Color wheel from http://theartofaccessories.com
I’m going to admit that I have not always made the best fashion choices in my life. I don’t really look at fashion as what everyone else is wearing, but more a question of what can I wear to feel my best. Trying to keep up with everyone else is both expensive and futile. I am convinced that fashion in the meta sense is just a game of how fast can we change what is “in” after everyone spends money on it. I never worry about what was “in” last year or four years ago, but I do worry about what my outward appearance communicates to others. Without going into my overall philosophy on fashion, I will say this: if I can wear something well, and feel like it makes me look good, I tend to act with more confidence. Some scoff at the need to feel good based on my outward appearance, but what ever, I feel good when I look good and I am fine with that.
As summer is approaching it’s always a good idea to grab a few new items to add a bit of color to your wardrobe. Color can be tricky for people, as it’s often hard for people to figure out complementary colors. Some people fear too much color, and others just like more muted earth tones. I have to admit I get far more compliments on what I am wearing when I add at least a dash of color. Let’s face it though, I often add far more than a dash.
If you really are at a loss for which colors complement each other, you can always turn to a color wheel. Some are very simple, matching basic colors, and some can be very comprehensive, showing which shades might complement each other.
So how would one go about adding a dash of color to a summer wardrobe?
Shirts
One of the easiest ways to introduce some fun colors into your daily wear is to find some fun shirts. If you are trepidatious about too much color or patterns, I would recommend starting off with some solid color shirts from stores like Express. There are tones of awesome clothing stores online but for those who don’t spend a great deal of time dealing with fashion Express has locations all over the United States which allows you to try on different fits before you buy them.
Express also has a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale every month or two. This is great for those of us not looking to spend entire paychecks on new clothes. Taking advantage of this sale allows me to add two new shirts every few months, keeping things fresh and allowing me to get rid of some shirts that might not look so hot due to wear and tear.
A nice red or lavender button up shirt can really go a long way. If you really want to add a bit more flair, get a shirt with French cuffs and add some cuff links to your outfit.
Ties
This has to be one of my favorite ties!
For many in the workforce, a tie isn’t a fashion accessory, it’s a requirement. For some of us it’s another way to add a bit of flair to our summer attire. I have always enjoyed hitting up stores like Nordstrom Rack for ties, as even some of the most beautiful ties will go un-purchased and end up at the discount store. Many $80 ties look good, but an $80 tie that costs $15 looks amazing.
A good tip for ties is to mix patterns, if you are wearing a solid colored shirt, wear a striped tie. If you have a striped shirt on, go for a floral pattern or even some polka dots. If you are not wearing much color feel free to throw in a tie that really pops; brown suit, gold tie. Blue suit, a nice muted orange tie. I try not to pile on too much color when I’m wearing a colorful shirt, you can over do it.
Pants
I’m very cautious about this because I think many people are not always comfortable wearing colorful pants. My number one rule is to wear what is comfortable and what makes you feel good. I wouldn’t tell you to go spend $80 – $150 on pants that you are not comfortable wearing. You would be surprised at how far a nice pair or orange or red pants might go with a solid white or blue striped shirt.
There are a ton of other ways to get a bit of color into your daily wear. Most of them are inexpensive and look great. Getting comfortable with color can open up a metric shit ton of outfits that you can wear. If you have friends who are into fashion, take them along; getting some compliments from them on your selections will go a long way in building your confidence in wearing them!
Last tip: Don’t fear pink! I spent about 5 years fighting against pink, purple and all colors that fall in between the two. Pink can separate the real men from the pretenders (real men wear pink). If all it takes is a shirt color to stop a guy cold in his tracks, he has bigger issues than a shirt. I can also tell you from experience, the right amount of pink or lavender in an outfit can turn heads and net quite a few compliments.
Summer, guys… it’s almost here and color comes along with it. You can sweat it out in your darks if you want or you can embrace it and rock some hot ass color!
Geek Out
