Cover credit: F/W 2019 lookbook Massimo Alba
I am more of an advocate of clothes in simple colors, but always in beautiful shades and beautiful materials.
So I mainly think of blue, gray, white, green, beige and brown.
It seems important to me to master these colors well, to understand their nuances well, to know how to assemble them well.
But of course, there's more to clothing than just basic colors.
So I want to present to you here a list of stronger colors, which are a little underrated and which are not that difficult to wear.
We will see several types of strong colors:
- Those that don't come to mind spontaneously. We start in particular with a range of colors that are a little flashy, showy.
- Certain shades that are stylistically interesting but little used by the brands that I want to highlight, so that you know how to spot them when you see them
- A priori basic colors like ecru... but on clothes where you don't expect them (for example, ecru derbies).
1. Saffron yellow / mustard / ocher
Source: chromaticstore.com
It's the first color (or type of color, rather) that comes to mind.
We are therefore talking here about a chromatic range between yellow and orange , more visually punchy than a beige or even a camel.
I understood their interest since I bought a saffron yellow NN07 sweater last season, which allowed me to upgrade my fall/winter outfits:
The actual color of this sweater is less vibrant, a little more yellowed.
These colors are very well used by brands on tops: t-shirts, shirts, overshirts, sweaters.
on a color block .
I find that the colors complement each other very well on this Mr.P shirt, with a little ecru to balance everything out
On other types of clothing, why not:
- Yes for Van's or New Balance type sneakers, although I haven't seen many in these tones
- On a more eye-catching outdoor piece like a jacket or coat, you have to assume it but it can be very nice: I'm thinking of a yellow raincoat for example. Suitsupply likes to work with these kinds of colors... on this boiled wool coat , for example.
- On pants, I wouldn't necessarily wear it but it can be quite fun:
A pair of eye-catching corduroy pants from President's . The color is beautiful.
I find that this color goes better with Bermuda shorts, which visually take up less space. Ecru henley and brown suede loafers are well chosen here. Anderson & Sheppard .
Here are some tips for wearing these orange-yellow tones:
- They come together very easily with blue, white/ecru and gray. It is therefore easy to calm down an outfit comprising a colorful top with pants in a more neutral color (which could be a shade of white).
- With a little more skill, they can go with green, beige and different shades of brown.
- Nicolò addressed the case of yellow by giving his advice in point 2 of his Sape M'en Cinq on colors .
2. Eggplant / wine lees
This is a color that Jordan champions, and I tend to agree with him.
We are talking here about dark burgundy type colors which can tend towards purple and/or brown.
What I find interesting with this color environment is that it is both:
- Dark so not very intimidating
- Rare therefore differentiating: it changes from dark blue, dark gray, dark brown or black
I find the color of this Morjas derby very interesting, with brown, red and purple.
It's a color that I instinctively see on bottoms, so on shoes, socks or pants.
I find the color very right here: neither too red nor too purple. Mazarin by Mes Chaussettes Rouges . Look to Archiduchess for a more affordable option.
But when you think about it, such a color on a tall piece, instead of blue or brown, can be very good too:
Norse Projects Hoodie, darker than a classic burgundy.
For a change from camel or brown... why not a deep burgundy with purplish hues for this Craftsman Clothing suede leather safari jacket?
Here are my tips for making this color your own:
- The darker the color, the easier it is to wear , because it is discreet.
- If the color tends towards purple, it's a little more difficult to wear.
- The eggplant color is friendly with dark brown, blue, gray, white/ecru. Well chosen, combined with a green, it can make sparks.
3. White or ecru… where you don’t expect them
Credit: Verivede
White is a basic color in men's wardrobe, but only on certain items of clothing: t-shirts, shirts or sneakers.
On other clothes, on the contrary, it is less intuitive: I first think of the white pants, which we appreciate at BonneGueule.
It is worn by our models in many outfits, many styles.
But I also think of jackets or jackets:
An ecru corduroy Harrington jacket. I really like. Amfeast International .
In the costume:
Alessandro Squarzi wears this cream-colored 3-piece suit very well, which is a departure from white and even off-white.
Remember, I tested an ecru noragi :
Jordan even talked about white derbies in his 2019 desires and 2020 obsessions
Did you say “ bold ”? GH Bass model.
Here are two tips I can give you:
- Opt instead for ecru, cream tones, off-white, softer to the eye and easier to combine than optical white
- Even on a garment where it is not expected, white/ecru remains a simple color to wear , which will go with all the others in your wardrobe
. On the other hand, we must accept it. But you can do it, I know it.
4. Brown… where you don’t expect it
For quite a long time, I only saw the relevance of brown on leather (shoes, bags, gloves) and much less on clothing.
I think it's mainly due to the fact that I mostly saw clothes in dull brown tones, in not very happy materials.
Over time, my tastes have refined and above all, I came across beautiful brown clothes.
It's a color that really makes sense on pieces in rustic materials, in a country or workwear universe.
You saw it coming: tweed for fall/winter. Walker Slater suit.
I'm a big fan of this hunting-inspired Tonton&Fils vest.
And in more casual looks? Brown also has its place. Just look how Steve Calder wears it, in a softer shade of brown:
Here are two other pieces in this register:
A pretty brown corduroy shirt NN07.
I really liked the color of our taupe chinos : here they are a softened, grayish brown.
Here are some additional tips:
- Brown fits very naturally with blue and green . White/ecru and gray too. There is something to be done with brown and burgundy.
- You will find brown more easily on winter materials and with character (tweed and velvet in particular). Building an outfit while staying within this register will work every time (brogues, workwear jacket, denim shirt or pants, etc.).
- Go for the taupe color if the more pronounced brown intimidates you a little.
5. Pastel colors
So I'm thinking pink, blue, green and pastel yellow.
It’s a world of colors that we find a lot in the spring/summer collections.
Here is my opinion.
I find it very good on tops (t-shirts, shirts, sweaters). I came across one or two pairs of sneakers in these tones which inspired me quite a bit.
A pale yellow button-down collared oxford shirt. We say, we say? We say yes! Gitman Vintage
Sperry canvas sneakers, pale pink. The color is quite soft.
On the other hand, I am not a big fan of pastel pants , although I know that they are appreciated by a certain number of men.
I have the feeling that it is worn a bit by default, " because in summer we wear pastel pants " and not enough with a real strong desire for style.
I can't get used to it. I prefer nice bleach jeans or ecru pants (chinos, joggers, jeans). Chino Modissimo
I see two ways to wear pastel:
- Or contrast with darker colors, for example pastel t-shirt with green or medium/dark blue joggers
- Or continue with lighter colors, typically a pastel top with bleach jeans.
Want to know more about colors?
