Ken's Eye View: Summer 17 Menswear Trends

The guys are back, this time with the best of Summer 2017 fashions! Traditionally, summer collections are not news making styles. It's a time for chilling out and enjoying the beautiful weather in style. After eyeing the catwalks of New York, London, Milan and Paris, the dude dolls in my house have all agreed the way to go is with super cool fashions cut in easy to wear silhouettes cut from soft cottons in white, neutrals and sometimes fruity tones.

Easy Does It!

 

Summer time when the livin' is easy....shapes are loose and large. Think drawstring pants, oversized tunic shirts and Tshirts that float loosely over the abs. Many of the looks on this page can be made using the basic pattern tutorials for the Ken dolls. You only need to lengthen the patterns for the oversized shirts or widen the pattern (and ignore any darts) for the wide pants.

 

Sport coat, slacks with a tie dye oversized tunic peaking out....this is an exotic look with a Middle Eastern flair that our guys simply love. The tie dye aspect of these shirts adds a bold graphic statement to Renauld's ensemble.

 

New Boys on the Block

Bold and big, this is the 2017 version of color blocking. Shirts and jackets are super wide with stark, contrasting accents. This is done by changing up the color of the sleeves or pants, or with the addition of a supersized pockets or blocks of photo images.

 

Country Gentleman

The same idea of loose, easy clothes is carried over to more formal daywear. Sport jackets are cut from textured cottons and linens in styles ranging from the classic blazer through safari jackets. Colors are faithful to sun bleached tones of chalk, clay, white washed pastels, light grey.

 

Mr. Clean

Once again, this is a story of easy fashions cut from the same neutral palette. In this theme, note the appearance of the jumpsuit, the oversized shirt with cargo pockets and the trench coat tossed over the shoulders of a white Tshirt and trousers.

 

Short Stop

As to be expected with summer fashions, shorts... particularly those worn with jackets, are big! Here, the guys show off the best way to wear shorts from daytime safari looks to regal nighttime styles.

Our guy, Marcus wears the total (Moncler Gamme Bleu) package: safari jacket, white shirt and shorts with lots of pockets, worn with knee socks and beige shoes.

 

Suits Me!

There are classic suits, by the way. But look at how they break tradition in terms of choice of color. Whether single breasted or double breasted, think of using soft colors for your Ken doll's summer wardrobe. You could also be rock star daring and use a brocade fabric for the whole( a la Editions MR)  suit OR...add a black ruffled shirt to a charcoal black suit for a glammed up guy look a la Versace.

 

Desert Storm

Military is on everybody's mind! Look for styles inspired by army/navy gear. Rugged fabrics in khaki, camouflage, battleship green and slate grey are key colors for clothes with a lot of structure and detail: patch or cargo pockets, snaps and straps.

 

Serigraffiti

From the battlefields to the mean streets of urban jungles, overcoats, shirts, and sometimes denim jeans are spattered with "stencil graffiti" motifs. Again, this is a story about great big silhouettes and even bigger, bolder patterns literally painted onto the face of the garment.

 

Fresh Prints of BelAir...

Speaking of prints... They're not just reserved for Barbie fashion, you know. Our guys have picked up on the trend in all of its aspects. You can use kitschy florals or vintage prints for shirts and even shorts, subtle patterns in soft cotton for elegant suits or go all out with graffiti scrawled over jackets, shorts and shorts. The patterns are kept simple. The overall effect is large!

 

Dudes in Denim

Not your grandfather's jeans.....these show how far designers have taken the iconic garment. In the version by Christopher Shannon, the classic jeans jacket and pants are fringed using belt loops! The message here is...get creative with your blues! We probably couldn't duplicate Shannon's styles for the doll, but we could substitute rough cut slices denim for the belt loops! Otherwise....my guys denim with subtle patterns like those used in jackets and loose trousers OR the other extreme....super long jeans crushed around the ankles with lots of straps!

 

Tribal Vibes

With far away cultures the center of world events, it's no wonder we are seeing ethnic patterns and prints used in menswear. My dude dolls really loved the look of ikat prints worn with basic navy blazers, animal prints for hipster jackets or exotic geometrics etched over classy daywear gear.

For awhile now, prints, normally reserved for women's wear, has been adopted into menswear. But as styles have relaxed, the use of these prints has grown into a popular way to jazz up the look.

In the meantime, rock star mania continues its influence on men's fashions. Zak liked the idea of a waist length zebra printed jacket over slim pants. But instead of adhering to the original Louis Vuitton garment, we chose a simpler pattern and polished cotton instead of the leather version. Zak's "Nike" (which I found on eBay) perfectly compliments this look.

 

Summer in the City

White and neutrals aren't the only choices you have when choosing fabric for your favorite vinyl guy. There is also a tangy palette of fruit kissed tones to choose from. Keep the individual elements simple. But go as creative as your doll will let you when it comes to fabric and color!

Here, Richard wears a basic blazer (the tutorial for this is HERE) and trousers cut from apricot raw silk. The jacket and pants were made using the tutorials we did early on. To that classic pant suit, we added a shirt (that we lengthened by one inch (2.5 cm) then cut from batik dyed silk. This is the coolest way to look this summer.

 

If you only have the time to make one garment for Ken....let it be an oversized shirt!!!!

Richard (left) wears a classic shirt that was lengthened, whereas his friend Renauld (right), wears a tie dye shirt with no collar that is buttoned down the back. I used the same shirt pattern (which you can find by clicking HERE) but laid it out so that the front center line was on the fold. And I added seam allowance to the center back seam.

 

 

Follow us on Twitter: @FashDollStylist
Like us on Facebook: @FashDollStylist
We're also on Pinterest: @FashDollStylist
Come join us on Instagram and show off your stuff: instagram.com/fashiondollstylist



Ken's Eye View: Menswear F/W 2016 Trends Part 2

Classics with a twist! These are menswear trends my dolls can relate to. Sport coats, suits, daytime staples and evening looks, everything is simple, wearable but with a detail or two that makes it a stand-out style.  These are keepsake looks my guys enjoyed wearing as much as they did selecting.

City Slicker

Nothing like the sleek sheen of leather to bring out the best in a guy. We love the laid back look of leather jeans and a cashmere sweater....perhaps with a kimono slung over the shoulders. Also noteworthy: leather tunics and car coats.

Here, Atsushi pulls off a stunning, new version of great classic, the straight car coat. Inspired by Hermes, we used the same combination of leather/ short hair fur. The pattern is a basic straight coat with a simple shirt collar. The fur is used for the lower half coat front and one sleeve.

Hyde and Seek

This is a story of short fur jackets worn over straight trousers or slim jims. It doesn't matter the color, pattern or combination there of so long as the silhouette is simple and easy to wear.

You don't even have to buy fur to get the look. Here Sean's blazer was cut from panne velvet which has the look of shaved mink! Put it over jeans and stuff into high top boots and your dude doll has a classy look a la Giorgio Armani chic!

Leather Weather

 

Whether real or faux, patterned or smooth, consider adding a sporty leather top or jacket this fall to your doll's wardrobe. The best looking styles featured layered looks and patterned leather, straight trousers and novelty pants. Or go simple....a double breasted leather jacket works with everything.

 

Animal Magnitism

Long haired or short, pattern or monochromatic, dolly need a fur coat this winter to bring out his inner beast!!! The best looks team great big coats with slim pants or leggings.

Our guy Zak looks great in a big, shaggy faux lamb coat with hood. Underneath he's wearing a black sweater and faux stretch leather pants.

Days of Wine and Roses

But not all the news is limited to silhouette. Color is very important, especially when the color palette is rich in Bordeaux, eggplant and dusty rose. Think of using soft knits, chunky wools, even prints in these tones. Cut it wide, layer it on, keep it easy.

Velvet Underground

Velvet makes a come back for eveningwear. You can go with the traditional black, but consider other colors, as well. In this tableau, the guys are all decked out in the classic suit. One word of precaution: use velveteen or cotton velvet. It has the type of structure and body needed for a crisp, clean look. And don't forget to use interfacing on the front pattern pieces!

White Knights

In a look that could easily strut down a summer catwalk show, white is another hot color for winter. But here again, consider looks with layers, silhouettes that are wide and easy and fabrics with structure.

Loic insisted I make this jacket, inspired by Italian designer, Damir Doma. I chose an oyster white heavy silk for the jacket so that it wouldn't resemble a lab coat. It is a simple garment with front panels that crisscross the front of the torso and is belted in place. I cut the trousers a bit wide to contrast the stiff structure of jacket.



Follow us on Twitter: @FashDollStylist
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FashDollStylist
We're also on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/FashDollStylist
Join the fun and show us your stuff on Instagram. We're at: www.instagram.com/fashiondollstylist

Ken's Eye View: Fall/Winter 2016 Menswear Trends-Part 1

The guys are back! This time around, I'm presenting the menswear trend reports in slightly different fashion. Instead of providing a look at each men's fashion week as they occur (six months in advance), I decided to simplify everything by sharing a general summary of all four cities over two posts. And, I'm running this trend report to coincide with the season that is before us. In part one, I focus on "urbanwear" and more "off-the-beaten-track" clothes. This is the type of casual gear best suited for the lifestyles and aesthetics of younger men. Don't worry if none of this appeals to you (or your dolls) because the next post is menswear for "the rest of us." If you have male fashion dolls, I'm assuming yours, like mine, have a variety of different tastes.

Color Me Cool
The first thing you'll notice with most of the clothes on this page is how large everything is. From T-shirts and jackets to trousers and coats, everything is supersized, loose and easy, allowing for freedom of movement in a fast paced world where young men skate board, bicycle, hover board and ninja hop, skip and jump to their start-up workplaces. The look is young at heart and not afraid of color or standing out in a crowd. With this generation of young menswear, you can go crazy with graphics, customized painted effects, even color blocking! Have fun. Go crazy. Life is just a comic book!!!

Livin' Large
There's always a time and place for neutrals. You'll likely to find them in outerwear cut in generous proportions that easily slide over super-sized casual wear. Extra large coats, parkas and quilted ponchos will be BIG!!!

Below, Renaud was immediately attracted to a supersized wool coat, cut so large, it's practically a cocoon!

Tough and Tattered
Size is not the only thing that matters. Rough cut texture is the key to urban warrior chic. Cover a jacket with ripped strips. Fray the edges of an unlined wool coat. Nothing is polished. Nothing is finished. The look is brutally ripped, shattered, raw, tough!

 

Here's Marcus is a shaggy edged coat with a fur-trimmed hood. Again, the key to this look is that it is cut large and long and has plenty of texture. The pattern is based on the straight basic coat with a hood attached.



My Way

Wide and narrow, short and long.....extremes are incorporated within the same look. These is the new aesthetics for the 21st century. Everything is chunky, slick, slightly off-kilter, super-original. In other words....Mr. Diva ignores the rules and does it his way!

Off the Beaten Track

With no rules in place, you can have just as much fun with Ken as you do with Barbie...without reserve. Translation: feel free to paint flowers on a suit, create a coat in the image of a giant checkerboard or add a dash of embroider to a classic jacket in a non-classic color! Get creative. Do your own thing. Have fun. Anything goes!

Midnight in Manhattan

A basic black theme...here designers explore the thick and thin of styles.  We liked how a soft overcoat is cut from a classic pinstriped wool fabric. We also like the chunkier look of great big pleats that tumble from the shoulders of a priest's coat. And we like everything in between including the layering of a straight jacket over a sweater over a narrow pair of rolled up jeans....all with a touch of fringe!

Yeezy

I will be perfectly honest. When looking through all of New York's fashion shows, I ignored Kanye West because at first glimpse, I was not impressed. There was so much hoopla over this show (by Mr. West) which was presented at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Critics applauded the music but panned the clothing, calling it nothing more than hype used to promote Kanye's real talent...music. Whether it's my taste or not...whether I understand it or not, I believe fashion is about change....for the better or worse. I will often choose garments I don't necessary like, as a way to try and understand the thought process behind the design. Given the aesthetics of today's "streetwear," Yeezy is as valid as anything else we see on today's market. But is it true design? West says everyone will be dressed like this in 5 years. West says he's the greatest thing since Hermes. He says his wife Kim Kardashian is as talented as Chanel!  Does he really have a voice in the evolution of design? I have my opinion. I will let you form your own.

Here I've put Yeezy within the context of similar looks by two world class fashion houses. All looks are wide, flat and street smart. Below, Loic wears a version of the Yeezy sweater made from a man's sweat sock!

Coming up next: Menswear Trends Part 2.

All photos and images, property of Fashion Doll Stylist. 2016.


Follow us on Twitter: @FashDollStylist
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FashDollStylist
We're also on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/FashDollStylist
Come show us you stuff on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fashiondollstylist

Summer T's

 

It's summer. It's hot. And all your doll wants to wear is a simple T-shirt and a pair of jeans or shorts. While preparing the last "Kenswear" report, I was quite surprised to find I had never done a tutorial on making Ken a proper T-shirt. Far away from the extravagance of Haute Couture and all the other fancy duds, the T-shirt is an ubiquitous fashion staple. There is, however, a lot to making a perfectly fitting T-shirt. Since all of my guys need T's and tanks to wear under their blazers, jackets or--now in mid-summer--all alone with shorts, I took my time to make the perfect pattern.

 



 

One thing to note: the items on this page have no back closure. So when planning the neckline, you will need to insure your garment will fit over the doll's head. Should you decide you want a crew neckline or that you want to get him in and out of this garment more easily, you will need to plan a seam down the back, and close it with velcro--the way Mattel makes its dolly T-shirts.

 

TANKED!

For this project, I cut up an old T-shirt to make both the pattern as well as the finished garment. Any 2-way stretch cotton knit will do. 100% cotton is the most versatile because you can dye it any other you want. You could even cut up old socks for more interesting textures. There are a lot of steps here, but please don't be intimidated. I wanted to hand-hold you through this tutorial to ensure the best results possible. If you have previously made a form-fitting sloper for your Ken doll, you use that as a base, cut in a neckline, add seam allowance and skip to step 19. Otherwise, continue on.

 

1. Cut a square of T-shirt material and tape over the front of the doll.
2. Here is a back view of what it will look like on the back
3. Draw a line down the center front of the doll on the fabric. Also, design your neckline. Since this is a tank top, I've made a scoop neckline down to the middle of his bust line. Note: A photo of an actual tank top will help you gauge out deep you should design your neckline and armholes. Unless you plan to skip the trim, be sure to cut a little deeper than what you want because you will add the knit trim later. Cut away some of the fabric around the neck so that you can work better.
4. Draw around his arms. Then mark where the side seams should meet.
5. Take a second square of fabric and tape to the doll's back to hold in place while you work. Un-tape the front and carefully, fold it over the back at the sides.
6. Mark where they join at the sides
7. Pin the front to the back at the shoulders.

8. On the back, draw in the armhole and neckline.
9. Draw the center back line in the center of the doll.

10. Adjust the side if necessary, then mark the side seams. When making adjustments, use a different colored pencil so you will remember the most recent corrections.
11. Cut away any excess of fabric around the neck or armholes.
12. Pin your shirt together to check for fit. Be sure to mark the hemline. Now remove from the doll.

13. Unpin the shirt. Your T-shirt pattern will look like this when you've taken it apart. We now need to make sure it is symmetrical.
14. Put tracing paper over each pattern and trace off.
15. Fold along the Center Front line.

16. You will notice it is uneven from side to side. Redraw the neckline. Decide which side is the way you want to go, then trace the "right" side onto the opposite side of the shirt.
17. Open the pattern and verify. Make corrections. Just be sure each side is symmetrical to the other.
18. Now overlay the front to the back and check to make sure the shoulders and the sides match and are of the same length.

Add your seam allowance. If you plan a "rough cut" tank top, you won't need to add seam allowance around the neck or armholes.

19. Cut your pattern out in fabric. Pin baste it and put it on the doll to check for fit. Adjust if needed. But whatever you change, be sure to make those adjustments on your paper pattern. (So if, for example, you need to take in an additional 1/8 inch at the side, you should indicate that on the paper pattern.)
You could stop there and simply turn down the edge (or leave it rough). Lamar, in the opening photo, sports a simple tank made from a rayon/lycra knit. Since the edges don't ravel, I've left the edges along. Otherwise, continue on for Marlon Brando "Streetcar Named Desire" classic tank.

20. What differentiates a T-shirt or tank from a "top" is the ribbed edging around the neckline. Unfortunately, I have never been able to find this trim sold in any retail stores, so I began collecting it by cutting it off of old T-shirts. You could also make your own by cutting strips of ribbing from lightweight socks. Most ribbing measures about 1" (2cm) in length which is longer than you need.
21. Once I've removed this trim from a T-shirt, I fold it in half then carefully press it. (Press without scrubbing so you don't overstretch the trim.)

22. Stitch the front to the back and open out.
23. Fold the armhole edges over and glue in place.
24. Carefully pat so as not to stretch.

25. Repeat for the neckline. Turn down and glue in place. Afterwards, press carefully with an iron.
26. For a circular neckline, I take my knit trim and begin pinning it, starting at the center back, then around the neckline. When you finish, simply overlap the trim slightly at the center back. Take the time to adjust everything, making sure nothing is stretched and that the knit is fairly uniform around the neckline.

Here is a closeup view of what the finished result will look like.

27. When you have finished, take your iron and carefully press (don't scrub) the neckline.

28. Sew one side seam. Then turn up your hem. Check to make sure the edges will match once the other side is stitched. Adjust if necessary, then glue or stitch down. Sew the other side. Press out the seams. 

Model T

Again, what distinguishes a real T-shirt from an ordinary top is the ribbed knit edge. This also helps to keep the neckline from prematurely stretching out.

I've not added a logo or clip art to Sean and Zak's T-shirts, but here is where you can have fun with iron-on decals or stickers

1. For my T-shirt, I began using the basic sloper I had previously made for my Ken dolls.
Trace off the top, from armhole to armhole. I lowered the armhole by 1/4 inch (5mm). From the bottom of each armhole I drop a straight line down to the hemline. (I added an addition 1/2 inch (1cm) to the bottom of my sloper.)
2. Cut in the neckline. I've chosen a V neck which is about 1-inch (2cm) from the bottom of the neck of the original sloper. I also lowered the neckline in the back by 1/4-inch (5mm)
3. Add seam allowance.

4. Make a sleeve pattern. Put the front and back slopers together at the neckline/armhole point. Angle them so that there is a wedge opening of 1/4" (5mm) at the top.

Draw a straight line (red) from the apex of that V-opening.

5. Trace the armhole of the front and back + 1/4" (5mm) on each side.

6. Decide on the length of the sleeve. Here, I've drawn 1" (2 cm) lines down from each point. The lines you draw should be parallel to that straight (red) line. The shape this forms is now your sleeve.

7. Add seam allowance.



Because this is a V-neck, my start point for adding the trim is at the lower point of the V. As with the Tank top, I folded under the edge and glued them in place. I start at the bottom of the V, pinning the trim around the neckline, being careful not to stretch the trim nor the neckline. The end point of the trim is simply overlapped over the start point. You can stitch them together at the back.

 

 

HIP HOP HOT

My oversized T-shirt from the menswear report was certainly noticed. Getting the look was super easy! 

The pattern was created simply by laying the doll down and spreading out his arms. I made a T formation behind him which took into consideration the volume I wanted to create. I made a simple T shape behind him.

I checked to make sure my shape was symmetrical from side to side. I made a "keyhole" by making a slit at the midpoint of the garment (at the shoulder line) which is 1-3/4" (4.5cm). At the midpoint of that line, I drew another slash line running vertically 1-3/4" (4.5cm) from the midpoint of this line. You can decide to put this opening at the front or, in my case, at the back.
You can either make a note to lay out this pattern so that the top of the pattern falls on the fold of the fabric, or you can create a simple pattern piece by tracing off the T, then flipping it vertically and adding it to the original pattern at the shoulders like the pattern you see above. Fold the edges over and close with hook and eye.You can also turn it into a tunic by leaving the seams at the sides from the midpoint down.

 

Follow us on Twitter: @FashDollStylist

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/FashDollStylist

We're also on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/FashDollStylist