Key Highlights
Elevate your outfit game by mastering the art of color coordination, turning heads and boosting your style with skillful color choices.
Solid Shades: Start with solid colors in blues and neutrals to create versatile outfits that elongate your body and provide variety without overwhelming.
Monochrome: Embrace the timeless combination of black and white for a striking and versatile look that pairs well with almost anything.
Working with Prints: Incorporate patterns sparingly, choosing one printed piece as the focal point of your outfit and keeping the rest plain to let the pattern shine.
Tone-on-Tone: Experiment with wearing different shades of the same color for a sophisticated and cohesive look that minimizes the risk of clashing.
Know your Neutrals: Understand the role of neutrals like black, white, grey, navy, camel, khaki, and beige, as they seamlessly complement other colors and provide a fail-safe option for outfit coordination.
April 17, 2023
Men's Fashion 101: Expert Tips for Matching Clothing Colors
For many men, color is often something to avoid, perhaps even fear. During the summer months, you might occasionally see a pastel pink polo shirt or some aquamarine shorts make an appearance in their seasonal wardrobe. However, for the most part, many of us prefer to play it safe and stick to a tried-and-true, risk-free palette of classic masculine colors: black, navy, and grey.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. When handled with skill and confidence, color has the power to elevate an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. It can lift your mood and, at its best, even turn heads.
For beginners, playing with color can indeed be confusing at first. If you get your color combinations wrong, the result can be a visual mess; but get it right, and your outfit can be a standout success.
So, what are the basics? How can colors be worn together to create a look that is complementary rather than clashing?
With a few simple tips, you’ll have your color coordination game nailed. Here’s how:
But it doesn’t have to be this way. When handled with skill and confidence, color has the power to elevate an outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. It can lift your mood and, at its best, even turn heads.
For beginners, playing with color can indeed be confusing at first. If you get your color combinations wrong, the result can be a visual mess; but get it right, and your outfit can be a standout success.
So, what are the basics? How can colors be worn together to create a look that is complementary rather than clashing?
With a few simple tips, you’ll have your color coordination game nailed. Here’s how:
Solid Shades
Mastering colors doesn’t have to mean embracing the brightest hues in the rainbow and incorporating them into your wardrobe.
You can stick to solids in the same color and still create a great look. This approach also has the added visual effect of elongating your body, making you appear taller and slimmer since it doesn’t visually cut your body in half.
For the color novice, it’s best to start with blues and neutrals. These provide a variety of outfit options, and once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll gain the confidence to be a bit more daring.
You can stick to solids in the same color and still create a great look. This approach also has the added visual effect of elongating your body, making you appear taller and slimmer since it doesn’t visually cut your body in half.
For the color novice, it’s best to start with blues and neutrals. These provide a variety of outfit options, and once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll gain the confidence to be a bit more daring.
Monochrome
A step beyond dressing in solid, single colors is to embrace a monochrome look, particularly using black and white. These two contrasting colors complement each other beautifully and can be paired with virtually anything, making for a highly effective and versatile combination. After all, opposites attract, and in the realm of fashion, this pairing can create striking and stylish outfits that stand out effortlessly.
Working with Prints
Once your color confidence is up to speed, it’s time to consider incorporating patterns into your wardrobe. However, in this area, less is definitely more.
Choose a single printed piece for your outfit—whether it’s a patterned jumper, jacket, or, for the bold fashion enthusiast, a pair of trousers—and keep the rest of your outfit plain. This approach allows the pattern to stand out and be the focal point of your ensemble, making it a stylish conversation starter.
Choose a single printed piece for your outfit—whether it’s a patterned jumper, jacket, or, for the bold fashion enthusiast, a pair of trousers—and keep the rest of your outfit plain. This approach allows the pattern to stand out and be the focal point of your ensemble, making it a stylish conversation starter.
Tone-on-Tone
A bit more daring than wearing solid colors or monochrome, tone-on-tone dressing offers a discreet yet stylish way for the conservative man to experiment with color.
As the name suggests, this approach involves wearing various shades of a single color. For example, you might pair navy trousers with a baby blue shirt and a midnight blue blazer, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look.
Tone-on-tone outfits typically work best with colors like grey and blue, as mentioned. The minimal margin for error makes this style ideal for men seeking to subtly but significantly alter their approach to color in their wardrobe.
As the name suggests, this approach involves wearing various shades of a single color. For example, you might pair navy trousers with a baby blue shirt and a midnight blue blazer, creating a cohesive and sophisticated look.
Tone-on-tone outfits typically work best with colors like grey and blue, as mentioned. The minimal margin for error makes this style ideal for men seeking to subtly but significantly alter their approach to color in their wardrobe.
Know your Neutrals
While the color wheel serves as a fantastic starting point, it's equally important to understand the significance of neutrals and their role in outfit coordination.
Neutrals—think black, white, grey, navy, camel, khaki, and beige—are essentially colors that seamlessly complement all others. Conveniently, they never clash, making them a go-to choice for those who may feel uncertain about color combinations. Regardless of your expertise in styling, every man should incorporate a few essential neutral pieces into his wardrobe.
Neutrals—think black, white, grey, navy, camel, khaki, and beige—are essentially colors that seamlessly complement all others. Conveniently, they never clash, making them a go-to choice for those who may feel uncertain about color combinations. Regardless of your expertise in styling, every man should incorporate a few essential neutral pieces into his wardrobe.
