“Swagger is for boys. Style is for men.”
I saw this quote in social media the other day and I couldn’t help but think about Dunning Golf. In an era of headache inducing day-glow colors and overly aggressive patterns, Dunning has separated itself from the boys with its ‘For the Player’ (not ‘the playa’) mentality. The label’s simple, sophisticated and clean aesthetics speak to the game’s stylish and gentlemanly history.
For AW’15, Dunning has introduced a range of new performance polos, an updated design to its popular pullover and a new active wear line. Its palette of rich blues, dark charcoals, mossy greens, classic reds and basic black is distinctly modern and the perfect complement to the colorful foliage surrounding the fairways this season.
The new polos in Dunning’s fall collection feature a mix of classic and contemporary stripes. If you are looking to go modern this season, then check out the Fade Stripe, Two Tone Stripe, and Trinity Stripe polos. ‘Bold’ is not often a word that I use to describe Dunning’s polos, but with these shirts, the brand has managed to strike a rare balance between creating bold, eye-catching designs and maintaining an understated feel.
SEE ALSO: DUNNING GOLF SPRING/SUMMER 2015 COLLECTION: THE FABRIC OF A PLAYER
Ombre or dip-dyed designs have been a trendy look in the game of golf this season, and the Fade Stripe polo (see above) feeds into this movement. While other brands have cranked up the intensity of their ombre patterns to eleven, Dunning has put itself on trend and stayed true to its sophisticated D.N.A. with a greyscale fade on this polo. The wide chest stripes that move from black to light grey are distinctly modern and juxtapose the vintage vibe of the contrast placket and collar.
Over recent years, chest stripes have been at the center of Dunning’s collections, and the Two Tone Stripe and Trinity Stripe polos offer fresh updates on this design. Both create a strong focal point across the chest while providing an effortless look that says you are up on the latest trends, but you are not spending hours in front of the mirror.
Dunning has distanced itself from many in the golf apparel space through a comprehensive range of top shelf performance fabrics that fit a variety of playing conditions and personal preferences. Each of the polos I mentioned above is fabricated with the brand’s renowned stretch jersey fabric. This lightweight polyester blend is a GolfThreads favorite thanks to its luxurious hand, four-way stretch and exceptional moisture-wicking qualities. The stretch jersey fabric has a bit more heft to it than Dunning’s vented mesh and stretch pique fabrics, making it perfect for fall golf.
It is no secret that Dunning’s 1/4-Zip Stretch Thermal pullover (see above) is also a GolfThreads favorite. Living in Northern California, layering is a year round necessity. It is a rare day that I head to the course without at least one layering piece in the bag, and Dunning’s 1/4-Zip Stretch Thermal pullover gets the call more often than not due to its comfort and versatility. It is easy to wear over a polo or sweater, or you can even wear it as a mid layer under a jacket for added warmth.
The 1/4-Zip Stretch Thermal pullover has been a mainstay in Dunning’s lineup for several seasons, and rightfully so. It borders on being the perfect layering piece. It is lightweight, soft, breathable, stretchy, stylish, highly versatile and the fit is on point. Dunning has correctly taken an ‘if it’s not broken, don’t fix it approach’ with the 1/4-Zip Stretch Thermal pullover by giving it iterative style tweaks from season to season. For AW’15, the accent stripe has been moved from the chest to the sleeves for a very athletic look.
SEE ALSO: HEADS UP: DUNNING GOLF INTRODUCES HOODIES
Ironically, one of the biggest trends in the world of golf apparel doesn’t have anything to do with golf apparel. With more people hitting the gym (including golfers) and the whole athleisure trend influencing street wear fashion (thanks, Lululemon), golf apparel companies, like Dunning, have been tossing their high performance threads into the mix.
For AW’15, Dunning has launched a new active wear collection that includes everything from t-shirts and hoodies to pants and shorts. This isn’t much of a stretch (pun intended) for Dunning. Founder Ralph Dunning was a competitive cyclist and triathlete and started Dunning Sportswear back in the day. However, if you are expecting a bunch of ultra techy gear in Dunning’s Active Collection, think again. The line uses a mix of luxurious natural and performance fabrics that are perfect for the most demanding workouts, or just life in general. The polos, t-shirts and hoodies feature an 80/20 poly/cotton blend, and they effortlessly transition from the gym to the street. The pants, shorts, boxers and 1/4-zips feature poly/spandex blends that are built for pure performance.
From a style standpoint, the Dunning Active Collection borrows its understated good looks from the brand’s golf line. The silhouettes are clean, the fits are athletic, and the tonal logos are modest. The classic palette of blue, grey and black is masculine and easy for any guy to wear. So, the next time your wife tries to hook you up with a yoga brand, say “No, thanks. I’ll check out Dunning.”
Dunning Golf places a huge importance on green grass accounts, so look for the AW’15 Collection in your local pro shop, or at Dunning’s website, Trendygolf or Fairway Styles.