Vivid colors and patterns will infuse some welcome energy to menswear this season, according to Jos. Kuhn & Co. manager Gordon Tracy.

“In suits, the big color is still going to be what they call the ‘new blue,’” Tracy said. “It’s a brighter blue than navy.”

“In sport coats, we’re still seeing patterns and bright colors,” Tracy said, noting that they can be dressed up or down and then paired with jeans. “There’s a good amount of color and some texture in them.”

Other trends are in shirts. “We’ll see a lot more short-sleeved shirts than we have in the past, in sport shirts more than dress shirts,” Tracy said. “From everything I saw at the shows, we’re still going to see a good amount of pattern in dress shirts, which is unusual. They used to be plain colors only. We’ve been seeing that for a couple of years now.”

Various patterns can be worn together with shirts, ties and suits, Tracy explained  — as long as they’re in coordinating colors. “It can bring everything together,” he said. “It’s something that’s going to take some guys getting used to. But that’s the direction fashion seems to be taking us.”

Polka dots in different sizes are a popular pattern in ties. “Repp ties will never go out of style,” Tracy said of the traditional diagonally striped pattern. “But these will give more options.”

For job interviews, Tracy still recommends white shirts but said the tie can have some color or design that ties back into the suit. “These brighter blue suits are great for an interview,” he said. “Interviewers will see a sense of style instead of black or old dark navy. I always tell them if they get called back for a second interview, they can wear the same suit and just switch the shirt.”

One customer successfully found a job after wearing ties in the primary identifying colors of the various universities where he applied to work, according to Tracy.

For brown suits, Tracy suggests a cream shirt. “White gets a little stark with the earth tones,” he said.

More suit makers are now offering suits with double-breasted blazers in response to customer demand to get away from the two-button single-breasted suits that have been dominating the market.

“We try to stay away from fads and stick with trends,” Tracy said. For example, Tracy said, there was a brief fad of suits with waist-length jackets; it didn’t last. Conversely, “slim-cut suits will remain popular and have been popular for 10 years,” he said of the tailored, more body-conscious silhouettes. “I like the term ‘modern fit’ because the term ‘slim fit’ connotes one that fits right up against them. The manufacturer is still cutting them with a little less material, more tapered in in the side, and the pant legs are a little bit closer but not right up against a person.”

Not all bodies are alike, though, and manufacturers are now recognizing that by tailoring suits to fit muscular athletes’ different frames. “For several years, guys that needed athletic cut suits have had a hard time finding them and had to get alterations,” Tracy said. Kuhn’s carries a brand of athletic-cut suits that are close in fit to the modern but with more room in the arms and legs. Like the modern-cut, the athletic-cut has more definition in the waist. The athletic-cut suits cost about a third of what a suit with the necessary alterations would be, according to Tracy.

With all of men’s fashion, Tracy believes fit is key, so all Kuhn’s customers have three measurements taken for suits and two for shirts.

The fashion trends don’t end with the most visible clothing; men can now add some personality to their outfits with fun and funky socks. “One of the big things is the bright-colored socks,” Tracy said.

Once something hidden under trousers, underwear is transitioning, too, as shades like red and green are helping men to make fashion statements. “Tighty whiteys are gone,” Tracy said, explaining that white underwear is almost a thing of the past. “Men are coming in and buying colors. It’s not only a different, bright color but a different fit.”

One reason the new styles are popular with men is because they have features are designed to reduce friction.