Clothing has always been a vital ingredient in the toolkit of successful men – from Roman emperors to 21st century business tycoons, and that’s no different in the everyday lives of British guys. If you need to give yourself a fashion makeover or just want to buy a replacement sweater, this buyer’s guide will explain the best places to make your next men’s clothing purchase.
Ever since men started wrapping themselves in animal furs, fashion has been part of their everyday existence. As society has become more complex, fashion has moved in lockstep, passing through cycles of elaboration and simplification, but always tending towards higher quality, for a larger number of stylish guys.
As recently as fifty years ago, style was hardly an issue for millions of Britons. For men working in pits or factories or labouring on the land, a cotton shirt, braces, a cloth cap and wool trousers was all that they required, and all they could afford.
However, things began to change in the 1920s. Sparked by the development of youth culture, British consumers began to radically embrace new fashions, like Teddy Boy suits and the sharp, tailored designs of the Swinging Sixties. The flamboyance of the 1970s and the early 1980s, the advent of sportswear and grunge in the 1990s, all contributed to one of the world’s most dynamic fashion scenes.
Nowadays, men in the UK can dress themselves however they like – with urban, retro, professional, smart casual and flamboyantly colourful outfits all perfectly acceptable. It’s a great time to create your own personal brand and companies have realised this.
You’ll find labels and retailers targeting all of these style communities, with different price and quality levels too. You can shop in boutiques, massive clothing supermarkets, or head online to craft marketplaces or online stores. However you shop, we are living in an era that makes buying men’s clothes easier, and at the same time, more complex than ever.
Before you start looking for a new wardrobe, it’s worth outlining the various different styles on the UK market. You’ll probably find that retailers build their collections around certain themes, making it easier to create a harmonious apparel collection. Try to keep everything related, as a harmonious wardrobe makes it much easier to assemble outfits for different occasions. That doesn’t mean going for beige sweaters every time, but it does mean paying attention to how your new purchases slot into the clothes you already own.
With that in mind, here are the basic UK men’s style types:
Professional – Professional clothing is characterised by tailored fits (though not always), sharp, smart suits, polished leather shoes, tailored trousers and the right blend of accessories, from designer watches to silk handkerchiefs. Professionals focus on elements like having the perfect tie (and plenty of ties to choose from), shirts with smart, solid collars and cuff links that round off their outfits at the edges. Go-to professional brands include Armani, Brioni and Hugo Boss. It’s an area where Italian brands are particularly popular, so check the newest Made in Italy creations whenever you come to build a new smart outfit.
Smart-casual – Possibly the hardest men’s clothing style to get right, smart-casual is a delicate balancing act. On the one hand, you need to look smart, with high-quality blazers, shoes, trousers and accessories. On the other, the casual element demands skilful use of contrast and colour to add a touch of lightness and fun. Smart-casual outfits often rely on stark contrasts like mixing Calvin Klein blazers with Reebok trainers, or wearing edgy t-shirts underneath suit jackets. Experiment, but always double-check in the mirror that you’ve got the balance right.
Urban – One of the most popular everyday styles, urban men’s clothing revolves around hoodies, tracksuits, trainers, sweaters and t-shirts from Nike, adidas and more. However, this doesn’t mean heading to Sports Direct to fill your basket with clothes (although you can get great deals there). There are also plenty of sportswear (or “athleisure”) designers around like Billionaire Boys Club, SuperDry, or even Hugo Boss. If you want to stay refined and on point, but feel as comfortable as possible, these elite sportswear labels could be the place to look.
Vintage – Many guys also like to base their style around historical or cultural inspirations, and there’s no shortage of ways to do so. If you want to create a retro-look, leather or suede jackets, velvet blazers, felt trousers, corduroys, vintage watches, boots, neckerchiefs and 1970s t-shirts are all available to mix, match and show-off to the world.
What style is right for you? That’s the million-dollar question, and it’s not always easy to answer. Many men like to have a variety of style options, depending on what the occasion calls for. Others always stick to their trademark style: it becomes a personal brand that people expect, and that marks them out as who they are.
Different men have different body shapes – that’s a no-brainer. However, not all guys assemble their outfits to suit the body they were born with, and it shows in their slightly off-kilter fashion decisions.
Height is one thing that many guys wrestle with. You won’t have any trouble finding clothes for 6” plus frames, but if you are a tall man, it can still be hard to avoid looking lanky and slightly imposing. This impression can be created by clothes that accentuate long, thin body shapes, so add some horizontal elements. Belts, pockets, stripes – all of them break up your outfit, bringing you back down to earth in the eyes of those you meet.
There’s no real way that clothing can turn shorter men into giants. However, the clothes that short men choose can add to the impression they generate. Good ideas for diminutive style fans are to employ eye-catching colours, features like upwardly slanting lapels, dashing cravats or ties, and outfits that draw attention to the upper part of the body. That might mean wearing shoes with neutral tones, which help to keep peoples’ eye levels raised to your own eyes, cancelling out some of the effects of shortness.
What about larger men? Well, actually clothes can do quite a lot for overweight guys. Avoid wearing tight-fitting shirts or suits. These can only work against you. Instead, make sure your outfits are looser, and steer clear of jackets or coats with a “boxy” effect. Go for garments that taper towards the waist, drawing the eyes of those you meet upwards, and creating a “slimming” effect around the midrift. Another good style idea is to wear colourful suspenders instead of a belt, and relatively high waisted trousers. The suspenders will stop the trouser waist from “bunching”, and add a neat vertical element to your outfit (as well as an unusual fashion accessory).
Some guys will also need to consult a tailor, who can measure their dimensions and create garments that perfectly suit their body shapes. For example, if you are lucky enough to have a body-builder’s physique, you may not fit off-the-shelf suits very well. Instead, you’ll need tailored designs with wide shoulders and tapered waists. You may also need made-to-measure trousers to cope with your thigh dimensions.
However, with online stores offering sophisticated fitting options, if you know your measurements, you can order exactly the right clothing for any body shape. So get yourself measured (on a regular basis if your body shape is changing), and use these numbers to purchase clothing that works for the body you have.
For serious fashion fans, the world of men’s clothing is all about brands. Fashion lovers are like football fanatics: they adopt brands with passion, waiting in anticipation for their next collection, and adding at least one design every year.
You don’t need to be like those guys, but it pays to know some of the most prestigious brands around when you search the hotukdeals men’s clothing listings.
Ralph Lauren – The creator of the “Polo” brand, Ralph Lauren continues to dominate men’s high-end fashion. Founded in 1967 in New York City, the label has always had a focus on creating beautiful sportswear (and can lay claim to having started the modern passion for polo shirts and hoodies).
Hugo Boss – German label Hugo Boss has been around since 1924, and has carved a niche as the world’s leading designer of men’s professional suits. The label runs stores across the UK, and is a great place to find men’s fragrance and suit deals – the ideal package for big work interviews or weddings.
Tommy Hilfiger – Another American menswear giant, Hilfiger was founded in 1985 and specialises in smart-casual apparel, most notably sweaters, jeans and suit jackets.
Fred Perry – Started by one of the UK’s greatest tennis players (and an Austrian footballer-turned inventor), Fred Perry is another iconic sportswear label. Famous for its laurel wreath logo, Fred Perry continues to sponsor major tennis stars like Andy Murray and to clothe millions of sports fans across the UK.
SuperDry – Owned by the SuperGroup clothing group, SuperDry has a unique visual style, blending the quality of American outdoor and casual fashion with Japanese graphics and characters. Famous for its association with sportsmen like David Beckham, SuperDry jackets are popular across the UK.
Ted Baker – Another iconic British clothing brand, Ted Baker was started in Glasgow in 1988 and rapidly became a go-to label for smart-casual shirts, t-shirts and accessories. Its success has been so dramatic, that you’ll find Ted Baker stores from Manchester’s Trafford Centre to 5th Avenue in New York City.
That’s just a tiny cross-section of the UK men’s clothing scene. When you visit clothing retailers like John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, H&M or Primark, you’ll also see plenty of other brands on offer – most of them created and run by the stores themselves. Often, these labels offer similar products to the big names above but at a lower price level, so they are well worth checking out (if you don’t mind missing out on the prestige of wearing designer clothing).
These days, a vast proportion of the UK’s men’s clothing market exists online. When we want a replacement pair of socks or a new jumper, and we know our size, it’s so much easier to log onto online stores and make a purchase.
However, there are a number of things that online fashion buyers need to keep in mind when they are hunting for new outfits:
Your size and measurements – One of the biggest pitfalls when shopping online is buying clothes that are the wrong size. Before you start, make sure you know your basic size (from small to XXL), but you may need more than that. If you are buying from designer labels, you may also need your measurements. These include: your chest (the distance around your body, underneath your armpits), your neck (the distance around your neck, just above your shoulders), your sleeve length (the distance from your shoulder to your wrist), your waist (the distance around your waist at the level of your belly button) and your inner leg (the distance from the bottom of your crotch to your foot when you aren’t wearing shoes). These measurements can be fairly easily established with a tape measure. Note them down in cm and inches, as different sites use different units.
Become familiar with refund and return policies – All online stores have a refund or returns policy. They are required by law to offer returns within 14 days (if you haven’t opened or worn the garments), and you may also be able to return unwanted items for free over a longer period of time. Don’t be shy about making returns if the clothes are the wrong size. Even if you measured yourself meticulously, some clothing labels come up small or large and you need outfits that fit you perfectly, so send them back and demand a replacement if they aren’t right.
Save money on delivery methods – every online clothing store has its own way of processing deliveries, and you’ll probably find a range of prices depending on how soon you need your items, when you want them delivered, and the value of the items. Think about buying in larger quantities to save on overall delivery costs, and accepting slightly longer delivery times if your items aren’t essential.
Loyalty schemes – Major UK retailers like Marks & Spencer and John Lewis have popular customer loyalty schemes that help save money when you shop regularly. However, not all online customers realise that they can add their loyalty card to web-based orders. Don’t forget to add your loyalty card details at the payment page or to use credit cards that offer loyalty points at the site you are using.
Take advantage of online men's clothes sales – The fashion world is paradise for bargain hunters. Not only are there seasonal sales around Christmas or Black Friday, but labels tend to discount last year’s designs when their new collection hits town. That’s why clearance sections are so common. Always check retailers for clearance sections, where you’ll often find recent designs at half-price. You might also want to join fashion clubs like Zalando, which offer flash sales to members on selected lines. They don’t last long, and are only available to members but they can deliver fantastic discounts.
Men’s fashion is an exciting part of the fashion world, but as apparel lovers know, it’s a complex, fast moving scene. So, how can you stay up to date and knowledgeable about what the world’s leading men’s fashion companies are doing? Here are some suggestions:
Magazines – Print publications like GQ, Esquire, Men’s Health, Tatler and Men’s Fashion are often the first places to glimpse new accessories, shirts, watches and suits. They feature regular style clinics, interviews with major designers and info about what fashion icons are wearing, and a subscription to one or more makes perfect sense for any men’s fashion devotee.
Blogs – Men’s fashion bloggers and vloggers are another excellent source of fashion inspiration. Some of the best men’s blogs around include Bright Bazaar, Your Mirror Style and Mr Porter, while must-watch vloggers include Jair Woo and Jordan O’Brien.
Social Media – All fashion fans should have a thriving list of social media accounts that they follow. All of the major brands are represented on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter, where they often provide exclusive content, style guides and free offers.
Apps – The world’s biggest men’s clothing brands are also available in app form for iOS and Android smartphones. These apps aren’t just for show. They are a great way to receive up to the minute fashion photos and videos, learn about flash sales and to make purchases from the various labels’ online stores.
Fashion events – If you live in a major city, there’s a good chance that it will host one or more marquee fashion event sometime this year. Great examples include London Fashion Week (every February), Edinburgh Fashion Week (in March) and Manchester Fashion Week (in May). Why not book tickets and get down to see what the biggest names in fashion have to offer?
Whether you need to purchase a sharp new suit, a dazzling silk tie or a new hoodie to work out in style, there are some rules to follow if you want to get the best deal.
First of all, be sure to check out the hotukdeals men’s clothes listings before you buy anything. You’ll find a regularly updated list of up to the minute discounts from the UK’s biggest fashion names.
Merchants on the hotukdeals listings include familiar high street names like John Lewis, Primark, Next, River Island and French Connection, designer labels like Ted Baker, Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren, as well as online stores like Billionaire Boys Club, Amazon and BooHoo.
With so much choice available, there’s a great chance that you’ll find the clothes you need at a massively reduced price.
Always know your purchase inside out as well. Take your measurements, assess the competition, think about how it will fit into your wardrobe – then take the plunge.
Finally, time your men’s clothing purchase to perfection. You’ll always find great savings around Black Friday in late November, and the January Sales. Think about out of season purchases too. If you know you’ll need a raincoat for winter, buy it in June. If you know you’ll need some designer trunks to wear on the beach, get them around the New Year.
If you shop intelligently, know what you need and hunt for bargains, you’ll have no problem assembling a killer wardrobe at the lowest possible price.
Every guy wants to look good, and having the right clothing in their collection is vital. Whether you are a style expert who wants to get the cheapest deals on new Hugo Boss suits, or a casual purchaser who needs a few smart shirts, check out the hotukdeals men’s clothes listings, where you’ll find the clothing you need at huge discounts.
