A few days back I wrote a bit on colour, and dressing without looking artificial. One of the ways to do so, is by matching secondary colours. And one way of matching secondary colours, once perhaps not a wardrobe staple but far more common than it is today, is the multi-coloured striped suit.
Seen here worn by Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass, the suit in charcoal with a fine alternating orange and blue-purple stripe almost looks solid from afar, but helps to pull together the peach shirt, red-purple and orange pocket square and purple paisley tie (which also has traces of orange, peach and possibly even blue). But most impressively, it helps the slightly dandified boutonnière to blend in with the outfit and look acceptable for the circumstances.
Naturally, most of us won't frequently be donning a tie, pocket-square and boutonnière with our suits at the same time, but Mr. Bass provides us with a good example of the synergistic effects a multi-coloured stripe can have. Best when executed in colours that blend together from afar, a pattern like this can look conservative and creative, with space for subtle display of personality. After all, it's all in the details.
So, next time you're looking for a suit with a twist, consider the multi-coloured stripe.
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.
Seen here worn by Gossip Girl's Chuck Bass, the suit in charcoal with a fine alternating orange and blue-purple stripe almost looks solid from afar, but helps to pull together the peach shirt, red-purple and orange pocket square and purple paisley tie (which also has traces of orange, peach and possibly even blue). But most impressively, it helps the slightly dandified boutonnière to blend in with the outfit and look acceptable for the circumstances.
