I’d love to say that Menswear Monday will be a weekly occurring post, but it’s so challenging to find good, dark-inspired menswear that a weekly post seems unlikely. And when I say “good” dark-inspired menswear, I mean men’s fashion that has a dark sophistication, with subtle touches of edgy, off-center influences. Trying to find gaudy, over-the-top gothic* men’s clothing is a snap. As is finding totally mainstream, vanilla menswear. That sweet spot in the middle? So. Challenging.
The UK site ASOS has been a bright spot in the search for dark-but-understated menswear, and fortunately for those of us in the States, they ship to the U.S. (and pretty quickly at that). In particular, they carry a lot of items from the UK brand Religion, which is hard to find in the U.S. The brand’s kneeling skeleton is a logo that I’d happily sport on my clothes.
Updating the classic button down with gothic materials adds interest without creating a campy look, as with the skull collar tips on this Religion shirt or the faux leather on this shirt from Vito.
The addition of leather takes the basic black sport coat up a notch as well.
Moving away from ASOS, River Island‘s menswear line is worth a look. The lines on this reverse lapel blazer give it just a hint of “The Count,” don’t you think?
If you’re not on a budget, Alexander McQueen’s line is jam-packed with skull designs this season. The Prince of Wales tie would spice up any suit.
Do you have any favorite shops or sites for dark menswear? Please share them in the comments!
*No offense if that’s your thing. It’s just not Hunt + Haunt’s thing.
