Dress like a compliment

Use of colour is one of the great pleasures of dressing. However, when selecting the day's outfit, one has to be careful not to look like the result of "creativity hour" in kindergarten, as dressing too loudly can look obtrusive and distract the attention from the wearer. To help the gentlemen of society avoid such fiascos, is one of the reasons style guides advise matching your belt and shoes exactly, and retailers sell pocket-square and tie combos made out of the exact same fabric. It is also the reason men limit themselves to dressing in two colours, with tie either copying suit or shirt, and when donning a square, having it similar to tie or shirt again.

There is only one problem with these scientifically equated solutions to dressing well: it has an air of stiff, boring and most of all, gives the impression that one tried too hard.

As with a compliment, one's attire should look personal, sincere and not too well thought through to be appreciated. An air of spontaneity always helps.
 
And like a compliment can sometimes be too much and rather awkward, and the same compliment be regarded as pleasant and forgotten moments later in a different setting, so should one's dress always be befitting of the circumstances.
Sure, some of us may be more flamboyant, and some prefer subtle minimalism, but there are limits either way. These are not called rules, but the boundaries of good taste.

So, dress like a compliment, and let your dress complement you.

Expect more posts detailing this subject in the future.