The year is winding down, and it’s time to declutter your wardrobe in anticipation of the new fashion wave that’s set to hit us next year.
We’ve been sharing tips for women, but we are looking out for our men this time.
Yes, man! Come closer; we’ve got something for you.
We know you may not be as fashion-forward as the other gender. But it won’t hurt to do a wardrobe haul once in a while. What better time to go wardrobe shopping than the season of parties and owambe?
We also know you will need some inspiration, so we’ve curated a list of African men’s fashion trends you should look out for. You can pick from these options including colours, fabrics, patterns, and styles.
Are you ready?
Let’s get right into it.
1. Animal Prints
Top on our list of African men’s fashion trends is animal prints. Bold animal prints have a popular trend among African men. At every event, you will spot a young man elegantly dressed in vibrant animal prints like the cheetah spots and zebra stripes. You can try it out too. Start by sewing a shirt with animal print at the hem, collar, or sleeves.
2. Colourful Suits
Gone are the days when men wore only black suits. You will agree with us that sometimes black can be boring. These days, our men have become more open to experimenting with colours. And you should not be left behind.
For starters, you can get a grey or blue suit. If you want to stand out in the crowd, you can also try out other cool colours like dark green, brown, and burgundy. It doesn’t have to be the traditional three-piece suit or tuxedo. Try wearing casual and less formal suits. Then, complete your look with a plain white shirt, black tie, and clean shoes. Emphasis on the shoes!
You can switch things up a little if you want to be more adventurous. Try wearing bold and vibrant colours like pink, green, and orange. You’d be surprised at how good you will look in a pink suit. Switch your white-collar shirt for a plain t-shirt. Then, wear a pair of sneakers for a more casual dressed-down look. Trust us; you will look dope! The ladies won’t be able to get their eyes off you.
3. Two-toned Outfits
In the spirit of experimenting with colours, you should try wearing an outfit with two contrasting colours. Why wear one colour when you can wear two?
Think of bright colours like yellow, white, red, orange, and green. Imagine wearing a gorgeous yellow and white combo. Let’s see you rock that like the dashing man that you are.
4. Kaftan
Now, let’s go the traditional way. Every event is not for formal button-up looks. Sometimes, you need to wear traditional African attire like the king you are.
Kaftans are long plain loose-fitted robes commonly worn in the Western part of Africa. It usually has a design embroidered in the centre, collar, and at the edge of the sleeves. Kaftans used to be an exclusive male outfit, but now, even the women don’t want to be left out in the slay fest.
A well-tailored Kaftan in your wardrobe will be suitable for special occasions like weddings, dinner nights, cultural festivals, and red-carpet events. Whatever the occasion, you can never go wrong with a Kaftan. If you want to look prim and proper, you can accessorise with a pair of shoes. For a casual look, you can pair it with pads or sandals.
5. Brocade
As we mentioned, traditional garments like Kaftans are styled with embroidery in the centre, neckline, hem, and edge of the sleeves. That type of embroidery is called brocade. It is popular in East and West Africa. Brocade is usually done on plain traditional fabric to give it a touch of finesse. Some fashion designers use gold thread to make it look classy. You can wear such outfits for formal or evening events.
6. Two Piece
Most African men are a thing for African wax print clothing. Usually, they like to wear just one piece, either the top or the bottoms. This is often paired with a matching plain, coloured, or strip shirt, t-shirt, plain trousers, or jeans. However, wearing two pieces is becoming a trend. Instead of wearing just one part of the puzzle, you can wear the complete outfit of the same print.
7. Touches of Wax Print
One thing we love about afrocentric men’s fashion is its versatility. Our African fashion designers are innovative, and one of their works is experimenting with wax print. This time, they came up with the idea of pairing plain coloured fabrics with small touches of wax print fabric. For example, you could sew a plain shirt, then use a touch of wax print as the collar, cuffs, pocket, placket, yoke, cap, or a simple binding on the hem. You will look dapper in that.
8. African Print Clashing
Have you ever tried combining two different Ankara outfits? It’s even better if the print designs and colour don’t feel like a good mix. Some call it colour blocking, but we call it print clashing. Only a few people can rock this fashion trend effortlessly. You can give it a shot if you are bold enough.
9. Djellaba
Djellaba or Jillaba is a long, l white loose-fitted robe with long sleeves. It is worn mainly by men in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa as part of their traditional clothing. Now, it has spread to other regions around the world, including Nigeria. Djabella is a perfect choice if you want to look casual and classy at an evening event. You can pair it with plain black trousers, an Arab fez hat, or a Keffiyeh, a check cloth wrapped around the head.
10. Dashiki
Of course, Dashiki is included in our list. Dashiki is originally from the Ewe people of Ghana but has become popular in East and West Africa, especially Nigeria. It is a loose-fitting t-shirt with an embroidered v-shaped neck. If properly styled, you can wear a Dashiki to any event. You can wear them with plain trousers, jeans, sneakers or flat pams.
11. Monochrome and Neutral Colours
Although we encourage men to experiment with colours, sometimes it’s best to keep it simple with monochrome or neutral colours. Your entire outfit doesn’t have to be one dull colour. You can mix and match with different shades and fabrics. Instead of settling with just white and black, you can mix things up a bit with varying shades of warm colours like grey, brown, beige, and burgundy.
12. Leather
Who needs cotton and silk fabrics when there is leather? With leather outfits, you don’t need to do much to look stylish. You can get a leather jacket, pants, or two pieces. No, your belts don’t count. Imagine wearing a leather jacket on denim with a nice pair of boots. Damn! You’ll get heads rolling in your direction.
Bottomline
Now, that’s a long list of African men’s fashion trends you should look out for. With this, we bet you are ready for a wardrobe haul. While at it, remember to get a matching set for you and your partner. We look to see cute couples twinning in matching outfits. Check our digital store for some bespoke styles we bet you’ll love.