As temperatures peaked this summer (thanks, global warming), it’s no big surprise that men started to embrace the common undershirt as outerwear. So, seeing a man in a shoulder-baring, U-neck ribbed tank top became commonplace. An unexpected development, however, was when they started wearing them under classic tailoring. From actor Mr Paul Mescal to music producer Mr Mark Ronson, men took the stuffy shirting out of their summer suits and swapped in a lightweight, warm-weather solution.

The look was as surprising as it was stylish, and a reminder that, despite the overwhelming sense that the suit was primed to go the way of the dodo, all it takes sometimes is a little imagination to make it look fresh again. Stylist Mr Warren Alfie Baker, who dresses Messrs Andrew Garfield and Penn Badgley to name but two, expressed his fondness for the style earlier this year: “I love a tank top under a suit, it creates a lower neckline that has a slightly sexier feel.” Consider, then, the tank top when next year’s wedding season creeps up – just a friendly reminder to do those push-ups.

Everywhere we looked this year, Mr Thom Browne was there. There’s a reason for that – the brand (and the man) celebrated 20 years in business. Congrats, you shrunken-suit legend. From his theatrical couture show in July to his lavish, photo-filled coffee table book, released with art imprint Phaidon, to his special shout-out in season two of The Bear, Browne was firing on all cylinders in 2023. And, as far as anniversaries go, it afforded us a moment to take stock on how influential and prolific he’s become over the course of two decades. Browne’s vast snug-tailoring influence has taken hold of the zeitgeist, subverting the idea of what suits can and should look like. For Browne, the sky’s the limit.

Dad style has been a fashion world obsession since Balenciaga sent men wearing frumpy slacks, chunky sneakers and oversized dress shirts down the runway in 2017. However, in 2023, our thinking on dads evolved, giving them their fair due as trendsetters.

A$AP Rocky, who has fathered two children in as many years with superstar and fashion icon Rihanna, is taking it to the next level. He wore denim and diamonds at Mr Pharrell Williams’ debut for Louis Vuitton, and a plaid kilt to the Met Gala. He wore a leather jogging suit by Bottega Veneta (and a roomy, lightweight suit from the brand) and the subdued “quiet luxury” garb from the new Gucci collection under designer Mr Sabato De Sarno. But best of all, he wears matching outfits with his son, who donned a blinged out leather belt decked out in diamonds and rubies by the jeweller Mr Alex Moss. Somehow, it’s cringe-worthy when normal fathers and sons match, but cool when Rocky does it. Go figure.

After years of clothes festooned in logos, and the Gucci-led love of maximalism, the winds of fashion began to change this year. The global economy was jumpy due to conflict and the lingering effects of Covid, and the one-percenters began to retreat into familiar, classic styles and away from look-at-me statement pieces. This shift has come to be called “quiet luxury” and “stealth wealth”. Perhaps best exemplified by the Roy family in the billionaires behaving badly family/corporate drama Succession, the look is, well, discreet to the point of unnoticeable, at least to untrained eyes.

Brands such as Brunello Cucinelli and Loro Piana, long champions for this mode of dressing, became de rigueur — along with their quarter-zip sweaters, baseball caps and quilted vests, all made of rarefied fabrics, crafted by artisans and costing many thousands of dollars. With her restrained courtroom attire, Ms Gwyneth Paltrow helped solidify the movement. But perhaps the biggest moment came when Gucci’s new creative director showed his debut collection – a low-key, drama-free and utterly wearable lineup.

It’s been a big year for Mr Jacob Elordi, a big guy carrying small bags. The Aussie, until now best known for his role as Nate Jacobs in Euphoria, debuted two big-name movies this year. He starred as Mr Elvis Presley in Ms Sofia Coppola’s dreamy Priscilla, and plays an old-money scion in the psychosexual thriller Saltburn. Still, our favourite moment of the year was when the actor was spotted with a string of handsome handbags. From Fendi and Bottega Veneta to Valentino Garavani and Louis Vuitton, Elordi not only displayed a varied affinity for bags of all shapes and sizes, but the power of a perfectly placed accessory to make or break an outfit.

Earlier this year, Pharrell Williams showed his debut collection as men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton. The brand shut down one of Paris’s most iconic bridges and sent a small armada of boats to ferry over A-listers, including Rihanna, Ms Kim Kardashian and Jay-Z, who even performed afterward. The clothes were easy-going, laid-back streetwear, picking up from Mr Virgil Abloh, the designer who preceded Williams and tragically passed away in 2021. But in some ways what was shown on the runway was, almost, besides the point. It was more about creating a star-powered moment that cemented Louis Vuitton’s place as a cultural institution rather than mere fashion label. And in that respect, the brand succeeded.