“Take Time Off,” read a grosgrain ribbon trim in Phillip Lim’s new men’s collection. It ran across belts and bag straps and functioned as a zipper pull for Lim’s new Hawaiian-print bum bag. In a time when fashion is burning the candle at both ends, Lim’s proposition was so earnestly simple, it might even inspire you to laugh. Who actually takes time off? Well, Lim for one. One of his recent posts to Instagram explained to his 45,000 followers the importance of making time for oneself to regenerate and find new inspirations. (Lim himself will embark on a three-week holiday this summer.) “I wanted to literally use fashion (clothes) to illustrate the seduction of giving time to yourself,” he wrote.
Mission accomplished. With muted Hawaiian florals, crinkled shirting, and a washed, beachy palette, Lim’s collection was well suited for off-duty time. The overalls’ shapes were roomy and forgiving; should you indulge in a few too many mai tais or poke bowls, you won’t have to worry in ’40s-styled pleated trousers with a paper-bag waist or an ’80s-esque short-sleeved button-up that Lim described as a sort of cover-up for men. Rounding out the vacation vibes was a wide range of tie-dye shirts and shorts, as well as soft fanny pack bags made of fabric that had shirt sleeves as a strap that can be tied cross-body or around the waist like a fancy cummerbund.
Look close enough, and you’ll find plenty of options for those have not yet embraced the type of self-care sabbaticals Lim described on Instagram. For the deskbound, a gorgeous Cognac leather coat would serve, as would those paperboy pants, which come in an anonymous shade of black. Tie them up with that “Take Time Off” belt for a subtle message to the boss.
