A while ago I did a post on color basics. In it I outlined the three basic contrast types that men fall into and how to take advantage of your contrast type to look your best. If you haven’t read it I suggest you do so.

From there we can move on to a deeper understanding of color and how important it is in a man’s wardrobe.

The last thing you want to look like is Saul Goodman. The man’s clothing choices are as shady and criminal as his law practice and there’s nothing more associated with a sleezy businessman than wearing the wrong colors. Think about it, when you picture the used-car dealer or the snake oil salesman you probably have an image in your head of a poorly-fitting suit with colors that are too garish and loud.

The problem isn’t so much in the intensity or unusualness of the colors. That’s been addressed before and wearing go-to-hell clothing can certainly  make a man look better. The problem is in the color combination. So let’s go back to art class from elementary school and focus on colors and how they work with your wardrobe.

Remember the color wheel? Invented by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century, it has been used ever since as a way to show colors and their relationship to each other. We’re going to focus on a few key elements of the relationship between different colors and how they work together.

By adhering to the following rules of the color wheel you will get harmony in your colors and be able to pull off the most muted or the most garish outfit you can imagine. However, if you don’t follow these rules your colors will end up creating disorganization. Even if you have impeccable fit and are dressing to your body type in every other way, disorganized color will kill your look.

Complementary Colors

These are colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel. Because they are as far away as possible they create the most contrast and should be worn by men who have a stark contrast. While it may seem counterintuitive, this can still be done subtly so as to not look like the terrifying clown from your best friend’s 5th birthday party. For example, orange and blue are on opposite ends of the wheel. They complement by contrast and you could wear a solid blue shirt with an orange tie if you wanted some serious contrast. However, if you want to tone it down you could wear a blue shirt and a navy club tie with orange emblems. The contrast is still there but it’s diminished a bit by the overall amount of color you’re wearing. Think quality vs quantity.

Triad Colors

Triad colors are those that are equidistant from each other on the wheel. They work together in harmony while still providing some contrast and should be worn by stark and moderate-contrast men.

Both the primary and secondary colors are triads of each other and work together well.

The key to wearing triad colors is to do so in more subtle ways with outfits that require a lot of pieces. A pair of chinos with a t-shirt is going to be overwhelmed by having triads but wearing those same chinos with a patterned button-up, a sport coat, and a pocket square is going to provide more opportunities to wear triads without your appearance being overwhelming.

Analogous Colors

These are adjacent to each other on the color wheel and create the least amount of contrast. As a result, they should be the focus of men with a muted contrast to avoid being overwhelmed.

Analogous colors are also going to be the most appropriate in business and formal situations as they attract the least amount of attention. Note that this does not mean you can get away with wearing analogous colors when the dress code calls for black tie, rather you should follow the rules of formal wear.

A lot of men are intimidated by color when it comes to their clothing. The irony of this is that color is the most factual and logical aspect of dressing well. Fashions change, fits vary, what’s considered formal or casual has almost no basis in any longevity, but color is science. It’s as cold and logical as math and is an extremely calculated way for a man to dress better. The relationships between colors and contrast have existed forever and will continue to exist forever as they are independent of our interpretations of them. As a result, it’s worth the time it takes to learn about color and how it applies to you individually. You want it to be an afterthought when you’re getting dressed in the morning and the only way to do that is by making it a priority when you’re shopping for clothes. A little time and a little practice will give you the nonchalant appearance you’re shooting for.

PS. I’m having a holiday sale. You can get a Basic Consultation for only $15 and that $15 applies to new clients pursuing Event or Online Consultations as well.

Saw this picture the other day and it reminded me of a principle about pattern. What you see above is called a buffalo check or a buffalo plaid. Basically it’s a very large pattern. These are great and can work really well provided they are on the right man in the right situation.

Large patterns are more casual than smaller alternatives. They draw more attention by virtue of their size and also are the visual antithesis of the professionalism provided in solid fabrics. This does not mean large patterns are bad – quite the opposite in fact. The picture above is very casual  and it looks great. It would still look great as a High/Low option if he added a tweed blazer and a solid wool tie as it would allow the shirt to be the loudest piece and provide some good contrast with the man’s face. Large patterns are an excellent Low for your High/Low and are a good way to transition into dressing up a bit more.

The only downside to large patterns is they don’t work for smaller guys. If you find yourself on the small side of the average male you want to avoid large patterns as they will dwarf you. What looks good on a large or even an average-sized man will make you look either too young or too small. Note that small doesn’t mean either skinny or short but usually both. The model above is pretty skinny but his height allows him to wear the pattern well.

If you have the right build, I strongly suggest adding one or two shirts of a larger pattern to your rotation. It will help break up the visual rut it’s easy to fall into when you only wear solids and business-appropriate patterns.

PS. Today’s the last day for the sale I’m offering. It has the best offers I’ve had yet.

Equally good for your survival and street fighting needs.

PS. Today’s the last day for the sale I’m offering. It has the best offers I’ve had yet.

With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday all around the corner, I want to offer you a discount starting tomorrow and running through next Tuesday. I’ll be doing Basic Consultations at $15 along with two free Style Evaluations per order. On top of that, if you pull the trigger on an Event Consultation I’ll do an Online Consultation for a $500 budget for free. The event needs to be legitimate like a work party, buddy’s wedding, new year’s eve party, etc with a minimum budget of $300 to qualify for the add-on. Lastly, if you decide to do an Online Consultation for any price I’ll give you five free Style Evaluations at any time in the future.

On top of doing my own sale. There are plenty of companies with whom I have an affiliate relationship that are offering good discounts this upcoming week. Whether you’re planning on taking advantage of it for yourself or are looking to buy something for someone else, if you plan on ordering online from any of these companies, please show your appreciation for my site and the work I put into it by first accessing the store sites through the links provided below. The more help I can get, the more I can put into improving the design and content of the site along with my services. There are companies in the list below that are top quality and charge for it, and there are those that cost quite a bit less. I do my best to give a full spectrum with the understanding that all of us are trying to dress better, regardless of what our economic means are.

PS. Don’t forget that I’m doing my own sale this week. They’re the biggest deals I’ve offered and you can even buy them for someone else as a gift.