Most of us are in a well established, well loved rut. Grey, Navy, Brown. Repeat. And y’know, there’s nothing wrong with that. Those colors work in Men’s style for a reason. But if you’re feeling adventurous (or, bored to tears) you don’t need to wait until the warmer months to inject a little color into your wardrobe. Here are five shades to try now, in the depths of winter, to try and lift your look out of the dark and dreary doldrums.
Medium Blue: Not dark navy. Not baby blue. Somewhere in between.
- J. Crew Italian Cotton Blazer in Caspian Blue – $228
- Banana Republic Aiden Slim Pant – $79.50
- Banana Republic Emerson Vintage Straight Chino – $69.50
- Bonobos Unconstructed Patch Pocket Blazer – $118.80 FINAL w/ TOUCHDOWN ($398) (at top of post)
- UNIQLO Ultra Light Down Jacket – $79.90
Royal blue, medium blue, true blue… whatever you want to call it. Saturated or washed out a bit. Look, nothing wrong with navy. But between the foundation navy suit, blazer, and dark wash jeans, we get plenty of navy. But a baby blue belongs more in the warmer months, or, on your Dad’s tux in his prom/wedding photos. The nice thing about these shades of medium blue is that they go well, real well, with navy. So you can work it in without leaving some old favorites in your closet. Got that Italian Cotton sportcoat from J. Crew last summer? Don’t leave it stashed in your closet. Wear it now with jeans and an OCBD. Or, try wearing a medium blue v-neck under a navy suit.
Burgundy. Not bright red. Burgundy.
- Suitsupply Havana Fit Wool/Cashmere Blazer – $399
- Allen Edmonds McGregor Longwings – $247 ($349)
- Bonobos Moleskin Jeans – $64.80 FINAL w/ TOUCHDOWN ($138)
- TheTieBar Burgundy Wool Plaid pocket Square – $10.00
Perfect for this time of year. Bit of a call back to the colors of the leaves just as they fell. We’re so inundated with the stark colors of either snow, sticks, or mud, that a little bit of red can go a long way. Don’t go for the fire engine red stuff. Look for items that look halfway between chocolate brown and stop-sign red.
Forrest Green
- Bonobos Made in the USA French Corders – $34.80 FINAL w/ TOUCHDOWN ($128) (also at top of post)
- Lands’ End Tailored Fit Corduroy Sportcoat – $129.99 ($189.99)
- GAP Blackwatch Oxford Button Down – $24.99 ($49.95)
- UNIQLO Extra Fine Merino V-Neck Sweater – $39.90
- J. Crew Ludlow Velvet Shawl Collar in Forrest – $155.99 FINAL w/ GETSHOPPING ($328)
Forrest Green is to Winter as Nantucket Red is to Summer. Both stand out, appropriately, in relation to their surroundings. Summer is a loud season, while Winter is quieter and subtle. And that translates into forrest green being easier to wear than that bold red in the summertime. But it’s still just different enough. Too bad that J. Crew Shawl collar is all but sold out. Holidays are long gone though, so, maybe next year.
Deep Khaki/Caramel/Camel
- Ludlow Peak Lapel Topcoat in Wool/Cashmere – $450 (but it does go on sale)
- Stafford Camel Hair Sportcoat – $89.99 (check in store)
- J. Crew Factory Slim Merino Crew – $49.99
- Lands’ End Straight Fit Cord 5-Pockets – $39.99 ($59)
- J. Crew Cashmere Dot Scarf – $35 – $42 FINAL ($118)
This isn’t the washed out, sickly khaki color on Jim Harbaugh’s pants. This is something that can most accurately be described as “rich.” Something leaning closer to burnt sienna than a pale jaundiced canary (some of us might recognize the latter as our own skin tone).
Pale/Dove Grey
- Suitsupply Havana Fit Flannel Suit – $499 (review here)
- GAP 969 Straight Fit Broken Twill Jeans – $59.95
- Lands’ End Tailored Fit Pewter Prince of Wales Trousers – $79.99 ($99)
- TheTie Bar Wool Tie – $19.00
- Spier & Mackay Light Grey Suit – $315ish
- Banana Republic Grey Chambray Sportcoat – $198.00
They say you shouldn’t wear white after labor day. Two things: 1. There are no rules. Just guidelines, really. And, 2. pale grey isn’t white. Charcoal is all well and good, but why not wear some light grey trousers with a deep navy v-neck up top? Or light grey jeans with a dark grey sweater and black suede chukkas for a smart-casual monochrome look? Light grey sportcoats also do extremely well up against dark blue denim and brown shoes of all shades. Shades of grey fellas. There’s more than just charcoal.