Here’s What Good Style Looks Like Now
Jian DeLeon, Nordstrom’s Fashion and Editorial Director had this to say about the easiest way to integrate color into your wardrobe, “Knitwear! You can throw it on under a more muted suit, sport coat, or jacket and instantly ground it in something classic—especially if you pair it with a pair of jeans or darker trousers.” He said there are a ton of great cashmere and merino sweaters and turtlenecks in statement colors at a variety of price points.
Nembo tela wool overshirt,
$850 by Barena
If you’re not big into sweaters, then there are other tops to give you the option to hop into the color spectrum. “I would suggest starting with an overshirt or a blazer,” says Justin Berkowitz, Fashion Director for Bloomingdale’s. “It’s an item that most men own multiple of—so at this point, they likely have basic neutrals and are ready for another version. They’re also easy to take off if one finds oneself in a situation where the color choice suddenly feels inappropriate for the circumstance.”
As the spectrum of colors has widened for guys, so have the actual silhouettes of everything from shirts and jackets to trousers. Those buzzy giant-fit chinos continue to sell out whenever new colorways are introduced. I’m about as happy as anyone that men have gradually drifted away from skinny jeans or super tight oxford shirts—especially if you’re wearing color. A bright orange pair of pants will look better with some room in them as opposed to them being painted on your legs. “Like wearing a pair of wide-leg trousers, louder colors can be tempered with neutrals and other dark tones,” says DeLeon. “The palette for what a neutral is these days is far beyond basic navy blue and black. Earth tones and chocolate browns complement richer purples, cobalt blues, and of-the-moment magentas.”
Where colors and proportions meet, you should also know some of the best makers that feature color in their collections, along with the correct shape to help pull them off. Both of our industry experts unanimously picked Italian menswear legend Massimo Alba for subtlety in introducing colors in each collection that doesn’t feel overwhelming to the consumer. “I’m always intrigued by the tones he chooses for a given fabric and the way he styles his look books to show how different colors can be worn together,” says Berkowitz. “He manages to make bold choices that somehow always feel sophisticated and down to Earth.” The Bloomingdale’s Fashion Director also added an unexpected label that’s actually synonymous with not using color: Rick Owens. “I realize this might sound counterintuitive, as the world mostly recognizes him for his use of black; however, I find when he does use color, he does so with a heightened sense of drama, which usually causes me to have a somewhat emotional reaction.”
