MHL by Margaret Howell

As men, it can be a secret struggle to dress with interest without showing off. A lot of us want to look well-put-together, but not like we spent a lot of time considering what well-put-together means--we often quietly strive for style that looks unstudied. Margaret Howell's clothing has an evergreen appeal that's an ideal fit for those of us with such concerns--it's OK; you can admit you're one of us. We won't judge you. And if you're the type for whom everything works, then Howell's designs will work for you too.

Margaret Howell has been working within a well-defined aesthetic for over three decades, but these days the planets seem to be in perfect alignment for her stuff. In both her main line and her newer MHL line, she uses natural fabrics that aren't afraid to rumple a little--cotton, linen, tweed--nothing tech-y. Her silhouettes are unrestrained, and her clothes look lived-in right off the rack. Pieces like a washed cotton patch pocket blazer leave an interpretive impression but are not baldly referential or too closely tied to traditional tailored clothing. It's no surprise that a big market for Howell over the years has been Japan, where her type of comfortable, intellectual design is a regular theme in menswear

Howell's interest in art and architecture, particularly from her native Britain, also informs her design sense. She has collaborated with industrial designer Kenneth Grange (on a shirt for spring 2010) and has worked with architect William Russell to design retail locations, which she furnishes with carefully selected modern decor and fixtures that complement her clothing designs. She also works with inimitable British clothing manufacturers--for instance, John Smedley and Baracuta--to get her own fingerprints on their iconic designs. The whole endeavor is thoughtful, deliberate, and comfortable--pretty much the opposite of fast fashion. Which has some appeal for us struggling men.