We sat down with a few New York creatives for an insider's take on seasonal style. What they're looking to buy, the trends they're digging and their thoughts on what guys should and should not try to pull off when the weather warms up.

Ask a film director what his or her main contribution to a movie is and you'll likely get a multitude of answers. But it's safe to say that it all comes down to the vision they provide. Ask Josh Peskowitz about his contribution to the men's style department at Bloomingdale's, and you might get a similar answer. Working his way through the world of fashion editing for a decade, he landed his current role as the Men's Fashion Director there in 2012. Take a look at any street style portfolio and you're bound to see at least one shot of Josh looking effortlessly cool. But as he readily admits, "it takes a whole lot of effort to look effortless."

Written by Garrett Frye, Portraits by Alexander Stein
April 8, 2014

What trends are you currently looking at
for spring?

For men, spring is quite a bit different than fall and winter. Pieces have to be more special because there's less layering involved. The indigo trend is very important. I believe in the idea of tonal blue dressing; not navy, but cobalt, turquoise, sky blue, French blue, air force blue. It's also just very easy. My suitcase ends up being, like, 87% blue when I travel. Different tones, different shades make it very versatile.

Some brands in the store that we love are doing a lot of athletic-inspired clothing. Ovadia, Todd Snyder x Champion, Shipley and Halmos' new S&H Athletics line. They're all taking these athletic looks and mixing them with tailored clothing. Incorporating things that have a technical bend to them is important in the spring where the weather is so crazy, and it’s this constant evolution that makes menswear such a dynamic place. At the end of the day, it’s a very narrow field where the best designers take something that’s recognizable and normal and make it feel special. And one of the ways people approach that now is the development of fabrics that wick moisture or are anti-bacterial or whatever it may be ... Developing these cool features that make an ordinary piece extraordinary.

Favorite piece in your current wardrobe?

Oh man, so much. I like things that are built to be lightweight. I have this unconstructed Man 1924 double-breasted blazer with peak lapels and a ticket pocket. There’s also this Eidos Napoli raw silk pin stripe suit that I just bought with 3 button roll 2. The idea is that I can wear that suit with a shirt and tie and nice shoes, as well as a navy T-shirt and Chucks. Nowadays, I have to be able to wear my suits multiple ways. And on that, wearing a suit is cool. I think they're a great expression of who you are. And you can take them different directions from super formal to super casual with some flyknits and a sweatshirt or something.

Any style wisdom for rainy days?

Rubber-soled or brick soled shoes are nice for the spring time. You don’t need to worry about the uppers. People think you can't wear suede in bad weather, but it's perfectly fine. Or just sneakers. I like Nike Flyknits because if they get dirty you can just throw 'em in the washer. I'm really into this lightweight rain jacket from Hancock that we carry here. It's different from your typical rain jacket and a little more technical. It's fun to wear something a little tricked out. I prefer stick umbrellas if I'm going to use one. Fox umbrellas are a very old English brand that we carry.

New kicks?

Just got a pair of Buttero sneakers. Caramel, raw-cut leather. We just got some crispy new Nikes too. I'm going to be buying those.

Leather sneakers, $328 by Buttero

What's your favorite part of warm weather?

The vitamin D. I just can't take it anymore, man. I've spent most of my life in New York City, and this was the worst that I can remember. I enjoy being outside, and I love walking around and seeing what people are up to.

Easiest trick to up your style game?

I think one of the basics is just fit. We all try different looks, but something every guy can do is just understand their fit and they can take the most basic piece and make it look good.