Man up - Mankles

OK gents, this is one for you: mankles - are you man enough? Now I'm not talking just rolling up your chinos to go rock pooling on the beach with the kids, nor am I talking about that hideous trend from a few years ago of wearing Crocs with 3/4 length cargo shorts (I can't even go there) - if you still have a pair they need to go out now - please. No chaps, I'm talking about this:

Photo: The Telegraph

Check out the classy and dare I say rather glorious Tinie Tempah at this week's Esquire & Jimmy Choo Party, part of the London Collections: Men S/S 2014 (that's Mens Fashion Week to you and me). Now, obviously his whole style groove isn't to everyone's taste - and I'm not sold on the T-shirt at the Mulberry show below either, but he wears a great trouser, gets routinely voted "Best Dressed" and I love that TT (as I like to call him) isn't afraid of men's fashion and just gets out there and gives it a sartorial whirl. Way to go Tinie.

Photo: Getty

To me, mankles says Summer, and to an extent, a European, nay Côte d'Azur sensibility. I love a man in a long sleeved linen shirt, shorts and loafers (English Gent will attest to that) but the mankles look goes even further, because the trouser has to be - wait for it - tapered, and I think perhaps that is the step too far for some of our leading men. Leaving off your socks is one thing, deliberately shortening and tapering your trousers, quite another.

Photos: Lloyd Macallister

This is Nicole Fahri's take on the look for S/S 2014, laid back and effortlessly cool - a bit Eddie Redmayne methinks, with the mankle very much in evidence.

Photos: Lloyd Macallister

And though we have been more rain-drenched than sun-drenched of late, the bright colours, cropped trousers and sparkly embroidered espadrilles (go on, you know you want to) of Savile Row tailor Richard James' collection for S/S 2014, are Summer's menswear fashion choices in one neat package. There's a bit of something for everyone in there if you look closely, but one thing's for sure, the mankle is definitely here to stay.

Photo: www.esquire.co.uk

Now I know I said that rolled up chinos didn't cut it, but for one man I'll make an exception....

Photo: Sean Connery by Annie Leibovitz for Louis Vuitton

So guys, (and gals) - if Beard Love was taking things a bit too far, can you (wo)man up for the mankle?