From camp-collar shirts to graphic tees – how to upgrade your look this season.

Menswear has had a rather intense cabinet reshuffle lately. The industry is well known for musical-chairs-like temporality when it comes to creative director positions at big brands, but considering some of the moves that have happened lately – Mr Virgil Abloh to Louis Vuitton, Mr Kim Jones to Dior Homme, and Mr Kris van Assche to Berluti to name a few – keeping up who’s who (or rather: who’s where) in the fashion game is a big ask for the average chap on the street.

You may not be interested in the details, of course, but the reality is that the creative decisions those designers make over the coming months will affect how most men dress, probably for years to come. That’s fascinating on a cultural level, sure, but what does it mean for your wardrobe right now? Given that fashion is a fickle business, it’s tough to know where to start, which is why we’ve compiled a short list of style updates that will keep you looking fresh without the need for total sartorial reinvention. So, from swapping your button-up collars for Cuban ones to adding some texture to your sneakers, read up on some of the ways to tweak your style up a few notches, just in time for spring.

Following Mr Virgil Abloh’s appointment as head menswear designer at Louis Vuitton last month, the fashionsphere has erupted with heated debate and countless think pieces on the increasing relevance of streetwear and what that means for men’s style. If the Off-White designer’s new job is, as many are claiming, a bellwether for where menswear is going, the trend for streetwear is probably only going to get bigger. With that in mind, now is as good a time as any to cop some streetwise staples – try some side-striped sweatpants from Gucci or an Off-White camouflage pullover.

If there’s anything that will define the summer for menswear in 2018, it’s the camp-collar shirt – MR PORTER is glutted with the things. Also known as a Cuban-collar, this style is characterised by the open neckline perfect for warmer weather, and its relaxed cut makes it primed for pulling off prints that would look garish on less summery garments. Its laid-back style also means it’ll go with most casualwear, but for the perfect summer outfit, add some neutral shorts and a pair of shades. All you need after that is a plane ticket to Havana.

Something else we’ve noticed a renaissance of in the past few months is the graphic T-shirt, revived again after a post-indie hiatus. Thankfully, it’s looking pretty good, but that might be because Gucci and Raf Simons are leading the charge – the former has plastered Disney characters over knitwear and tees, and the latter looked to Blade Runner and Joy Division for graphic inspiration. Also see Junya Watanabe, where paint is spattered over T-shirts in a Pollock-esque fashion. You’ll want to pair arty tees like this with a neutral pair of chinos that won’t battle them for attention, or throw on a light jacket to let the design peek out from beneath.

The chunky “dad sneaker” conversation is still getting people worked up all over the internet, but we’ve turned our attention to another footwear trend that’s been crepe-ing (ahem) up of late: textured sneakers. Whether it’s kicks that are crafted in corduroy or rendered in a Frankenstein mix of mesh, rubber and nubuck, this season’s best sneakers come with a bit of tactile variety. Look to Moncler, Valentino and Aprix for the best examples.

A foolproof way to update your look without risk or uncertainty? A decent pair of socks. Whether it’s a statement pair of Vetements + DHL sports socks inspired by that T-shirt to add a pop of colour to your look, or some sophisticated no-shows for when you want to bare your ankles but still keep your shoes fresh and your toes covered, if you don’t know where to start with a summer-outfit tweak, a pair of socks is the perfect place.