “luxury” at a glance, even if there were items that could fit into one of those aesthetics secondarily. With the men’s brands, you had four or maybe five, and there was heavy bleedthrough of the aesthetics they listed. Both the men’s and women’s fashion had categories for “bold” and “edgy”. For the women’s fashion, “bold” is clearly inspired by gyaru fashion and “edgy” is clearly punk rock. They have different brands. For the men’s… “edgy” is SLIGHTLY more punk, but it’s by degrees, and it’s not going nearly so far as the equivalent women’s fashion. They share a brand. In addition to those two, you had “basic” (simple items, solid colors and maybe some stripes,) “preppy,” (school uniforms and stuff, self-explanatory,) “bohemian” (also pretty self-explanatory, but you never saw it in the international versions - it was cut outright for Trendsetters and while some vestiges of the style existed in Style Star, no customers ever asked for it there,) luxury (you want suits? Here’s your suits,) and “contemporary” (more patterns and material textures than basic but the same general aesthetic.)

So: You could wear a suit, you could dress a bit like a rocker but a pretty mediocre one, or you could dress like, as I said before, a stock photo model. With an above-average tendency towards vests in Style Star, but still very much a stock photo model, or maybe a midbudget CW show.

And the more I think about it, the easier it is to articulate the issue with how the men’s fashion has been treated in Syn Sophia games. The women’s fashion has all these distinct and recognizable styles, including a bunch of varieties of streetwear - you’ve got gyaru and punk styles, you’ve got Decora/Pop Kei, you’ve got girly fashion that’s somewhere around cottagecore/mori aesthetics, you have stuff that would be suitable for an office. Gothic and sweet lolita have their own separate brands. While Style Star folded its athletic brand into the pop one, the first three games all had a dedicated brand for that… for the women’s fashion.

The menswear never had a dedicated athletic aesthetic. Not even a brand, since as mentioned there were like four of those. It didn’t have an aesthetic. And THAT is why Fashion Dreamer feels like an improvement to me already, because as sparse as my options are for the men’s fashion there are at least plenty of sweatpants at long last. (I am however struggling to find men’s jeans, and it took me WAY too long to figure out where the bit specifying what type a pattern was for was located.)

The men’s fashion in Style Savvy was consistently an afterthought. And you can tell, because athletic/athleisure clothes were a staple of the women’s fashion for the first three games and still present in the fourth, but totally absent in the men’s fashion. I can trust that there’s more variety for the women’s fashion in Fashion Dreamer and that I was getting an overrepresentation of the lolita stuff because that’s what’s most popular with the playerbase, because I know from past games that there was that depth and that the lolita fashion was particularly popular. I don’t have that same trust for the men’s fashion, not yet. And honestly I doubt the game will deliver for me, much as I’d love to be proven wrong.

But hey! At least this time around, I’ve yet to see an outfit that makes a male character look like the Distracted Boyfriend meme!

[pinstripemag]

10 outfit ideas for men in 2018

Are you a fashion-conscious man who likes to dress as per the latest trends? Do you feel that your style boosts your confidence level and makes you feel on top of the world? Then you’ve landed on the right page.

Today, we are going to discuss pocket-friendly ways in which you can nail the key looks of 2018. Luckily, many of the biggest trends of 2017 have spilled over into this year too. So, you won’t have to invest in another bunch of the latest menswear collections.

We talked to some of the industry’s top stylists to share 10 outfit ideas for men that can help you rock 2018 with a big bang. Let’s take a look at what’s hot and what’s not on the menswear scene this year:

1- Bring on those wide-leg trousers

The past few seasons have witnessed more relaxed cuts and looser silhouette- whether it is a coat or a pair of trousers. Thankfully, this trend is working its way from the runways into mainstream fashion. This louche style of trousers is predicted to take the menswear fashion by storm over the next few months.

If you are a regular skinny jeans wearer, then you might get some serious withdrawal symptoms. Millie Rich, a stylist at online personal shopping service, Thread, says, “It’s time for skinnies to fully disappear from wardrobes.”

Once you experience the comfort this roomy fit has to offer, there will be no looking back. Start with straight legged denim or go for a dark washed jeans with a big turn-up and brogue shoes.

Read more to learn about how to style your relaxed-fit trousers perfectly.

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2- Rock a Cuban collar shirt

One of the biggest trends of 2017 was the Cuban collar shirt. Thanks to Mr. Montana, this open neckline style is here stay. They are airy and light which makes them a perfect choice for a hot summer day. Plus, it makes men with narrow shoulders look broader.

With a muted botanical print or a solid color, you’ll look sleek and stylish anyway. Style it further with a classy black leather jacket and a pair of jeans to rock the classic old-school look.

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3- Plaid it up

Last season was all about layering stripes, but this year the focus is on plaid. Many designers piled plaid on plaid on the fall/winter 2018 runways.

So, take inspiration and don’t be afraid to experiment with a bevy of plaid shirts and accessories. Be bold and adventurous as you can’t go wrong in mixing plaid this season.

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4- White is the new black

The all-white rage has taken runways by storm. Experiment with the Eighties vibe by giving it a shot.

If you are a little skeptical, then take it down a notch by adding a light navy blazer or a denim jacket. You can instantly smarten your look by adding smart black shoes or brown leather sandals.

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  5- Pink is here to stay

If you thought that pink was a seasonal color, then think again. The pink color in menswear is a trend that is here to stay for a while. Thanks to Versace who gave us a head-to-toe millennial pink look and Tom Ford who teamed up dusty pink jeans with pink suit jackets and a pop of fuchsia pink sweaters.

Needless to say, pink is now a permanent part of men’s fashion and its high time that you embrace this hot trend of 2018. Hot pink, blush pink or light rose color- choose any shade from the spectrum, and you are good to go.

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6- Invest in a vertically striped suit

Boring old primary colored suits are a thing of the past. This year is all about patterns and prints with vertical stripes ruling the game. 2018 London Fashion Week Men’s witnessed stripes everywhere- from t-shirts to tailored suits.

Choose from a variety of widths- from a subtle pinstripe to thick bold ones. You’ll be in the trendy zone as long as your next suit is striped. The great news is that this style suits every guy, irrespective of their body shape.

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7- Look out for breast pockets

Seventies-style military shirts were a hot trending style at the fashion shows this season. So, get your hands on those safari jackets, field jackets, and military shirts. Double breast pockets and a slouchy silhouette are the key details to rock this look successfully.

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8- Retro sportswear

The last couple of years have seen sportswear being a staple in menswear trends. This year, brands like Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger and Fila continue to be inspired by the nineties era, and retro sportswear is here to stay.

Follow this trend by pairing a drawstring trouser in luxury fabric with a zip-up nylon jumper or wear a simple matching two-piece tracksuit. Accentuate the look by adding a vintage leather jacket.

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9- Mix up the layers

Another major trend at London Fashion Week Men’s SS18 was layering the outfit. Whether it is corporate wear with sportswear, shorts with leggings or a jumper with a dress shirt and a jacket- it’s all about exploring the diversity of the look.

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10- Explore the fabric

If you thought that tactile fabrics like shearling, wool, and flannel were only limited to the winters, then this year’s style trends might have a surprise for you. This season is all about exploring touchy-feely garments like velvet, suede bomber jackets, corduroy trousers and puckered summer jackets.

Incorporating tactile fabric is an easy way to upgrade your wardrobe without stepping out of your comfort zone. Simply layer different textures for a smart or casual look, and you’ll be able to sport an entirely new look without spending much.

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Conclusion:

If you are an avid fashion follower, then you must have noticed that most of the trends are almost the same as last season. Plaid, vertical stripes and pink are the forerunning trends while layering and tactile fabrics should be a staple in your wardrobe for the upcoming season.

Keep your style fun and functional without compromising on the aesthetics, and you’ll be ready to rock 2018 in style!

    The post 10 outfit ideas for men in 2018 appeared first on Pinstripe Magazine.

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