Engine Room/Coaler Chic: Are our prayers answered?

How odd that we sometimes find ourselves looking in the tiniest crevices for fashion ideas. One could turn an everyday household appliance and use a piece of that to accent their wardrobe. It isn't enough that some of us just simply need to stand out more than others, we must also utilize what we have so we can prove to them that we thought of it first or, perhaps just that they don't have it. Whatever the case, a fresh take on menswear is just a dire need as Trump needs a new 'do'. All our prayers are answered in this fall season's view of the runway for men. However, the approach in which numerous fashion houses tweaked their look is reminiscent of old working America. Back when your average janitor didn't have an ounce-size bottle of Purell. These duds worn by the working class meant "It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it"


Given the grim nature of menswear, we the public are forced to see men's fashion through the eyes of a very conservative society. Blazers, coats, pants, shorts, oxfords, wing tips,etc. After an ongoing list of men's fashion staples, one would compare the vivacity of women's prints and hues to the somewhat monotonous, flatline equivalent tone of menswear. I'm being dramatic, of course. But we make any scorching menswear line look like 19th Century Paris, a Bridgehamton Polo tourney or a free-flowing futuristic collage of new age fabrics and dyes. Surely, there is more to explore. And, voila! The railroad worker look is in! Levi's, Dickies, Carhartt, and everything in between. There is something to be said about all this. I think this is a testament to the creative minds behind fashion labels such as Bottega Veneta, DSquared and Ermenegildo Zegna for breaking such boundaries between the working class and elitist-stereotypes of high end fashion.

A snapshot of what we all recall fashion-forward in the working world could be quickly summed up by current fashion trends. Heavy duty fabrics constructed for functionality, flannels warmer and brighter for a slightly more chilled deer hunting season, substitute military-esque boots for a more basic leather boot (embellished with leather straps or hardware). Wool cable knits are paired with rustic denim and brown leather detailing. Beanie caps are practical not just aesthetic. suspenders still run strong for this season. This time, transform that East Village penniless writer with the Alain Mikli black-rimmed glasses with a rugged Colorado townsmen with a New York flare. Once, a seemingly formidable fashion faux pas, the long-sleeve waffle henley, suspenders, gray pants and tall laced leather boots served as a mark for all those who disassociated themselves from mainstream fashion. In this day and age, we can find this look no matter what the town, region or country. Does this mean even the most simple folk around the globe who make feeble attempts to display their sartorial abilities can be considered fashionably advanced? Maybe this is the industries way to allow each and every one of us to parlay our hopeless clash-riden closets into an affordable luxury that Lanvin can't even compare!

Thick canvas and heavy wools rock the runway. At Prince and Wooster in SOHO and the Left Bank in Paris, individuals can be seen wearing the latest trends in fashion. Their inspiration? The Industrial Revolution. Layers of thick working gear transformed into everyday garb to create the illusion of an unpolished blue-collar worker reminiscent of another time. Now, that's the dirt we've been waiting for! Makes me wonder what will they think of next.