Introduction
At the end of last year I produced a two-part article that set about dispelling some common fashion myths and rules. Or as I like to refer to it: ‘Sh*t My Dad Says’. With 2013 quickly coming to a close, I thought now would be the perfect time to release another edition in the series. After all, with the passing of another year comes another wide selection of stupid, weird and off the mark remarks my father continues to drop like bombs. We’ve already proven that black and navy CAN work together, considered whether pleats are still ‘in fashion’ and dismissed the old adage of never wearing brown in town, amongst others. But before we start on part three, we need to reinforce one simple guideline: learn the rules and then break them. Of course, men’s style and fashion does have some unwritten rules, and more often than not they are there for good reason. However, with the passing of time some of these rules become less relevant – meaning they can be bent and broken if you so desire. Yet you need to learn what the rules are before you are able to do any breaking. If you don’t understand the reasoning behind said rule, you will more often than not end up creating a look that is a train wreck of mismatched and clashing colours, or just plain weird. After all, we’re aiming for style here, not avant-garde, right? So without further ado, let’s explore a few more fashion myths my old man religiously sticks to…
1. “Red & Green Should Never Be Seen”
Ah yes, that old chestnut. Anyone with a casual knowledge of the colour wheel (mine’s saved in my smartphone) will know that these two colours, due to their placement, are contrasting. This means they are notoriously hard to combine. Especially when you consider how strong and eye-catching each colour is individually; both used at the same time in an outfit would be too much. But if you do get this pairing right, you will reap the rewards. The secret to pulling off red and green together is to make sure that you vary the hue of each colour as much as possible, ideally in different directions (one lighter, one darker). It also helps to introduce another neutral item in the mix to balance them and anchor the entire look. For example, why not combine a pair of burgundy chinos with a mint green polo shirt and a navy cardigan? Or perhaps try some olive chinos with a pink Oxford cloth button-down and grey lambswool jumper? Varying their hues creates enough contrast for the colours to be worn at the same time without them appearing too full-on to the people you pass on the street.
Lookbook Inspiration
Outfit Examples
- Asos Roll Neck Jumper
- Reiss Crest Colour Blocked Felted Wool Jumper Navy
- Topman Green And Navy Checked Skinny Suit Jacket
- He By Mango Check Wool-blend Peacoat
- Topman Houndstooth Jumper
- Valentino Camouflage-print Leather And Suede Sneakers
- Rolando Sturlini Leather Chelsea Boots
- Marc By Marc Jacobs Leather-trimmed Quilted Gilet
Final Word
So there you have it, a few more fashion myths dispelled and another year ahead of me hearing more stupid things from my dad’s and other people’s mouths. With that in mind, I want to hear your own fashion myths. Do you stick to fashion ‘rules’ or break them? Are there any pieces, trends or looks you’ve wanted to try but don’t know how to get started? Let me know in the comments section… Matt Allinson
