When I started working with the New Democrats on Parliament Hill, our former party leader, Alexa McDonough, told me about her attempts, some twenty years earlier in Nova Scotia, to encourage the men in her caucus to wear more orange.  She was met with fierce resistance.  Slowly looking around the room, she noted the number of male MP’s proudly sporting their party colours and noted wryly, “they all want in on the action now.”

Indeed.  Who would have thought twenty years ago MP’s would be allowed to wear denim in the Chamber or even, ten years ago, that a Conservative MP would beam so brightly in a pink on pink combo?

So, which of our MP’s is going to be brave enough to try on this year’s hottest look?

Trend Theory:  Why now?

Contributing factors:

• In the streets and on the runways of Paris the common thread in men’s fashion is the scarf.  It has reached the tipping point.
• As with most edgy trends, the most avant-garde have been pushing this look.
• Fashion retailers like the trend because of its additional SKU at the lowest-price point, making “recessionomics” buying easier, the relatively lower price point enables restraint in purchasing without total abstinence.

Trend Reality:  Rock the look?

The trend is here notes Russell Smith in the Globe and Mail:

The look is casual but daring.  It’s a cross between a scarf and a neckerchief.  Or they are being worn flat around the neck under a blazer, with the edges peeking out from under the blazer’s skirts.  Although a scarf is never a substitute for a tie in a formal situation, guys are experimenting more with knotted things at the throat, mostly for a splash of colour or sensuality.  The look can be taken to the extreme or paired back for a more subtle effect.  Take a look at this fantastic post on how men should tie their scarves.   Here are four more quick style posts to help navigate the waters.  I’m not sure we are going to see this on the Hill anytime soon.  (Is it just me, or could you see young MP Nathan Cullen rocking this Beckham-style look?)  Then again, Alexa never thought she would see the boys boldly sporting so much orange.

Update: The amazing Victoria Potter of http://demicouture.ca, one of the best Canadian fashion blogs around, stopped by this post to note the trend really isn’t all that new.  Please take a moment to visit the comments section and add to the conversation.