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What style/fashion rules do you adhere to? In what circumstances do you think it is acceptable to break them?
I'll start with the rule of not wearing navy blue and black together, although I have a navy jacket with black detailing which I think works nicely with black casual pants.
So, what should never be worn together, what should always be worn to certain events and what should just never be worn full stop? I want to hear people's rules and how they differ.
As I'm sitting here in navy chinos and a black quilted jacket, lets start with your suggestion ;)
It seems a bit of a strange colour distinction to make, you wouldn't object to wearing black with blue jeans? But is that because they're denim?
This brings us to the vital point I want to make, which is I think texture plays as much a role in fashion rules as colour.
As for ones I think it's acceptable to break, I've gained a bit of a reputation on here for championing brown shoes with black jeans/chinos. But then again, it heavily depends on texture, exact shade and the person's personal style.
Rules DO exist and they ARE important, but at the end of a day if an outfit "works" then it "works". That's something which we can't really explain, and highlights the difference between style and fashion.
To me, 'style' means you apply your own rules to define your take on fashion.
I strongly believe there are no rules, just 'formalities'. Of course you wouldn't wear a pair of trainers to a formal wedding, but other than that: do whatever you think is right.
Actually, I'm with the OP. Often, navy and black together are a no no for me. They just don't work well together. In the same way brown and black don't. Black tends to work best with other monochromatic shades or stabs of really bright colour.
I also don't buy the 'personal style' argument in the slightest. People validate terrible sartorial choices with this cliche. Two shades don't go together just because your personal style says it does. They go together because colour theory dictates it. I'm not suggesting in the slightest that you can't play around with the rules (but knowing the rules is the key to breaking them successfully) and there are instances where they seem to be able to be broken more successfully: blue denim and black, like suggested above, for example, but I think that has more to do with the universality of blue jeans as a base which seems to curiously override colour restriction.
I wouldn't say any of this is about rules though. It's just good taste based on tried and tested principles. Sure, go wild with colours and put any together you like regardless of colour theory. The chances are, you'll look worse than someone who knows what they are doing with colour.
A famous music engineer once said: "If it sounds right, it is right."Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay
I think the same goes for clothing.
There are some theories about what chords (colours) will and won't work together, but other than that you can do whatever you like. If you want to combine a guitar (Oxford shirt) with a violin (pinstripe scarf), go ahead. If it sounds (looks) right, it is right.
I left out the colour theory in my first reply, because i thought it would be obvious that those 'rules' do apply...
And it probably sounds right, and is right, because it abides by a huge majority of the rules of 'sound'. The same goes for clothing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim
Sure, you can combine a guitar and a viloin, but you can't play them both in any key you like or they'll likely sound horrible together.
My point is: within the general set of 'rules', we all make up our own set of 'rules' as to what we like and don't like. Some people may never wear chinos, simply because they don't like them. There's no rule that says you must wear chinos.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay
I would never want to get caught wearing bright green trousers with a yellow shirt and a red blazer, but it's not against any rules.