Playboy's Fall And Winter Fashion Forecast

It's a mod, mod, mod world. Somewhere on the way to Milan, designers of men's suits zoomed past Saville Row and never looked back. Dark and austere looks reigned, while traditional British styles were deemed much too conservative. However, this season American and British designers have forged a potent alliance. Their clothes have an indoor-outdoor feel and combine sleek modern cuts with classic cloth. Think of it as casual workware with Cheisea texture and Carnaby Street tones. Or British class harnessed to American energy. (It's a combination that works for almost every situation. You just have to know when to use it. Want to talk to that fox sitting at the bar? Be bold and American. Want to seduce her when you get there? Be charming and British.) Leading the charge down the runway are the usual suspects from the UK: Burberry, Paul, Smith and Nicole Farhi. They're joined by a relatively new player in the world of fashion, Holland and Holland--the legendary purveyor of guns, luggage and other manly accessories. American labels and designers such as DKNY, BCBG, Icarus, Maurice Malone and John Varvatos (formerly of Ralph Lauren) also developed their versions of Britannia cool. (Your new girlfriend wants to take you home to her parents? Be American and turn her down. She didn't take no for an answer? Be British and gentlemanly and win over her pops.) With contemporary tailoring, tweedy isn't twittish anymore. The best suits and separates bring flexibility to your wardrobe in a time of relaxed dress codes. They also lend a country aura to urban guys. Want a fresh look? This stuff can stand up to a breeze or a boardroom. On your body, the lightweight fabrics feel like they have built-in climate control. (Thinking about pulling over on Sunset and airing your bits and pieces for a hooker named Divine? Be American and keep driving. Need to apologize on national TV for yielding to your temptations? Be British and humble.) The colors of this year's boss tweeds and mellow cords are dark, red and foresty. They look heavy thanks to their texture, but they're not. Modern manufacturing now allows tweeds and cords to have laser-cut edges. That means no bulky seams at the cuffs. The raw edges also look more natural. It's as if the techniques and the trends have come together for a whole new revival of English fashion. The advances in fabrics allow for a fighter silhouette and more layering (such as a turtleneck under a jacket). So throw out all your tired notions about the proper place of corduroy in high fashion. We're being treated to another sighting of the great wide wale of American myth. Cords are the answer to the question of what to wear in an increasingly casual world. These days you don't need a tie to appear important--or rich. Which brings us to our final lesson. Need to ask your boss for a raise? Be British and smooth. He says no to your request? Be American and show him the back of your burgundy tweed jacket as you walk out the door. And when he asks where you shop, tell him in the fashion pages of Playboy.