The weather’s finally starting to show signs of heating up. That means the shops are replacing their winter clothes with lighter styles suitable for spring. And it also means that many men are starting to look for new spring fashion ideas.
Personally, I’m already quite happy with my spring wardrobe. My spring fashion staples include jeans, chinos, casual shirts, light knitwear, and—my favorite—a selection of Breton shirts.
But, it’s still nice to refresh things every year. And as you’d expect, there are plenty of trends that are new this year.
The spring fashion trends for men in this list are the ones I’m keeping an eye out for. If your warm-weather wardrobe needs a refresh, then consider some of these styles that I think will be popular this spring.
Spring Fashion for Men: 7 New Trends
Tie-Dye
Tie-dye made an appearance in our guide to summer trends last year and we think it’s a look that is here to stay. It’s also the perfect look for the warmer months as it’s a good way to inject some color into your clothes. But tie-dye doesn’t always have to be super loud. While it may conjure up images of super bright colors (like the image above), there are many other ways to do it. And plenty of brands are offering more subtle takes on the style.
This one from Mr. Porter is a great example of this, by using shades of grey for the die, you get a t-shirt that has the unique tie-dye pattern, but still has an overall low-key vibe that doesn’t make you look an aging hippie. T-shirts are the obvious place where you are likely to see tie-dye. But we’re also seeing on all types of items, including sweaters, jackets, and pants.
Paneled Pants
Paneled pants are pants, often jeans, made up of multiple sections with different patterns, colors, or materials. You end up with pieces with a much more interesting design than a typical pair of jeans. It’s a pretty out-there pants trend, but one worth looking into if you like to experiment.
Like tie-die, you can be as loud or subtle as you want. Jeans with pannels that are slightly different shades of blue (like these) are a good entry-level way to get in on the trend. While those with multiple bright colors or patterns can act as the focal point of any outfit. This is one of the more out-there trends on this list but it’s definitely growing in prominence.
Bright Colors
Tik-Tok calls this dopamine dressing, and it’s pretty self-explanatory: adding bright color to your outfits. And there’s no better time to do so than during spring when the world is naturally colorful anyway.
How you do it doesn’t matter, it could via patterns, blocks, or entire items. Go subtle with pastels or make a statement with neons. And many of the other trends on this list allow ways in it to the trend, tie-die and paneling for example.
Alternative Tailoring
The pandemic shifted the way we work and, therefore, the way we dress for work. The biggest trend that reflects this change is the one for alternative tailoring. The main way that this is manifesting is that everything is becoming more casual.
Blazers made with non-traditional materials and a non-structured fit are the biggest examples. These are perfect for throwing on over jeans or slacks when heading into an office that no longer expects full suiting. Or you could put one when working at home to get the feeling like you’re ready to work (and be ready for Zoom meetings) without sitting at home in a suit.
What’s more, they come into their own during spring when it’s warm enough to get away with not wearing a coat, yet not quite warm enough to just wear a shirt.
Distressing
The 90s grunge look has been influencing menswear over the last couple of years. One place this is likely to continue is in intentionally distressed clothes.
Denim is the obvious place where you’ll see this look. Jeans and jean jackets with tears, rips, and fading (example) are likely to be staples of the coming season.
But you’ll see it on other pieces too. Sweaters with frayed wool and worn sneakers are other common takes on the style.
Bomber Jackets
Casual jackets play a big part in spring fashion for men. This year, I think bomber jackets will be especially popular. This spring trend is super easy wearing, as both items are easy to throw on with jeans for a casual weekend or evening look.
The more experimental among us can use these pieces to try out some of the other trends on this list, like bright colors or tie-die. I personally love the out-there yet monochrome jacket int the image above.
Casual Shirts
Casual shirts have been a spring staple for years and this is unlikely to change in 2022. Perhaps the biggest change is that these shirts are getting louder and brighter. We’re seeing plenty of colorful patterns, bright prints, and geometric shapes that are a great way to add some flavor to your outfit.
For an optional twist, try combining them with a matching pair of shorts. If you want to keep it toned down, go for washed-out pastel colors instead or patterns like stripes.
