As I type this I am wearing a grey and orange stripe shirt under a grey cardigan with...orange trim. I think it looks cool and why, because hardly anyone wears orange. With the summer coming, all the colours come out to play which make things interesting in men's fashion.
This always leads to the following questions:
- What colours are acceptable?
- What colour can you wear?
- What are the exceptions?
Winter always means grey, black and blue, however the summer means experimentation. The safe choice is always navy, especially being a Brit, its all you ever see. But the dominance of American and European brands filtering across the borders has seen bright and bold colours pouring in. Ralph Lauren is a huge example of this, they have polo tops in every colour imaginable$. Although British brands like Fred Perry and Lyle & Scott have similar ranges, no one can challenge the sheer colour spectrum Ralph has to offer. This then leads on to what colours are on offer and what looks good.
PINK
A true mans colour! A feminine colour! A lot of guys wont wear it because they feel it sends out the wrong message about their sexuality, when in fact this is just a load of tosh. Go into any retail store and you will see lots of pink, and why? because its looks fresh and vibrant. It adds colour if you are pale skinned, but also looks awesome with a tan. For all those who still don't wear pink because of its stereotype, get over it. Pink is the best selling colour after blue.
RED
The power colour. In China this a very powerful colour, their New year sees exchanging of red letters filled with money as gifts. In the business World, a red tie is seen as a sign of power or authority, however in a fashion sense, its not often seen unless its sport related. Many men including myself only wear red when it comes to my football colours (That being the Red Devils and not the Merseyside Reds). However the impact of red is great. More seen at Christmas time or in deeper shades, it can add depth to any outfit but be visually striking.
GREEN
The Colour of envy. This is a colour which I feel isn't worn enough. Seen as a more country, farmer look, it works so well with a mixture of other colours and can make an outfit look much smarter. Although it does come in a huge variety of shades, it is important not to over do the amount and look like Luigi from Mario Bros.
PURPLE
I am a fan of purple, it works well with all the "safe" colours, and is a good start to branching away from Blue. If you or your man (depending whose reading) always wears navy or blue try a purple garment. Don't go too vibrant, more of a mauve to add a little character. Jumpers, shirts, polo even jeans all look awesome in Purple.
WHITE
The Clean Colour. Although not actually a colour(depending how you see it) I have added it to explain what is and what isn't acceptable. Although all this is my own opinion, too much white is never good. A crisp clean white tee is the killer simple item which every man should own. It looks wicked with jeans and creates that Steve McQueen look, which is very in this summer. Although there is nothing wrong with white jeans, trousers, don't match it with a white top as it can wash you out. HOWEVER! If in a hot country, these rules don't apply as you will look the part, but I would recommend you work on a nice dark tan first.
YELLOW
The Strong Colour. The Sun, Gold, everything powerful is of a yellow tone, so why shouldn't you be strong. A great complimentary colour, which can bring others together. A yellow shirt works well under every suit, it brightens up the blacks and greys but also works perfectly blended with other pastel colours. Works well for shorts, t-shirts and shirts, but too much again can be over powering.
BLUE/NAVY
The Safe Colour. This is a colour every man has worn at least once in their life. Blue is by far the largest selling colour in menswear and why not? It works well with everything, the high majority of denim is blue! Its easy on the eye. From Baby Blue to Royal Navy, it simply works; it looks smart and crisp, while blending tones together also creates stunning effects.
BROWN
The Nature Colour. All guys should if they already don't own a pair of brown shoes. Doesn't matter if they are loafer or lace up, brogue or Oxford, but this is a must for all wardrobes. They work well with denim and with a blue suit it adds some character. As for clothing, this is a very strong Autumn/Winter colour. It works brilliantly with vibrant or pastel colours like green and orange, by bringing them together. Brown cords always look good as does a smart V-neck knit. But like everything, don't over do it as it can make you look older than you probably want or a walking turd.
BLACK
The Slimming Colour. Yes its true, black does make you look slimmer, but more importantly it gives you a proper silhouette outline. If you are indeed pumped, it helps outline and show this effect, or if you have enjoyed the finer things in life a little too much it can smooth out your curves.
Like white, it is sometimes not seen as a true colour, but as there are so many shades, i think it deserves a mention. Working within retail, the school boy error I see so often is guys trying to match any black trouser with a black jacket and calling it a suit. This just doesn't work. Shades and tones play a huge part in fashion and two different black can be easily identified. This only leads to people thinking you got dressed in the dark.
There are hundreds of colours when it comes to clothing, so I have really only really mentioned the main few. I have missed out grey, but this works in a similar to black, it works well with many other colours and can create a smarter look. So if you are after a magenta shirt or apricot shorts, most colours will mix, just don't over do it, keep it simple to create that awesome look; pick only two or three tones with each outfit and stick to them.
Colours to match in your outfit should be you pocket square (The handkerchief out of your breast suit pocket) with your shirt or a small colour in the tie and your belt strap should always match your shoes. This will make you look like you know what you're doing. However never match your shirt with tie, if your wearing a dark blue shirt with white dots, you're tie MUST contrast. Also your suit and shirt should contrast. I am not saying a navy suit with blue shirt is wrong, I mean the same tone and shades. This will make it look like its an all in one otherwise. The slight exception is a black suit with black shirt, but even then you are pushing it, remember what I said about before with black shades.
As for smart outfits, the below diagram should hopefully help with what combinations do and don't work.
Hope this all helps.
By Michael Corbett
