Hit the
Town with Style and Confidence
You have to "coordinate"!
by Skip Pulley
An
overwhelming majority of women love well-dressed men. Fortunately,
being a “gentleman” is no longer a prerequisite for making the
scene in a high-octane outfit. It takes practice and patience but
it's generally worth it. There is some trial and error involved, but mostly
it's learning through observation. If you see someone wearing
something pleasing to your eye, it's more likely that you will wear
it with confidence. I know some
cats can easily put colors together, some cats cannot – but that's
okay, just get a second opinion when in doubt. Here are a few of the
rules or general guidelines to keep in mind when coordinating a
dress-shirt, tie & sport coat/blazer or suit/slacks with a belt
and shoes.
Shirt,
Tie, Jacket & Slacks
1. Avoid
patterns that are too similar.
I love
wearing vertical stripes or pinstripes because they give you that
long sculpted look. But this look is easy to overdo when you throw on
a jacket and/or tie. Stick with the basics. You can't miss with a
classic pinstripe black or navy suit with a white open-collared
shirt. Wear narrow tip shoes if you plan to wear a tie, otherwise
kick some square-toed shoes when sporting the open collar.
2. Select
complimentary colors and patterns.
Plaid
patterns, in most color combinations can be very contemporary, but
you have to know what you are doing. There are many subtle
differences in the types of plaid; gingham, tartan, hounds-tooth and
Welsh to name a few. Select the darkest strand in a gingham coat and
wear pants that match. A hounds-tooth blazer and gray slacks are
usually pretty sharp. I also love colored pastel shirts with a white
collar; just be careful if you add a tie.
3. Don't
wear combinations that are drastically different.
The
patterns and colors you wear should never compete with one another.
Also keep in mind that some colors and patterns compliment your skin
tone while others clash. In this regard, black and white are generally neutral. When
in doubt, wear a solid neutral colored shirt and black slacks. Never
combine pastels with earth-tones or plaid with stripes.
4. Match
large patterns with small patterns or vice versa.
If you
absolutely must wear a pattern, limit the pattern to 2 items; A coat and necktie, for instance. A good example
would be a tartan coat and pinstripe tie or possibly a pinstripe suit
with a small plaid tie. In this scenario, stick with black, white and
grey as the colors. If you wear a striped shirt with a striped tie,
make sure one of them has a wider stripe pattern.
5. Don't
overdo one pattern or color.
If your
goal is to wear one color or a slight variation thereof, let your
accessories make the biggest difference. Subtle differences
in cloth dying already make mono-chromatics somewhat impractical in some cases. For
example, an azure blue shirt with royal blue slacks and a navy blue
blazer all mesh well without trying too hard to blend. You can also
match particular elements of your outfit such as shirt with socks
or tie with belt.
Belt &
Shoes
I know a
lot of cats who don't sweat their belt color because it's rarely seen. But
the way I look at it, why take a chance? You don't need an exact
match for either leather or fabric, so it's not that difficult to get close. Just
stay in the same color family. Don't clash.
If you can't get close with the colors, just stay “dark” as it
were; blacks and dark-browns, deep navy and black, etc. If in doubt
about socks, just go without. Be very careful of white or
white-pattern shoes and belt with any color suit. There is a high
probability that you will look like a featured tap-dance performer,
minstrel show comedian or 99 from get smart. Some square root cubes will tell you "black goes with anything", but that's not necessarily so. Keep a pair of burgundy or oxblood shoes in case you ever find a nice brown or tan suit.
Suits
A
suit is actually the easiest combo to match up. Just make
sure it fits you well. People
will notice the fit before the color and style. If you are big around
the middle, your options will be somewhat limited as to style, but I
have more respect for a sharp, (though be it square) department store
suit off the rack than a clownish Steve Harvey boxed buffoon set. If
you are not in your ideal shape, then some degree of apparel
conservatism is recommended in any case. Go with a solid-colored
shirt that doesn't clash with your shoes and belt. Only wear a pastel colored suit if you're skinny and hip-looking. Otherwise everyone will think you just came from a halfway house, church clothing drive or 1970's sex offender convention.
Never be afraid to fall into some threads and hang in the cool room. It's a right of passage that is being more and more marginalized. You're doing this for you, of course, but also for those times when lil' big mama rolls her grapes over you and flips.
Skip Pulley
Editor in Chief
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