How to watch a fashion show

In the upcoming week, you'll find the web taken over with obnoxious headlines like "Navy Is The New Black!", street-style photos of sharply dressed men (read: the fashion industry hangers-on) with whom you only have your genitals in common, and images of lifeless-looking models who, at best, prompt you to laugh. It's Fashion Week in Milan and Paris.

If you're thinking, "Sachin, who wears that sh*t?" you've read my mind. Hey, just because I'm a fashion editor doesn't mean I can't keep it real. The difference, however, is that I can look past what is presented on a runway and filter it for the takeaway value. That's what this is about. In fact, with enough know-how, you could even save a few bucks. Seriously. I'll get to that...

Say What?

A few seasons ago, I remember watching a model wearing a fisherman's hat with a navy blazer, a transparent knit wifebeater, checked pants, and sneaks. It was one of my favorite shows (Richard Chai). WTF, right? Wrong. Of course, at face value, runway looks can be ridiculous if not costumey, but they're not meant to be taken at face value. The reason designers present such extreme statements is that, well, it's a show. Truth be told, I'd be pretty bored watching a fashion show with models wearing jeans and a T-shirt with a pair of Converse shoes (which is what most of us wear on the weekends).

As our friend designer Simon Spurr once said: "This is a designer’s biggest window each season to tell a story, send a message to the press and the public. Many designers (I hope, at least) don't intend their clothes to be worn exactly as they are shown on the runway."

What To Look For

Now that you can get over your initial reaction to the image, focus on what's being said -- no matter how weird it may get. Here's what I'm jotting down in my Moleskine:

Identify Themes: In the case of the aforementioned look, it's clear that fishing and beach themes are at play here. These outdoor and aquatic themes will work well for men in a sportswear or streetwear context. What guy doesn't want to feel like he's at the beach in the spring when he's actually pounding the city pavement?

Identify Colors And Patterns: Forget the transparent knit wifebeater; mixing the solid navy blazer with a navy-and-gray cuffed checked pant that reveals a bit of ankle is a good way of breaking up the traditional suit.

Identify Cuts: Who's sick of skinny jeans? It's nice to see that the silhouette has loosened up. The addition of the fisherman's hat and sneakers reinforces the "relaxed" take on men's suiting.

What Doesn't Work: Even when you look past all of the craziness, sometimes there's still stuff that doesn't work. A few seasons ago, for example, designer sweatpants were "in." To our surprise, a few well-known men's magazines were supporting this trend. We, however, found it absurd to dish out $300 on sweatpants. And we called this out. Again, it's not our job to gush over every fashion show we see; it's our job to filter through them -- even the crap.

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