street style inspirations: funky fresh floral prints men's edition

Floral prints aren't just for the ladies and your grandma's couch cover- it's a fairly new fashion trend with a promising longevity in the realm of men's fashion that creates a cool pop of color to men's basics and everyday apparel. This look is from the Motel Arizona lookbook for men, which has an overall vintage Americana aesthetic and a mood sort-of drawn from an old 60s movie featuring bored teenagers drinking pop a the local diner while hollering at the ladies to stave off boredom during a musky Arizona summer... or something of that caliber. Anyway, a great way to bring a pop of the unexpected to your usual chino shorts,  cardigan sweater, and wife-beater tank (all of which every guy probably already owns or should consider owning for the summer) is to layer  a bright Hawaiian floral print shirt buttoned-down to reveal the suave white ribbed tank top. Layering is always key to creating a multidimensional effect and for transitioning through varying temperatures during the spring and summer.
image via Fashion Beans.

The 90's had some of the best pop rock music that inspired plenty of denim and skater street styles. Nonetheless, denim on denim is still a very wearable combination- dust off them old faded denim jacket, throw on your old Hawaiian button up shirt, and along with your usual Vans skater shoes, matching baseball hat, and trusty denim jeans, and you're ready to head out for a laid back day of fun and sun. P.S. diggin the silver nautical inspired pendant for a complete beach-inspired look.
image via men's lifestyles.

This suave spring/summer look is from the Topman summer lookbook for men, which is fearless when incoporating floral prints to create the effect of young Paul Newman on vacation at The Hamptons during the summers of the 1960s. This particular outfit  has pieces that stand out alone (red slim trousers, navy blue sneakers with a gum sole, faded denim jean jacket, blue print handkerchief), but come together for a bold and stylish outfit. The predominantly blue floral print jacket ironed to a subtle crisp perfection creates a streamline silhouette that works for summer party or an evening out in the town. image via men's lifestyles.

To go even more bold with the floral prints, a fitted blazer with a small floral print is tamed enough for the faint-hearted but definitely more interesting than the usual blazer. This men's street style creates the idea of rebel guy at a private school institute rejecting the monotonous playground rules but still has the brains to ace exams, the brawn to lead the school track team to a win, and the finesse that induces the ladies to hike them plaid skirts a few inches or so. Yet another great spring and summer look for the guys to look cool at school or even at the office- khaki pants, two-toned oxfords, crisp white button-up shirt, and fitted blazer with a subtle floral print.
image via UC Davis Text-Styles.

This is a shot of the gentleman of Star Trek at the premire at Sky City in Auckland, New Zealand. Notice John Cho's dapper apparel of a sleek and slim charcoal gray suit, black tie, and small floral print dress shirt. As we all know, John Cho is cool. And what better way to accent his coolness with cool pop of color- this suit and shirt combination is respectful enough for a formal event but stylish enough to stand out from the crowd without looking like a sore thumb.
image via Zimbio.

Every man should own a summer suit- too often guys do resort to a golf shirt and chino shorts for a semi-formal event thrown during during summer or for the usual office apparel when the air conditioner is off.  There are plenty of suits designed for the summer the made from light-weight materials (like linen, seersucker, fresco wool, wool-linen blends) of lighter hues and slimmer cuts that make you look fresh and sophisticated in a room full of your colleagues.  Try a blazer and shorts suit set in a lighter blue hue, a crisp floral print shirt, brown leather weave belt, and a simple silver silk pocket handkerchief for a sophisticated summer look for  men.
image via men's lifestyles.

Also, check out this article by Esquire for more ideas about summer suits for men.

The guys behind Urbano Outfitters have such a sophisticated yet coltish take on men's fashion and street style- their outfits are composed of sleek, refined basics incorporated with bold and brash pieces that come together to create an professional yet enviable presence. So cool. So stylish. So secretly want their entire wardrobe. This navy blue cotton blend suit appears light-weight enough for warmer spring/summer conditions (though it would work year-round). And combined with a dress shirt with a floral print of light blue, pink, green, and yellow hues and  slim tie with a fresh  print of light blue and white spots makes a great outfit for business in the office and a drink at the local Michelin-rated bar.
image via urbano outfitters.

A first glance at this outfit may be overwhelming- those pants! Your first reaction might have been  "No. Way too bright." But the concept of this outfit is what makes it wearable, fashionable, and functional for the office and just for cool street style for men in the era of 2012. A basic camel toned coat, shiny black loafers, and crisp white dress shirt are all pieces of a men's apparel that are familiar and  functional on their own and along with all basic pieces in a man's wardrobe. However, pairing them with a bright, contrasting fitted pant creates a more impressive effect. This doesn't mean every man should own bright red (tomato?) print pants- rather pick out a trim trouser made of a more unexpected material, print, and color that's more comfortable  for you (i.e maroon corduroy trousers, navy pinstriped pants, small polka dot print slacks etc.)
image via The Stylograph.