Blue Denim (serge de Nîmes) is made by a process of indigo dyeing, whereas black and other shades of denim are made by sulphur dyeing.

If sequins are too dressy for you, then denim may be the easy alternative. It really is hard to go wrong with a denim purchase. The runways were awash with serge pieces and this outfit shown right is sure to appeal to younger women and girls.

Far Right – Light blue jacket, skinny jeans £35, £25, Miss Selfridge Autumn/Winter 2009.

Like me, many of you will prefer the softer tint of the same blue hue as translated by the three pieces below. Denim always look great paired with white so everyone can wear the blues. Softened with white it takes on one the familiar denim washed out tones.

Studs and zip embellishment on a top ten colour tone easily bring an item into season.

Below Left – Studded denim waistcoat £75 Miss Selfridge Autumn/Winter 2009.
Below Centre – Blue Shoe Boot – Marks & Spencer Autumn Winter 2009 Accessories Ankle Boot, £55.
Below Right – Denim jacket with zip from £35 Miss Selfridge Autumn/Winter 2009.

Pantone of course is not the only colour authority. There are other providers of top colour charts, although they all use the Pantone recognised numbering system to ensure those who buy their charts have access to the consistently exact colours wherever they are in the world.  A retailer in Europe can instruct a supplier in China or Brazil on a dye colour in various materials using the Pantone system and know the end colours will be correct.

Other colour providers include Lenzing, TFL colour trends for the Leather industry, Interfiliere, Stahl, Premiere Vision, Pinklemon, Design-Options.com, The Style Council and The Color Association of the United States to name some of the leading colour design sources. This is not the only blue you will find in the fashion industry this year and some of my other pages look at alternative popular blue choices. Right now teal blue, cobalt and ultramarine are all also having their fashion colour moment.

After World War I was over onto about the year 1942 men’s wear was fairly relaxed and less formal. For instance, softer collars were worn during this time period.

Sleeveless sport shirts became popular, which were often worn with white pleated trousers and a belt was an example of one outfit worn by men. Celebrities in the 1920s and/or 1930s often would combine casual pieces with formal pieces for a new look.

Evening wear such as the double-breasted white cotton pique was also worn during this decade, as well as day suits with wide lapels. These suits were worn with accessories such as wool tie, black trilby hat, or black gloves (early to mid-1920s). Black leather shoes were also made popular during this time as well.

Wide lapels on men’s suits also were very popular in the 1930s with both British and American style suits. Materials used to make these suits were usually a type of wool (as often in the 1920s).

Sportswear in between the mid-1930s and 1946 included items such as white straight-leg flannel trousers for tennis playing or dark blue elastic-wasted cotton knickers for playing football. A red cloth coat was sometimes worn with black leather boots for riding. These sportswear outfits were very much influenced by the British.

After 1946 men wore items such as black trousers, Single-breasted wool jacket, and suits with wide lapels and wide collars. Suit accessories included black bow-tie, black homburg hat, and black shoes. By 1947 the war rations on materials had ended, so more extravagant men’s clothing could be made after this time.

1950s British styles were in some ways different than in the 1930s and the 1940s. One of the signature items for men during the first year of this decade include the knee-length single breast overcoat (grey-colored) and cuffless sleeves (although cuffless sleeves were sometimes worn in earlier times).

An Italian-influenced design that was worn in the evening includes the double-breasted waist-length white wool dinner jacket that included features such as wide reverse single self-fabric button fastening. Another popular item was the single-breasted cloth different jacket with the long collar and wide revers.

American styles of sports and leisure wear that were created in the 1950s include a single-breasted fitted brown jacket, narrow lapels, and flap pockets. These were worn during riding, and perhaps along with knee-high leather riding boots.

In the late 1960s to the late 1970s fashion was influenced by designers from numerous countries. For instance, Pierre Cardin from France had created a new design of a two-piece grey cloth suit that has a double-breasted long fitted jacket.

In the year 1970 the cloth jacket with a zipper was worn with a day wear outfit. This item was made with large hip-level flap pockets and tight sleeves which flared at the wrists and brown cloth trousers which were also flared. Leather outfits were becoming more popular after 1973.

The 1980s was a time of its own unique fashion. Men during this time who worked as an executive or other position of higher authority usually wore items such as a brown two-pieced double-breasted suit with long narrow lapels. These suits were designed with broad shoulders and shoulder pads.

Casual clothing that was significant of the 1980s includes blue denim jeans, often worn with matching jean jacket. Punk fashion in the 1980s for men included clothing items such as sleeveless black leather jacket, off-center zip fastening, or flap pockets.

In the 1990s blue jeans were also very popular, but unlike the 1980s bell-bottoms and wider-legged pants were in style. Black polo neck sweaters were popular in the year 1995, as well as two-piece wool striped suits with small collar and narrow ankle-length trousers.