The pop star-turned-designer is finally starting to showcase her work like she is an acknowledged designer. Instead of creating pieces that seemed too classic and beautiful with no regard to a concrete story or point of view, Beckham’s latest is heavily influenced by the current sportswear trend that has been prevalent in New York this fall.

There is, of course, still a lot of impeccable tailoring. But there is a shift. A rounded anorak made of luxurious fabric for example, speaks to the change in perspective Beckham is embracing. There is play with dimension and depth and things are not as surgically form fitting as they had been in season’s past. There were caps made of leather and dress straps that were reminiscent of airline seat belts. These were harnessed with beautiful hourglass shaped gowns that appeared almost lacquered over the models’ bodies. Additionally, there were some really pretty shift dresses that added bounce and whimsy to the whole collection.

Fashion critics have been stating almost incessantly that Simon Spurr is the menswear designer to watch out for.

After working with Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein in seasons past, he has consulted for Tommy Hilfiger’s Spring 2012 collection. Simultaneously, his seventh collection, debuting under his moniker, has continued to maintain the successful momentum his own past collections have created.

Spurr has proven himself, time and time again, an adherent of classic British sensibilities. However, he is not as seasoned or playful as someone like Paul Smith. Nonetheless, his collections have consistently proven that he possesses a strong fashion perspective, particularly in tailoring.

His jackets, shirts and suits referred to the heritage of the high-end men’s tailoring one would associate with Savile Row. Yet everything was finessed with a young point of view. Spurr’s 2012 spring palette constituted a canvas of mostly petrol, grays, white and pops of grey and lavender. However, black and brown punctuated pieces of outerwear strikingly. Jackets and blazers with leather sleeves and brown piping were unusually successful. Quilted leather was rendered stylish. Striped zigzagged patterns were applied on knits and even on some jackets too.

As Fashion Week in the city of cities wrapped up, we have spent sometime at DAMstyle collecting our thoughts on what our readers can essentially take away from the collections that hit the runway. Consequently, we have a short list of the most recurrent themes designers were embracing. This should help influence the way you put your clothes together next season and perhaps even call attention to what you may need to add to your wardrobe.

Theme 1: Neon

This is hardly ground breaking for the Spring. Nonetheless, neon was tastefully employed in suiting; think particularly in trousers or vests. Bold pops of color were also consistently incorporated in shirts and even the soles of shoes. Most notably Michael Bastian and Marc Jacobs mastered the art of neon. The successful instances were ones that relied mostly on neutral solids and were then punctuated in neon sparingly. Think; white trouser, classic pink dress shirt and a turquoise blazer.

Theme 2: Bleached White

White denim was the thing to have this past summer, and its relevance is continuing into the chillier months. Next spring, white will be resurfacing but in suiting. It will look abrasively clinical but very sharp. Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger brought out this point of view, harshly but still very convincingly. This is an opportunity to consider an alternative to the classic black suit.

Theme 3: Shorts

The use of shorts on the runway this time around wasn’t about showing more skin and creating clothes that are more functioning for warmer months.  The formula here was totally replacing jeans, khakis and cords with shorts that are bold and filled with patterns. It is a stretch to consider this as a staple. Nonetheless, it is a serious opportunity to consider an area that one could jazz up in their wardrobe. The trick unsurprisingly, is to find the right pattern for your body and skin tone. This can add to a really interesting spring weekend look. Billy Reid and Richard Chai brought out the most successful results.

Theme 4: Varsity Jackets

We are totally convinced that the varsity jacket is here to stay. It made a demure debut on runways last year and today it has rolled out into the mass market. For Spring 2012, the essence remains but the varsity jacket is rendered more impeccable, erring on tailoring that is reminiscent of suiting. Patrick Ervell and Timo Weiland translated this point of view fluently.

Frida Gianinni brought out an impressive Spring Summer 2012 collection for Gucci in Milan recently. Tailoring was impeccable as usual, but this time there was a clear tribute paid to the British dandy. A survey of checks and patterns, particularly Prince of Whales were rendered beautifully.

Gianinni’s men’s collections are always presented with some restrain and a fashion statement that somehow always seems obfuscated. Nonetheless, the clothes had a tinge of rock-star to them, as opposed to high society. This presented Gucci in a different light, all the while retaining the house’s heritage. Interesting highlights were the incorporation of trench fabric in pieces other than the trench, trousers lined at the cuff with bright pops of color and the aforementioned impressive exhibit of patterns. Accessories played a pivotal role too, a classic modus operandi of any fashion house. Summer bags got red and white stripes and were presented in luxurious leather and alligator too.

Henry Alford’s article in the New York Times published last month, titled “Does this Swimsuit Make Me Look Fat?” has ignited some really interesting discourse on the topic of men and body image, particularly within contexts of the seaside and summer. Thankfully, culture has been considerably gracious to men with its expectations of the handsome. Nonetheless, we are playing catch up with the contrived moulds that women are too often snared into. Alford’s diatribe wrestles with the inevitable: age, decline of metabolism and the body. He amusingly describes his as a Weber grill. Before getting on a tangent and waxing poetic on fit and style, it is important that we note and happily accept our bodies for what they are and respect their threshold. We should exercise and consider the beach season as an opportunity to tone up and lose some of those extra pounds, but at the same time we cannot expect to all have six-packs and a body that is always beach ready.

Park and Ronen, J.Crew, Ami Sanzuri, Saturdays and D&G are all swimsuit makers that should have styles that will flatter most of you guys out there regardless of age and body size, even if you have pot bellies or chicken legs.

I will say as a rule of thumb though, leave the Speedos for the athletes or swimming workouts and not for the beach, unless you workout on the beach, well that’s another story. Also, ditch the board short style; it’s too reminiscent of pubescence.

From left to right, Ami Sanzuri, Park and Ronen, J.Crew, D&G and Saturdays.

There are those who will don a tank with no sleeves and no hesitation to do so, and there are those who will not, no matter circumstance or temperature. While sartorial convention would perhaps err on deeming the style as a little crude, fashion and style have changed so much that it is possible to pull something together that involves a tank and looking good. More importantly, these won’t peg you as one of the trailer park kids.

Here are some cool tanks to consider:

1)    With no retail stores, online retailer Alternative makes some great tanks, that fit well, are super comfortable and stylish. Alternative makes clothes for men, women and babies.

2)    Great for shorter and smaller men as they carry smaller sizes that actually fit smaller people. Topman has revolutionized fast fashion as we know it, and continues to be a relevant player in the summer tank market.

3)    Urban Outfitters has an impressive tank selection and their collection runs the gamut from the vintage inspired to the classic. You can easily layer their tanks with a blazer or cardigan. Keep your eyes peeled for their J.Press collaboration, pretty impressive.

4)    Michael Bastian’s collaboration with Gant, which debuted in the fall proves a transcendence from the realms of the cold into the breezy spring and summer. This summer tank is appropriately chic, yet fun and nautical at the same time.

Believe it or not, it is not all color and sun faded this season. Visiting Nantucket recently, I was shocked to see that no one wore black, not even in the evening! While colors, prints and linens dominate the balmier seasons; especially at weekend getaway destinations, summer black can be cool and elegant. Drowning in a sea of seersucker, Tory Burch sandals and prints, a solid black hue brings an opportunity to stand out in the crowd. Black can be casual and not necessarily heat inducing, especially in the evening. The things to ponder here are fabric and shade. The most striking thing about black in the summer is that it manages to retain a sense of elegance that no green or khaki pair of trousers can. Think faded black tee shirts, polos or even linen black button downs. Chinos nowadays come in stone washed black and so do braided belts. A black merino cashmere sweater blend is perfect for those breezy summer nights. Best of all you can totally rock this into the fall and winter seasons.

You have probably received the memo. White jeans are the thing this summer and the sartorial possibilities with a pair of these are endless. Along with your shorts, sandals, shades and swimming shorts, you are most definitely beach ready! While it is hard not to associate bold colors with summer, use color in a controlled manner. This does not mean that your clothes can’t be fun. Your sunglasses, shorts and sleeveless tanks already scream summer and one need not don a rainbow of colors per outfit. Incorporate color in your ensemble, but allow it to make a statement without competing with other hues. If you’ve got a yellow shirt on keep everything else relatively somber. The same thing goes if you’re wearing Nantucket reds. This way, color brings a sense of uniqueness and whimsy to your personality. A recent addition to the world of summer is the pocket square with colored tipping or piping. This piece can easily translate into the early fall or spring but it’s debut this summer season signals those Memorial Day sartorial shifts to new territory! Cheers.