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Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here’s why. Huckberry Proof Performance Oxford – $61.98 ($89)About the Author: Stephen Knight is a photographer / videographer who founded itsaknightsstyle and Itsaknightslife. His mission is to tell the story of people through style, food, music, and dancing. Catch his stuff on Instagram and Youtube. With Spring time taking its full grip (kind of) in most areas, the time to be outside and active is upon us. Huckberry has created a fully functional performance oxford shirt that will move with you whether you are in the mountains, or in the city. The LookIf you weren’t careful, you could mistake this shirt for just a regular chambray shirt. There’s a little bit of shine that engulfs the shirt which comes from a stain-resistant finish to help repel any accidents you may have throughout the day. Because nothing is worse than rushing to work just to have your morning coffee spill and stain your shirt… and your day. The “Navy” color I was checking out wasn’t exactly the Navy I was expecting, but I still found the shirt to have a nice neutral tone to it that would be easy to match with khakis, jeans, and even olive pants. Overall it has a regular oxford shirt look, making it a classic piece. Fabric = 70% cotton, 27% polyester, 3% spandex, providing 4-way-stretch and a stain resistant finish. The FabricPutting on this shirt, I immediately noticed that this was a material that would be able to handle a ton of movement. The four way stretch design is made up of a blend of nylon and cotton, which means that this will be able to move the way you do yet feel comfortable doing it. I won’t lie… it wasn’t T-shirt soft, but that’s not what it’s meant for. The shirt is a little heavier than a normal oxford, but considering they advertise it as mid-weight, it didn’t come as a surprise to me. It feels plenty hefty too, like it can handle any activity you throw at it. Charcoal, “Navy,” and Slate. This variant comes in an “athletic fit,” which in my eyes just means a little slimmer than a regular fit, but by no means a slim fit. Putting this shirt on confirmed my thoughts almost exactly. The sides draped a little more off my body than I personally would like. But coming from a 165 lb. ectomorph, you could probably see why. There was plenty of room from all sides, although the sleeves were a little slimmer, which I found interesting. Personally, I would take in the shirt with a tailor, so it hugs my body a little more, but considering this shirt is designed to move in all directions, not sure if I would make it an objective recommendation. Size small, in navy, on 5’10” / 165. Final thoughtsIt seems like the trend with clothing is a combination of functionality with the ability to be worn in a variety of locations, including the office (depending on dress code). On sale for $62, this isn’t the cheapest oxford on the market. But considering the quality of materials and the ability to be a chameleon with use, this is still a shirt I would recommend be put in your rotation, IF you’re the type who likes the tech trend and is willing to pay for it. Maybe just take in the sides a little. In Review: The PROOF Performance Oxford published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr In Review: The PROOF Performance Oxford Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here’s why. Old Navy Spring 2019 – 30% off w/ HURRY (exp 4/29)About the Author: Ryan N. is a professional web developer for (and alum from) the University of Delaware, who keeps a close shave as to not be confused with his strongly-bearded twin brother. He plays guitar and drums, loves going to concerts with his wife, and loves being a dad. Ryan is 5’9”, 155, and wearing a size small in shirts/jackets, while the pants are 31×30 or 30×30 and specified in the description. When it comes to Old Navy, the brand has reportedly been doing so well that it’s separating from its BR/Gap siblings and flying solo. But does that translate to a significantly better product? There’s some hits and misses here in this sampling of their new Spring lineup, but unfortunately, the misses range from double-doink to some real butt-fumbles. Let’s start with some of the good. Soft-Washed Jersey Henley – $7.69 – $9.09 ($14.99)Much like the Goodfellow roundup, not too much to say here. Feels great to the touch, soft, fits nicely. I’m particular about my plackets, though, and this one seems to lay a bit.. squarish? Could very well be a quick wash away from laying more round (the website looks as such). Striped Soft-Washed Crew-Neck Tee for Men – $10.49 ($14.99)Soft as the henley, and fits awesome. Arms aren’t roomy like a lot of department store crewnecks tend to be, and there’s even a nice little shadow stripe to this for some visual interest. 100% cotton here. Gray Built-In Flex Denim Jacket for Men – $24.47 ($59.99)I’ve been so smitten by my trusty AE 360 Extreme Flex denim jacket over the past few years that I haven’t even so much as tried another stretchy one, but I like this in both shade and feel. It has some flex in the body and arms, but not in the cuffs, which is a bummer. It’s also plagued by the strange Old Navy cut of slim arms and a roomy torso (more on that later, unfortunately). If you like a more standard fit, this may be right up your alley. Slim fit fans will probably need to size down. Currently on sale and sizes are getting short, so, might want to check in store for this one if it’s something you’re after. Slim-Fit Built-In Flex Printed Everyday Shirt – $18.89 ($26.99)Solid fit and feel all around. A bit roomy in the chest but that’s just fine in a breezy, summery shirt. Arms are slim enough and the fabric feels cool to the touch and very lightweight. An odd note: the website photos show your run-of-the-mill plasticky white buttons, yet my shirt sports some sharp-looking faux-horn buttons! Not sure if they come standard, but the horn buttons are a super-nice touch that really ups the summer appeal. Slim-Fit Built-In Flex Everyday Oxford Shirt – $24.49 ($34.99)SO CLOSE. Another for the woulda-coulda-shoulda pile. When I first slipped this on, the sleeves felt GREAT. I mean, the arms are some of the best-fitting I’ve felt on a mass-produced OCBD. The fabric feels thick without being suffocating, but if you’re looking for a slim torso.. what happened? I am literally grabbing 4”+ of fabric to size down the torso in the “slim” photo above! ON’s sizing chart notes that a Small will fit a 39-41” chest. Since when is that a slim fit, especially on a shirt that “flexes”? Compare that to the recent Goodfellow OCBD, which is cut for 36-38” in Small. Sure, you could tailor it, but why? Size down here, but the arms may get tight. SIGH: Built-In Flex Blazer for Men – $55.99 ($79.99)This started out so promising, but all the weirdness of Old Navy found its way into one blazer. Sleeves fit great, and it is completely unlined and lightweight.. but that’s about it in terms of what’s to like here for this reviewer. Functional, hard-to-tailor sleeve buttons? Check. RIDICULOUS armholes that make the whole jacket move around?? Check and check. I couldn’t even raise my arms above my shoulders without the bottom of the jacket reaching my waist. For a claim to “flex,” this thing don’t move where it needs to move. If you’re going to be standing completely still, sure, it drapes okay. But for the rest of us, just move along. Nothing to see here. Slim Built-In Flex Textured Ultimate Pants – $31.49 ($44.99)These perfectly match the fabric of the blazer already mentioned, so you could make yourself a nice little un-suit pairing. But you’re gonna want to just stick with the pants due to the jacket’s armholes. Lightweight but sturdy fabric, and a flattering cut with a nice break right at the ankle. Order a size or two up, though – the 30×30 looked spraypainted on! One the left is a 31×30. One the right you’ll find me “applying” the 30×30. They were tight. Quite tight. BEST IN SHOW: Slim Built-In Tough All-Temp Ecru-Wash Jeans – $34.99 ($49.99)Oh baby. Now these? These actually fit great in a 30×30. If there’s one thing Old Navy has been nailing recently, it’s their pants. I don’t even know what to make of this – a “tough” off-white jean? Probably not doing yardwork or climbing mountains in these, but they claim they’re 2x more tear-resistant than regular denim, which is pretty cool. These are one sharp pair of pants. All-Temp means these are great for summer, a lightweight almost-twill type of denim, yet with that aforementioned toughness. “Ecru” wash seems to be a fancy word for “unbleached,” so these aren’t going to be get-out-your-sunglasses white, thankfully. Have I mentioned I like these? Got a recent warm weather favorite from Old Navy? Do you think they deserve more coverage, or, are you still a bit skeptical despite their recent business success? Send those tips into [email protected] In Review: Old Navy Spring Roundup 2019 published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr In Review: Old Navy Spring Roundup 2019 In the warmer months of the year, it’s only natural to try to cut down on the number of layers you’ll be wearing each day. After all, with fewer garments on your body, you’ll generally stay cooler. Even so, different situations call for different dress codes. A day at the beach may be well suited by shorts and a simple shirt but a summer business meeting at the office is still going to require something more formal and even within these general frameworks, dressing up a little bit more than others is still something that can be done. As an example, wearing a polo shirt, dressier shorts, and boat shoes to a barbecue will look infinitely more stylish than simply wearing a t-shirt, cargo shorts, and sandals. Can One Effectively Pair A T-shirt With A Jacket?
Our answer, in a nutshell, is that we wouldn’t exactly recommend it. There are a host of other more stylish options out there. Still, if you are really dying to pair these two garments together, there are ways to do it that are better than others. On that note then, let’s try to tackle the reasoning behind why someone would conceivably want to pair these two articles of clothing together:
Reasons Not To Attempt Wearing A T-Shirt With A JacketThey’re At Greatly Different Levels Of FormalityWhen any garments of greatly different levels of formality are paired together, the overall formality of the outfit skews downward, not upward. In other words, pairing a t-shirt with a jacket doesn’t dress up the t-shirt, it only dresses down the jacket. It Will Make You Look DatedThe height of the trend of wearing t-shirts and jackets together came in the 1980s as perhaps best exemplified by the TV show, Miami Vice. Not only were t-shirts worn with jackets and even full suits but the cut and colors were baggy and bright, respectively. If you do try wearing a t-shirt with a jacket today even if the fit is more trim and the colors are more muted, most people’s first associations are still going to be with the 80s and you’ll have the general effect of looking like a throwback. You might be wondering how is this any different from the Gentleman’s Gazette’s frequent praise of early 20th century fashions? Well, the simple answer right now is that the 1980s are just dated enough that most of their fashions aren’t in style anymore but still, just current enough that some of those trends are hanging on. In other words, it’s kind of an uncanny valley in terms of time right now and being caught in the middle, wearing some of these distinctly 80s fashions is just going to make you look dated instead of like someone who’s celebrating these stylistic choices of an earlier era. There Are Endless AlternativesFinally, there are simply a great number of more stylish alternatives at your disposal than pairing a t-shirt and a jacket together. How To Pull Off The T-Shirt With Jacket ComboChoose Crew Neck Over V-NeckThe crew neck is a little bit more modest and will tamp down some of those 80s vibes. In terms of fit, the t-shirt shouldn’t be too baggy or too tight. If the t-shirt is baggy, you’re just going to look sloppy and not very well put together and if the t-shirt is too tight, you’re just going to look like you have something to prove or you’re trying to show off your physique. Stay Away From Flashy Colors & PatternsThis should go without saying but absolutely no graphic tees, period. Solid and muted colors or perhaps a subtle pattern such as a Breton stripe will help to formalize the t-shirt just a little bit and bring it slightly more in line with the formality of the jacket. If you do still want to incorporate some color and pattern into your outfit, you can do so using your jacket within reason or better yet using a smaller accessory like a pocket square. Choose Your Jacket WiselyIn terms of jacket styles, it’s best to go with a summer weight odd sport coat or blazer rather than a suit jacket. As we mentioned above, a suit jacket and a t-shirt are so wildly different in levels of formality that they’ll basically be actively fighting with each other if you try to wear them together. Opt For Odd trousersCotton chinos or slacks in a neutral color and preferably without a pattern will casualize and ground the outfit at the same time. Wearing a t-shirt under a matching suit jacket and trousers is a one-way ticket to 80sVille. Tuck In Your T-ShirtAn additional style tip for wearing a t-shirt under a jacket, make sure that the t-shirt is tucked in; if it’s untucked, things are just going to look that much more discordant in terms of formality and they really won’t work. Recommended Stylish AlternativesOpen Collar Dress ShirtsFirstly, just wearing a standard dress shirt with an open collar under your jacket should still keep you cooler than if you were wearing a tie and it will look better as the dress shirt and jacket are closer in terms of overall formality. Go For A PoloShort sleeved dress shirts under jackets or even on their own can look a bit dorky so they’re best avoided. Not only should a polo worn under a jacket keep you cooler but also because it’s well within the realm of smart casual and therefore, closer to something like a summer weight sport coat or blazer, you can feel free to experiment to a greater degree with the colors or subtle patterns of your polo so long as they harmonize with those of your jacket. Just make sure that everything is working in harmony and of course, be sure also that your polo is tucked in. As a bonus tip here, long-sleeved polos in darker jewel tones can work well under jackets in the cooler months of the year as well. Whether short-sleeved or long-sleeved, there is one potential pitfall of pairing a polo with a jacket and that’s the polo shirt’s more unstructured collar. In order to make sure things are looking good, give a check every once in a while just to see that things aren’t bunched up underneath your jacket’s collar. If you do this, wearing a polo with a jacket should be a look that you can pull off well and it will come off casually overall. Henley ShirtsA happy middle ground between a standard t-shirt and a polo would be the Henley shirt. It isn’t quite as easy to pair with a jacket as a polo would be but it’s slightly easier than a standard t-shirt. Follow the guidelines we gave for pairing t-shirts and jackets together with your Henleys and you should end up looking good. CONCLUSIONSo there are our opinions on wearing t-shirts with jackets. Skip it for full suits as the difference in formality between the garments is simply going to be too great. If you want to wear a t-shirt with an odd jacket and trousers, you can do so slightly more easily and one additional note here, if keeping cool is your main aim, then look into getting jackets without an interlining in them and in lightweight summer fabrics. What are your own personal opinions on pairing t-shirts with jackets? We’ll be glad to hear your thoughts!Should You Wear a Jacket with a T-shirt? published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr Should You Wear a Jacket with a T-shirt? Monday Mens Sales Tripod Spier Suits for $296 Extra 25% off Brooks Brothers Clearance & More4/29/2019 Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here’s why. The Thursday Handfuls are great, but what if Monday (or Tuesday) rolls around and there are a few sales that can’t wait til the weekend? You’ll find three of the best, with a few picks from each, to start the week below. #1. Spier & Mackay: 15% off Suits w/ SUITS15
Basically a steal alert. The best value in menswear just got even more affordable. Remember, these are half-canvas, well constructed suits with easy to tailor non functioning sleeve cuff buttons. Available in two fits too, either a slim or a more athletic contemporary. First suit or sportcoat purchase ships and returns for free. After that, you’re on the hook for returns. Head here for a review of their slim fit. Contemporary fit review can be found here. Code expires Sunday 5/5. #2. Suitsupply: Black Tie Tuxedo Package is back – $799 ($1042)
Suitsupply’s Black Tie package is back, and just in time for wedding season. You pick a tux (either a wool navy shawl collar, wool black peak lapel, or a combination of summer linen/cotton blend options), shirt style, bow tie, shoes, and at checkout it all comes to just under $800. Now, that’s no small amount of money, but it ships and returns for free, it’s nice quality stuff, and it’s gonna save you a ton of time and cash running around trying to assemble the outfit by each individual piece, from scratch. One weirdness? There’s a strange continuity error with the navy tux. It shows some fat lapel option before you start configuring, and once you do get in there and pick your size, they show the more modern, slim lapel as shown above. Also, the black wool peak option is behind the “Mix and Match Black Tie” digital door, which to me implied that only the summer options were back there. But no, the black wool peak is back there too. #3. Brooks Brothers: Extra 25% off Clearance Items (exp. 5/1)
Probably could have devoted an entire post to this sale. Couple of knit sportcoat options up there, but some standard wool hopsacks as well. And someone, somewhere, dug up some old Allen Edmonds for Brooks Brothers Warwick single monks? Now down to $200. Brilliant. BONUS Massdrop: RE Aviators – $99 FINAL ($219) | Knockaround Sunglasses – $15 FINAL ($25) | Shoe Shine Kit – $55 FINAL ($80)Well that’s quite the trio from the internet’s “final sale because it’s all pre-sale” emporium. Glad to see that Knockaround changed their logo. The old script one was… odd. Sidenote: No experience with this shoeshine valet. So, tread carefully here. Also worth a mention…
Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Spier Suits for $296, Extra 25% off Brooks Brothers Clearance, & More published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Spier Suits for $296, Extra 25% off Brooks Brothers Clearance, & More When you first start spending good money on tailoring, it’s hard to buy the sensible things. I certainly didn’t. My first bespoke suit was from Graham Browne in London, and was a double-breasted in dusty-blue wool (below). It was lovely, but didn’t get a lot of wear. My first Savile Row suit, from Anderson & Sheppard, was a three-piece Prince of Wales. It was what I’d always wanted: a PoW check, from one of the best tailors in the world, with a waistcoat and everything. But again, it didn’t get much wear. I was buying things that were exciting, rather than useful. Or perhaps, I was failing to match the situation of working in a professional office every day, with the situation of being in a fancy Savile Row tailor. Suits are expensive, and bespoke ones even more so. For what they are they remain great value for money, but there’s little point if it’s something you rarely use. This, then, is what I should have bought, and likely what you should too – if you work in a professional office where suits are regularly worn. I’ve listed them in descending order of priority, so the first suit should probably be your first. None of this is hard and fast of course, but like everything in menswear there are rationalisations behind every choice. So consider them before making your decision. [This post, by the way, is part of a broader series on capsule collections, visible here.] 1 Navy single-breasted Navy is the most universal and versatile colour of suit. It is smart, professional, and can be worn with both a tie, white shirt and black shoes for a meeting or evening event, and a rollneck and suede shoes for something more casual. The suit should be single breasted, have a notch lapel, two or three buttons on the front, and nothing else gimmicky like coloured buttonholes or flashy lining. It should be made from a worsted wool (the material most suits are made from), weighing between 9oz and 13oz depending on your preference and local weather, and probably have no pattern. At the most, the pattern should amount to little more than texture: a herringbone, pick-and-pick or birdseye, for example. It sounds boring, but the prime pleasure in a business suit is not the colour or design – it is the fit and the cut. The accessories allow you to make it unusual or just elegant. [For more on picking the style aspects of a suit, read ‘The Guide to Suit Style‘] 2 Grey single-breasted A grey suit is almost as versatile as navy. From a business point of view, there is little difference. Navy’s biggest advantage is that ability to look smarter at a particularly formal event. Grey should certainly be your second choice, though, and mid-grey is a little more interesting than charcoal. Mid-grey is also kinder to some skin colours than navy, and is easier to pair with bright colours. Such colours often look cheap against navy. One final advantage is that a mid-grey suit can be nice for a wedding. Wear it with a white shirt, grey or silver tie with a subtle pattern, and a white handkerchief. Few things are such a waste as buying your first good suit for your wedding, and then never wearing it again. [For an example of that wedding suit, read here] 3 Charcoal single-breasted For business, the next colour to consider is probably charcoal. It isn’t as versatile as the others, particularly because it rarely works with brown shoes, only black. But it is very elegant, especially with a little of that textural pattern going on, like a herringbone. In every other respect, this suit should be the same as the navy and the grey. Resist the urge to add a waistcoat unless you know you regularly wear them. At the most, add small style details like a peaked lapel or slanted pocket. 4 Experiment with subtle pattern or texture You’ve now set the foundations for a solid working wardrobe. The next place to experiment, if you want to, is with a different material or some bolder pattern. The easiest is to vary the material, and make it more specific to a time of year. Flannel, for example, is particularly popular with readers who are new to tailoring. It hits the sweet spot between unusual and subtle. Another material to look at is a high-twist wools that is more suited to the summer – perhaps a Fresco, Crispaire, or 2-Ply from Drapers/Vitale Barberis Canonico. Or stay with the worsted, but go for a pinstripe, chalkstripe or check. The first two can seem a little anachronistic these days, but pinstripes are usually quite understated. The risk with checks is being too flashy – always err towards small and faint. Finally, depending on your office, you might be better served by having a jacket at this point, rather than a suit. Such as a classic navy blazer or something in a pale cashmere like oatmeal. But we’ll deal with jackets in a separate capsule post. [Read the guide to flannel as a material, here] 5 Get another safe one In some ways, this is the hardest choice. You already have four great suits. Surely now is the time to run wild? Unfortunately not. A great business wardrobe would have at least one suit for each day of the week – to allow each to rest and shed its wrinkles each day, and to extend the life of all of them. And you’re unlikely to be able to, or want to, wear a really unusual suit once a week. That includes a double-breasted suit – which is a shame. ‘Unusual’ is defined by other people, not by us: by what they wear, and therefore how much we stand out. And a DB is now rather rare. So the sensible choice is to double down. Get another navy suit, just with a different texture (NOT a different, bright blue – there’s nothing professional about that colour). Or go for grey or charcoal, if you’ve found you wear them more. (Also, don’t buy any of these suits together – add one at a time, so the impact of any mistakes is minimised.) The further experiments, if there are any, should be reserved for maybe suits 7 or 8. If you can afford it, that’s when to try a DB, a cotton suit or a corduroy suit. It’s no coincidence that this is called building a wardrobe. You need to set good foundations. If you only had five suits: A capsule collection published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr If you only had five suits: A capsule collection Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here’s why. Costco ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Briefs 3 Pack – $25Mrs. Dappered and I have a Costco membership. I just never go with her. Because I just… can’t. It’s not that I’m better than Costco-goers. It’s that I’m worse. Oh I’ll reap the rewards of her going (at least I carry the heavy stuff in from the car), but I just can’t do it. It puts me in an existential crisis, because I still have the ego for that sort of self-indulgent foolishness. Just the sheer immensity of it all. You might see a five gallon bucket of pickles… but for me, staring at that warhead of kosher dills is like looking up at a sky full of stars. It’s hard not to be awash in a brine of insignificance. That you’re this irrelevant, untalented, ape shaped pile of stardust, not even a spec of cosmic dandruff, caught between the cognitive dissonance of wanting to think there might be a greater purpose, while equally desiring to accept that this was all just one big accident, and therefor, you best get along with getting a kick out of your measly, quickly deteriorating existence. Costco, this paragon of supply chain efficiency, is the kind of thing that would have melted Boris Yeltsin’s medulla oblongata. And it makes me feel like an enormous, tiny, loser. Anyway, they have Ex-Officio boxer briefs on mega sale. Three for $25 if you have a membership. They usually run $15 – $20 on Amazon for just one. That’s all, carry on. I love you. Steal Alert: ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief 3 Pack for $25 at Costco published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr Steal Alert: ExOfficio Give-N-Go Boxer Brief 3 Pack for $25 at Costco Most outfits I put together contain at least one neutral, usually a white shirt, for example but combining only neutrals in one outfit can sometimes be a bit more challenging because you donât want areas that all look the same. You want to provide enough contrast yet still keep that tonal range very limited. Neutrals are very popular because theyâre very easy to combine with other colors such as red, navy, or black yet when just combined on their own, itâs a little more tricky. Youâve probably seen many celebrities pulling off monochromatic looks and that means a look containing all the same color. I always think of Christian Bale at the Oscarsand he always looks bad. The Dapper Way To Wear Neutrals
Why Should We Wear All Neutrals?
The good thing is chances are you already own a bunch of neutrals because theyâre just a staple of every manâs wardrobe. You probably have thosekhakis, white or off-white shirts, and solid brown shoes in your wardrobe. These colors are classy because they never go out of style and theyâre also not bright and bold but rather mellow. Now that being said, you can still make a statement out of it. Wearing this gray jacket with an off-white or ivory pair of pants combines two neutral colors yet it really stands out and pops. (Refer to photo below) âNeutralsâ Defined
It is a color that works well with other colors that are stronger and contrasting yet it doesnât really draw the attention to itself. They help tone down other colors and make them stand out and theyâre basically grouped in two:
Sometimes, you also find people who expand that look a little bit and include tones of navy and blue, as well as olive green, however, strictly speaking, theyâre not neutrals. That being said, they pair quite well with neutrals. On the other hand, just think of denim for a moment, it has become so prevalent and the blue is so standardized that I think it can definitely be called a neutral color. How To Wear Neutrals Together
First of all, start with something that is close to your skin tone. Once youâve chosen the right colors, you simply combine them. The goal is to have a certain amount of contrast between your items, otherwise, it just all blends in together, itâs too monochromatic and boring. For example in this outfit, Iâm pairing a tan turtleneck sweater with a dark brown and ivory houndstooth suit. Now apart from the color, you can also see thereâs a difference in texture. The suit is a slight flannel but the knit of the sweater is a lot more hairy and it has a pretty much uniform color but a fuzzy finish when you touch it, that helps to provide the right amount of contrast. The pocket square, on the other hand, picks up the ivory of the houndstooth and combines it with brown of the sweater using a different pattern once again. You can see, I have this solid neutral for my sweater, I have the houndstooth which is a small pattern paired by with a bigger pattern which is the Paisley. Thatâs how you want to combine a neutral; youâll have different canvasses, you have patterns, and you have them in different sizes. That way, itâs visually interesting yet the color palette is so neutral that itâs all very harmonious. Whenever neutrals are too close in color, everything looks washed out. For example, if I wore this jacket with a gray turtleneck sweater, it would simply look boring. At the same time, if I wear the same turtleneck sweater with letâs say a charcoal flannel, you can see thereâs a certain amount of contrast yet it looks very sophisticated. Now, the further you move away from your face, the easier it gets to play with other neutrals simply because your face has that skin tone right next to it and itâs more clashing than if you have different pair of shoes or a pair of pants, for example. So with this ensemble, I opted for a brown pair of suede boots. Again, they have a different texture that is matte and works with the overall softer and fuzzy textures in this outfit. They are also contrasting enough, they are in the brown family yet theyâre not quite the exact shade of brown as my sweater. Could I have worn the exact same brown? Absolutely, but sometimes itâs hard to coordinate the color of your shoe exactly to your sweater or your shirt. On the other hand, if I would have worn a gray pair of boots, everything would have looked more washed out and it would not have been as good as this pair of brown boots. If you donât want to wear a sweater, a great way to implement a neutral is to have a waistcoat in a buff color or kind of a tan color. If you combine it with a white or off-white shirt and a tie in a brown grenadine, itâs very easy to create a harmonious outfit that is warm, that works through the colder months of the year but it is not boring. In my opinion, one of the most underrated neutral colors is ivory for pants simply because it makes a bolder statement and admittedly, it stains more easily but as a gentleman of taste, wearing it with a brown sportcoat whether itâs something like this houndstooth jacket or something more of a medium tobacco brown herringbone or even a kind of charcoal brown, it always works. You can even wear it with a navy blazer or you can wear it with a charcoal flannel jacket, it always works, it always provides a lot of contrast, and it looks particularly handsome. If you feel like youâre all neutral outfit needs a pop of something special but you donât want to add a really strong color such as red, green, or yellow, I suggest you simply opt for a boutonniere. My favorite is the Edelweiss because itâs off-white, it is subtly textured like a velvet on top so itâs very soft but itâs a perfect neutral accessory that makes you stand out from the crowd because likely, no one else in the room is going to wear it. Now when it comes to neutrals, you can also wear them in the summer. You can have a kind of gray polo shirt with a darker gray pair of shorts and some blacks sneakers, for example, if thatâs your style. Alternatively, you can have summer pants such as seersucker, pair them with a pair of light brown or tan shoes and a polo shirt in brown, for example. How do you combine your neutrals? Share your outfit ideas in the comments section below!How to Wear & Pair Neutrals published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr How to Wear & Pair Neutrals Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Here’s why. It’s Friday. Looking for something to switch up your weekend, or to give you an excuse to relax a little? That’s what the Weekend Reset is for. Each week contributor Tim Johnstone pulls together five things to get your weekend started. Could be something to read or watch, something to eat or listen to, or even something to do. Enjoy the weekend fellas. Take one look at the music charts right now and you notice something immediately: the ladies are leading the way. And a great many of them are now empowered to make their own decisions and choices about their music. This wasn’t always the case. With so much happening at the moment, I’m sharing words, stories and magic via this week’s reset. And I’ve built a playlist (below) that pays tribute to many of the women who proceeded them and made it possible for the exciting generation of artists we have today. LISTEN: A playlist of important/iconic women in music of the rock era. SHUFFLE ON FOR THIS ONE! It seems that everywhere I look right now, I’m seeing powerful female artists making statements via their music. It got me thinking of the women who have helped provide the path to what we are experiencing today. To be specific, this is a playlist highlighting the work of women who influenced music you are hearing in the last decade or so. So, most of these artists are from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. My guess is you have already discovered some great female artists of the past 20 years that have influenced you as a person. It’s my hope you make some connections here and find inspiration as well. BEHOLD!: All Hail Queen BeyElectrifying. And then some. READ: Punk Rock’s OG Poet Laureate.Just Kids is a National Book Award winning memoir from Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Patti Smith. In it she chronicles her relationship with photographer Robert Maplethorpe and their time together in New York City during the late 60’s and early 70’s. This was an exceptional time for music and art in a city that was completely different from the Big Apple of today. Patti was an integral part of the group of musicians at the heart of NYC’s punk scene. These were people living for their art, and in some instances, dying in its pursuit. Riveting stuff. GROOVE: The world is ready for Lizzo You guys have had a couple introductions to Lizzo via the monthly playlist. I became a fan after catching one of her shows a few years ago. It was the most fun I’d had in a long time. Lizzo has spent the last few years touring and collecting a fanbase that has exploded of late. All of this is good. Which is why it made my week when Joe forwarded this my way. This piece in GQ highlights her story and her personality and all the things that I respect about her. In my mind, Lizzo is fueling this bit of pop-culture history. WATCH: When your bad reputation is pretty fantastic. Joan Jett . She was a dream come true for teen boys when she first arrived on the scene, which is to say, when MTV began airing her videos. Leather jackets, power chords, and super-catchy choruses were her stock in trade. What I hadn’t been hip to back then were the years of abuse and crap she put up with from her first band The Runaways. This is a revealing look at Jett’s past with some pretty amazing footage from LA in the 70’s. What a lifetime’s worth of stories. Tim Johnstone is Dappered’s music correspondent as well as our resident gatherer of all things interwebs related. He’s pretty sure about some of the things most of the time, but totally clueless about everything else all the time. But this? This he knows he likes. The Weekend Reset: It’s Ladies night. All weekend long. published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr The Weekend Reset: It’s Ladies night. All weekend long. Men need a core casual wardrobe published first on https://medium.com/@CostumeCorner via Tumblr Men need a core casual wardrobe |
FashionPassion
I lived my life in Europe and now a global citizen in fashion. I have attended the American University in Texas and hold master degree in Media & Communications. I have also spent 4 years of formal training in clothing and fashion. I love travelling around the world and being in different artistic environments has helped me discover more and more about my passions which is fashion. Personal Links |