Let’s not beat around the bush, shall we? In fact, now that the new administration has unleashed a big ol’ can of Bush-Be-Gon, from a fashion perspective designers have decided it’s time to go aallll the way back to…the ‘80s. Yes, again. All it takes is one look at Kanye’s hairstyle to know that we’re just one season away from everyone dressing like it’s the Jacksons “Victory” Tour… and those of you who were there know exactly what I’m talking about. For those who weren’t, excellent timing! Michael has announced he’s going on tour… again. But I digress…

Let’s not beat around the bush, shall we? In fact, now that the new administration has unleashed a big ol’ can of Bush-Be-Gon, from a fashion perspective designers have decided it’s time to go aallll the way back to…the ‘80s. Yes, again. All it takes is one look at Kanye’s hairstyle to know that we’re just one season away from everyone dressing like it’s the Jacksons “Victory” Tour… and those of you who were there know exactly what I’m talking about. For those who weren’t, excellent timing!  Michael has announced he’s going on tour…again. But I digress…

Things started going back to ‘80s style when prep-school ties, reps and ties with shields and crests, started showing up. Then they started getting skinner. Not as skinny as something Ric Ocasek would wear during a Cars concert, but certainly narrower than in previous season.

Now designers are mining the 80s even more deeply. Check out the Be Better Guys latest Five Easy Pieces to keep you updated (and backdated) when stepping out this spring.

Double-breasted Suit/Three-Piece Suit:  What’s funny to us is that fewer and fewer guys have to wear suits to work, what with casual Friday having spread its tentacles to practically every other day of the work week.  But that hasn’t stopped designers from trying to convince us that, no, in fact we need to dress UP even more.  Today’s double-breasted suits are leaner and have smaller, less bulky shoulder pads than their 80s brethren, but they are no less formal. Same goes for the three-piece suits of today. These were less of a hit during the 80s than double-breasted but are flooding men’s shops these days. Three pieces of today are narrow-lapelled, slim-fit and feature flat-front pants; say goodbye to the three and four pleats of the 80s. You can break up the three-piecer by wearing just the suit, wearing the vest with no jacket and jeans, or wearing the pants separately on their own. Fact is, these are all very formal looks for the office and certainly in the offices that we work, would be looked at as too much.  So before you spring for one, determine if folks will be snickering about your fashion selections behind the water cooler. Perry Ellis has an option for about $350 sold as separates, as does Express, who sells one as separates for about $450. Banana Republic is showing both double-breasted suits and three-piece suits that sell for between $625 and $750.

Neon Colors:  You would think neon colors were invented in the 80s, what with all the neon sweatshirts, headbands, legwarmers, sweatpants, jackets, sweaters…on and on.  Today designers are toning it down a bit and not being quite so brash as to invoke the Miami Vice days of Crockett and Tubbs, so you’re seeing neon and bright colors underneath lapels, mixed in with socks, or as a color in a sweater as opposed to being the whole damn thing. Gone are the days of everything black, grey, and tan, as the folks from Calvin Klein, Joseph Abboud and Banana Republic would have you believe in the mid 90s to mid 00s.  Now it’s about some color, tasteful color, and we at Be Better Guys support that. Banana Republic goes all out with a neon orange zip jacket for $98, JCrew shows some neon blue and orange in a pair of $50 ties, and for the bold and adventurous, Michael Kors has neon red utility pants for $195.

Rugby Shirts:  The great thing about a good rugby shirt is that you can play the sport in it every weekend and the well-built ones, you can give it to your son in 30 years.  Rugby shirts were a staple in the 80s as introduced by Ralph Lauren, complete with crest on the left chest and in some cases, sewn-in numbers on the back (to really complete the mirage that you ever stood a chance on the pitch with real rugby players).  Today’s rugbys are, you guessed it, leaner and trimmer than the baggier ones we wore 20 years ago.  While not right for casual Friday at the office in most workplaces, rugbys are great on weekends with khakis, jeans, corduroys (yes, they’re a great fall piece as well) and shorts.  Check out Hilfiger’s rugby for $115, or just head right to rugby Mecca, Ralph Lauren’s new Rugby.com, where you can find rugby polos, rugby sweaters, jerseys of every kind or design your own.   Only things you can’t purchase is a rugby football or the toughness it takes to play this crazy sport without pads.  

Modern Trench Coat:  Every year we usually encourage guys to get a trench coat because when you’re on your way to work on a rainy Tuesday in your crisp suit, your slick tie and your shined shoes, you can really undermine being taken seriously in one of two ways – carrying a backpack or wearing a windbreaker.  First, get an attaché to carry your laptop and other important stuff.  Second, get yourself a real man’s coat for rain – a trench coat.  Styles have changed and updated a lot since your dad threw on his unshapen Burberry trench to head off to the morning commute.  In fact, these days trenches are so stylish that you might be tempted to wear them on bright sunshine days; we’d recommend you not, since it’s sort of like wearing rubber boots to a baseball game in June.  Look for the trenches that feature a leaner cut without all the billowy fabric of your bathrobe, and ones that, instead of coming down to mid-shin, hit you at the knee or just above.  Features such as how many buttons, epaulettes, color and such are up to you.  But if you’ve never owned a trench before, we recommend going conservative with something that will last for years.  Hell, you won’t wear it all that much, right?  Unless you live in Seattle or Portland.  And even if you do, you can still express some style for those dreary days when someone’s got to be the light bulb in the room!  JCrew has a few, a single-breasted model for $198, and a double- breasted one for $250, Banana Republic has an understated model for $198, and the granddaddy of all trenchcoats, Burberry, has a kickass black trench for, oh, only about $1,000. 

Contrast-collar Dress Shirts:  And in a final ode to 80s style, the shirt that the movie “Wall Street” made famous is back more this season that it was when it first showed on the scene last year – the contrast-collar dress shirt, or a shirt of color with a white collar.  Initially these shirts were for the Masters of the Universe, the Wall Street bankers who ruled Manhattan through the 80s, then for much of the 90s, then for much of the 2000s.  Except now.  Now lots of these folks are out of work.  But the shirt remains and thrives.  Today’s style is leaner, like much of men’s fashion has trended in the past several years, and while you can always find executive-style shirts of this sort, other shops like the Gap and JCrew make contrast-collar shirts that actually do as well, if not better, dressed down with a pair of jeans and optional skinny repp tie.  For these, yes, you can wear them with your suit after you’ve ironed the hell out of ‘em and made them nice and crisp, or you can let them get a little bit rumpled and wear them casually.  What next, suspenders?  I think so!  JCrew has a casual version that’s too relaxed for work but great for a dinner date, worn with a tie, for $60, and Thomas Pink, one of our favorite shirtmakers, has a whole series of contrast-collar shirts for about $150.  Lacoste has some subtle shirts for $110.

Bottom line about spring fashion for guys – money’s tight, we all know that if given the choice between dropping $100 on a shirt or jacket or putting it toward a really hot night out with the brunette you met at the gym, it’s no contest.  The key is having a sharp eye on what’s current today and what’s in your closet (and on the racks) that time has passed by, and that you need to as well.  Be noticed, wear some color, be confident to stand out in pack of guys at the bar or a roomful of working stiffs during a meeting.  Folks respect style, notice it, admire it.  It’s when things are at their lowest that the world needs a confident, stylish guy to walk in the room.  And that’s where you come in…