Robbie CanaleAs a rule, us men do not really go in for fashion buzzwords; we tend to stick to what we know, eschewing trends for a more tired and tested approach. However, if there is a buzzword that encapsulates our post-internet generation – be it Paris, Milan, London or New York – that word would surely be ‘street style’. Well okay, it’s two words but you get the gist.
Street style, and the men behind the lens, have become an integral part of not only giving us an insight as to how men from across the globe go about their daily lives but more importantly, give us a window into a world of how men dress and subsequently how we can incorporate their styles within our own clothing choices.
Here’s a look at five of the best street style photographers and some of the looks they capture of everyday gents from around the globe…
1. Jonathon Daniel Pryce
Jonathon Daniel Pryce, or GarconJon as he’s known in blogging circles, has an eye for a well-dressed man and none more so than these two gents in their blue clad ensembles.
There is something of the rugged workwear look about these dapper looking men, their selvedge denim jeans, a nod towards outfits that are both smart but casual; their artist jacket and trench coat respectively capturing a look that has been transported from their traditional functions into contemporary pieces of modern menswear and two looks which are easy for us all to wear.
2. Giuseppe Santamaria
The Canadian born, Sydney based photographer Giuseppe Santamaria (www.meninthistown.com) has a wonderful knack of catching men as they saunter about their daily business. The simplicity of both this photo and the clothes worn by its occupant, show just how easy looking good can be.
Both stylish and fashionable (note the high-roll on the trouser hem), the genius of this outfit comes in the guise of its lack of clutter, it’s effortlessness and a look any of us can obtain any time we so wish.
3. Adam Katz Sinding
The beauty of Adam Katz Sinding’s work is that he captures such a vast array of men for his website www.le21eme.com. Be it bespectacled gents in three-piece-suits or cool kids in the latest underground brands, his eye, and ultimately his camera, capture a vast cross section of the fashion savvy male populous.
A case in point is this well attired gent who manages to conjure an image of both a rebellious, angst-ridden punk (the jeans, the boots, the skinhead) with a man about to attend a function at a private members club (the roll-neck and the peacoat). The juxtaposition of these styles shows that in the modern age, fashion and style can be merged to form whatever identity you choose.
4. Scott Schuman
Scott Schuman, a.k.a The Sartorialist (www.thesartorialist.com), is perhaps best known to the modern day street style bloggers, capturing the best looking men and women and every major fashion event at any time of the year. What I love about these two images is that essentially they are formal outfits made to feel contemporary with their vibrant red jumper and trainers respectively.
There is a fusion of the style / fashion lines in these outfits made for men who are not afraid to bend the rules of how we dress into their own shapes through the use of both colour and the cut of their clothing.
5. Soren Jepsen
Soren Jepsen started out snapping the good people of his native Denmark back in 2007 and has since turned his attention to every major city in the world, the results of which can be seen on his brilliant website – www.thelocals.dk.
This image not only captures a fellow blogger in action but highlights the emergence of sportswear as more than something we wear to the gym. With its nod towards modern day music moguls and style icons Pharrel and Kanye, this basketball-meets-hip-hop ensemble personifies just how ‘street’ fashion has become.
The wonderful thing about street style is that there really is no right and wrong to dress. Of course any off-duty model can look good in a pair of skinny jeans and black t-shirt but the street style photographers currently clicking their way around the world offer us a far deeper insight as to how men do dress. They more importantly give us the inspiration to continually evolve not just with the trends but with modern style.