Men's Summer Fashion

Black is back.... NOT! Take all those black clothes you got for the winter, put them in a big, brown cardboard box and make sure they never see the light of day ever again. Well, at least until they come back into style. Since the spring needs a new catchphrase like winter, keep this phrase in mind-"White is right." White polos, white tees, and especially white deck pants are must-haves this spring, and depriving your wardrobe of them would be like depriving your iPod of Phantom Planet and Belle and Sebastian songs.

Since fashion works in mysterious ways, keep in mind that the nautical look is in, so take a close look the next time you see Gavin MacLeod on TV. Lightweight fabrics such as linen are very important, and should be adorned with wide stripes of contrasting colors.

Like I said earlier, white is right. A lot of traditionalists would argue that any white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day is completely illegal in fashion, but not this year. White is taking the place of black as a seasonless neutral or base, and can be paired with literally everything.

Shirts aren't even half of a great outfit, so you'll need to know what pants to wear. Simple khaki shorts look fine during the spring months, and can be mixed with a colorful pair of plaid shorts to show your stylish and lighter side. Unfortunately for the big sweaters, heavyweight denim is very in this Spring. Darker indigo looks great for the more formal affairs, but ripped and stained are perfect for the casual look.

Now that you know what to wear, I have to teach you how to wear it. It's a fact; every guy likes nice, colorful Polo. Most guys enjoy flipping their collar upwards, a sign of suaveness and style. Don't do this. The Nantucket-style popped collar went out with the pink polo and the Numa Numa guy.

Summer and spring fashions are almost always identical, so right now would be a great time to update your closets with all the new looks. Just like last time, nobody dresses you but yourself (unless you have a REALLY overprotective mother) so dress how you want to. Never be intimidated by what you think other people will say, dress for success, and dress in what makes you feel most comfortable and best expresses your individuality.