Fall Fashion Color for Men: Wearing Black
‘Strong’ colors are a very common theme in fall fashion collections. Now that the fun and vibrant hues of summer have faded, it’s time for a bolder palette to step into style. A lot of men, however, have trouble when wearing black – especially if more than one black garment is involved. Wearing black on black (on black, even) need not make you look like a Twilight refugee, so long as you observe a few rules on using the color.
Mix Up Your Shades
One thing you should learn is that not all shades of black are the same. On the contrary, it’s actually quite difficult to find two different garments in the exact same black shade. One might be a little brownish while the other could have a purplish cast, and so on. The hue of black differs from one fabric to the next since different textiles often times show the same black dye quite differently.
If you’re wearing separates (meaning you didn’t buy the pieces as a set), you’ll have an easier time mixing different shades of black instead of trying to exactly match all of them. Going with, say, dark gray pants, a salt-and-pepper necktie and a black shirt saves you the trouble of negotiating the shade and cast of each and every item. Mixing up shades also creates a livelier, more interesting outfit in the end.
Even when you’re playing with a black-based palette, that still leaves you the freedom to work with similar colors like grays and charcoals. Mixing dark and light shades is the key to keeping each of the pieces distinct and the whole outfit working. Once you lose that kind of definition, you’ll most likely end up looking like one continuous black blot.
Add Texture to Your Style
Black on black works as long as there’s variation. If you don’t want to create variety in the colors you wear, then at least do so with the textures you use. Modern men’s fashion is very flexible, so there’s a very, very wide range of options out there to choose from.
Mixing textures is much easier for fall and winter, when layering pieces and outerwear become everyday style staples. It lets you use something simple like cotton for your base layer, something with drape like jersey or knits for your middle layer, and then a sturdy and visually unique texture like wool or tech fabric for the top layer. By emphasizing the different levels and depths, you actually create a more complex, dramatic outfit.
Accessories and other accoutrements can help highlight the different levels. Standout neck ties, for example, can underline your base layer, while handkerchiefs gives more emphasis and character to your outermost jacket or coat. By breaking up continuous areas of texture, you further emphasize which parts are different from each other.
Of course, you shouldn’t discount the use of different colors and shades simply because you’re already using a mix of textures. Keeping things mixed up and interesting is key to pulling off such a limited color palette without looking like you tried too hard.
Invest in Men’s Fashion
Perhaps one of the few problems with black clothing is that it fades, and it often does so quite easily for items that get washed regularly. That’s part of what makes buying quality brands worth the extra dollars: you get higher quality fabrics that have greater retention of the better dyes that these brands use.
This is particularly important for items that you use in your first layer, for two reasons. First, these are the pieces you wear and wash the most, since they have direct contact with your body. Second, these are most likely cotton or polyester, neither of which is particularly effective at holding on to pigments. In short, these pieces fade fastest. It’s a problem that most major brands have addressed one way or another.
In the end, it does cost you more, but you’re paying for the additional technology and quality that went into making the garment. You’ll be thankful for the extra fashion investment three or four years down the road, when that premium black shirt will look just as great on you as it did the day you bought it.
Other Suggested Readings:
Common Black Tie Accessories
Mens Fall Fashion 2010 Dress Tips
Your Bows-n-Ties.com Team