SHPITZ SUITS

Style How To:

PATTERN By: Andrew Lock MATCHING

for the Sophisticated Mocher

Learning to match patterns successfully can be tricky. This is especially true for those who grew up wearing nothing but dark suits and white shirts. Go too bold and you risk looking silly. Dress too conservatively, and you can miss an opportunity to make a lasting impression.

Matching patterns is an art form and a skill that can be built over time. With a little practice, a little bit of courage (yes, get out of your comfort zone!), and the guidelines below, you can learn how to build a versatile wardrobe composed of pieces that can be mixed and matched in a variety of impressive ways.

So how do you match your pinstripe shirt with your plaid double-breasted suit? Is there a golden rule to follow? What should you look out for?

The simple answer is: less is more.

When you are just starting out on this stylistic journey, be sure to introduce patterns into your wardrobe slowly. The patterns you wear should not overpower your total look. Be courageous and leave your comfort zone but admit to the limits of your creativity. One who is a conservative dresser will want to take extra care when introducing a new look.

Menswear theory, and the theory of clothing in general, dictates that everything about your attire should bring attention to you, and more specifically, to your face. Your outfit is meant to hold people’s focus but you want them to see and remember you, not just your outfit.

You are the main character of your life, your family, your career, and of course, your wardrobe. Your attire is not working for you if it steals the show.

Imagine this: You are the host of a party. Everything is perfect, from the decor to the wine. You are dressed to the nines, sporting a custom suit paired with a perfect tie, pocket square, and elegant black oxfords. You look great and you feel great too.

There is only one small problem. Your black shoes have light brown soles. Ouch. That’s all anyone will notice. The contrast drags the eye down to your feet instead of up to your face.The same rule applies to pairing patterns. Your patterns don’t need to match, but they certainly should not compete. A cohesive look is one where no pattern fights with another. In high-end style, everything you wear should work in harmony to bring the eye upward to your face.

Did you know that you can match plaids with stripes? You can, and perhaps you should. The rule of patterns is to match different kinds with each other. There are four basic families of patterns: checks, stripes, repeat prints (polka dots, paisleys, or whimsical), and textures such as herringbone. Any two of these patterns can look smart when paired together. Even three different patterns can be layered in one outfit but that should be the limit. What to avoid? Do not combine patterns that

are of a similar size, type, or color. Checked shirt and checked tie? No chance! That will look boring and redundant. Variety is the name of the game. If you would like to pair multiple patterns of the same family, be sure each is on a different scale. The contrast in size will keep the outfit interesting.

The same is true for combining varying patterns. For example, your suit might be a medium-size plaid. You could pair it with a shirt that has thick stripes or a finely dotted tie. The variety of scales will perfect the outfit. When in doubt, solid grenadine ties are your best friend. A solid tie with a bit of texture will allow you to juxtapose a patterned suit and shirt without any doubts.

Another way to introduce variety is to mix the weight, or boldness, of each pattern. Just like type and size, patterns need to have different levels of “loudness” so as not to compete with one another.

If one pattern is very faint, the other can be bolder but still conservative. Save the loudest and strongest patterns for accents such as the tie or pocket square. The larger the garment, the less flashy the pattern should be. And for heaven’s sake do not match your tie to your pocket square! Like the set? Buy the set! Just don’t wear them at the same time.

Different hues and shades of similar colors can look great together as long as there is one aspect that stands out. A navy suit, light blue shirt, and navy tie will look dull together but change the shirt to white or pink and the same tie will positively pop. Too many bold colors will look chaotic. Too many soft colors will look dull. An accent color should be your loudest color and should be used in your accessories.

When in doubt, follow the 60-30-10 rule that interior designers use when mixing colors in living spaces. Sixty percent of your outfit should be the dominant color (e.g. your suit/sport coat), thirty percent should be your secondary color (e.g. your shirt) and ten percent should be your accent (e.g. your tie/kippah/pocket square/socks).

Bold textures do well with other textures. For example, a heavy tweed or flannel jacket should not be worn with a lustrous printed silk tie. A Brioni tie that would work wonders with a Loro Piana super 170s suit will be completely overwhelmed by a Minnis Fresco or Harris tweed.

Pull the entire outfit together by ensuring that at least one color in the tie or pocket square is repeated elsewhere in the ensemble. It can be as simple as matching the center of the flowers on a tie to the pinstripe of the suit. This is a simple detail that makes a lovely impact.

Mixing patterns can be intimidating but it is a skill that can be developed with a little practice. Use these tips as a guide, but also follow your intuition. Try things on and then look in the mirror. Do you like the combination? If you do, others probably will too. Think it looks ridiculous? You are probably right. When all else fails, get a second opinion before heading to that important meeting or special occasion.

Here is one last piece of advice. Make your life easier. Once you find outfits that work, prepare “sets” in advance by hanging all of the pieces of the outfit together. I have clients who take pictures of ensembles that work so they can reassemble them at a moment’s notice. It is unnecessary to reinvent the wheel every time you dress. Easy access to your best clothing combinations saves you from unnecessary battles of uncertainty. Conserve your creative energy for the bigger decisions you will face during the day. Remember, the key is to go slow, vary it up, and always, always follow the rule: less is more.