Messrs Ryan Reynolds, Presley Gerber and the other notables who paved the way to May.

With summer just around the corner, you’d be forgiven for not wanting to dwell too much on the past. Far better to focus on the near future and all of its attendant opportunities to bask in the sun, Aperol spritz in hand. But stay with us because the last 30 days are well worth a review, having produced a number of noteworthy moments in men’s style. Two immediately jump to mind: first, there was the launch of MR PORTER’s Made In California project, a series of 12 exclusive capsule collections from 12 West Coast-based designers, which was marked with a huge party in an East Hollywood motel. Then, earlier this week, the Met Gala delivered its usual blend of sublime and ridiculous. Intrigued? Carry on scrolling...

Here’s Mr Presley Gerber, the predictably good-looking 17-year-old son of ex-supermodel Ms Cindy Crawford and her dashing husband Mr Rande Gerber, making his arrival at this year’s Met Gala. And what did the young celebutante wear on this most auspicious of occasions? To only slightly misquote Mr Bobby Vinton, he wooore bluuuue... velvet, bluuuue... velvet on the night. While we’re on the topic of famous singers of the 1950s and 1960s, we’re not sure why young Mr Gerber didn’t take the opportunity to slip on a pair of blue suede shoes, too, and pay homage to his namesake Mr Elvis Presley. Never mind: the Chelsea boots were a happy compromise.

Can we all just take a moment to appreciate just how difficult it is being Mr Ryan Reynolds? Every time he leaves the house, he can expect to have his photograph taken against his will and his sartorial choices dissected by hordes of online keyboard warriors (we nobly exclude ourselves from this group). Lucky for him, then, he’s blessed with a sense of style that rarely lets him down. One trick that he employs to great success is to keep things simple, working around a strong central garment – such as this Gucci bomber jacket – and adding just a light smattering of accessories. Not only does this look good, but it also gives the impression of not having tried too hard. An air of effortlessness, as we know, is the essence of style. As for that bag, we’ve seen it before. On The Town July 2015, if we’re not mistaken. Here is a man with all the wealth in the world, but who does not find it necessary to replace accessories just because they’re two years old. What a guy.

Another entry from this year’s Met Gala, the Metropolitan Museum Of Art’s star-studded annual fundraiser for its Costume Institute. With a dress code inspired by avant-garde fashion designer and Comme des Garçons founder Ms Rei Kawakubo, this year’s event always seemed likely to throw up more than its quota of OTT outfits. And so it proved, with highlights including Ms Cara Delevingne, who shaved her head and spray-painted it silver, and Mr Jaden Smith, who arrived wearing a diamond grille and clutching a handful of his recently shorn dreadlocks. All of this out-and-out kookiness needed a contrast, however, and it came in the shape of Mr Ansel Elgort. The 23-year-old actor and DJ looked every bit the leading man in his cream “O’Connor” tuxedo by Tom Ford, a style originally designed for Mr Daniel Craig to wear in his role as James Bond.

London’s cultural epicentre shifted a few feet east last month with the arrival of The Ned, a new hotel and members’ club located just around the corner from the Bank of England in the heart of the City’s financial district. Among the cast of celebrities on hand to lend a little West End glamour to the grand opening was Mr Eddie Redmayne, who wilfully flouted the stuffy adage of “no brown in town” in a sharply tailored brown tweed suit and brown leather shoes. The pale blue shirt and blue knitted tie work nicely to break this look up: too much brown can leave you looking a bit like a character in a Mr Wes Anderson movie.

The dress code for MR PORTER's Made In California launch party was “California Style”. Unsure of what that means? Don’t fret. We’ve put together a three-part primer, featuring a trio of the best-dressed men of the party. Here’s Exhibit A, Mr Greg Chait of The Elder Statesman. Faded old band T-shirt? Check. (The Score by Fugees, to save you from having to squint at your screen.) Plaid overshirt? Check – and bonus points for the rolled sleeves. The classic mid-1990s combo of blue denim and beaten-up plimsolls? Double check. It all adds up to exactly what modern Californian style is about: simple, unpretentious and with a healthy dose of laid-back Cali attitude.

We now encourage you to review Exhibit B, a masterclass in summer smart-casual that comes courtesy of Mr Kurt Narmore, founder of Californian label Noon Goons. There’s plenty to like here: the pastel-blue suit and T-shirt combo has shades of Miami Vice (in a good way), the sun-bleached hair is pure Cali surfer; and the white brothel creepers are an inspired touch. Proof that even beach bums scrub up well.

And to Exhibit C, for which we call upon the considerable talents of up-and-coming LA rapper Wil$on. What we have here is an object lesson in the judicious deployment of colour, and the transformative effect that a single piece can have on an otherwise ordinary look. Take away the lemon-yellow short-sleeved shirt, and what do you have? Nothing but a white tee, black jeans and black Converse. Sure, it might be enough for an afternoon spent hanging out at the park, but it’s hardly going to make it into On The Town, is it?

Every guy needs a trench coat. As someone with close ties to Burberry – his girlfriend, Ms Lily James, is a face of the brand – Mr Matt Smith is sure to have amassed several. This, his latest, is from the current SS17 collection. With its exaggerated cuff tabs and single-breasted button layout, it’s a serious departure from the brand’s original, cinched-at-the-waist trench. But this is a garment that has been around for more than 150 years; it’s not the first time that it’s been reinvented, and it certainly won’t be the last. Now, consider the finer details: a blouse-like denim shirt, buttoned up but left untucked at the waist, further accentuates the loose silhouette, while a pair of sturdy shoes keeps the look rooted on solid ground.

The men featured in this story are not associated with and do not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown