If there’s one question that I get from readers of Men’s Style Pro, “how do I put together my outfits/looks” might be the number 2 most asked question. The team behind Axe Black Body asked me the same question and I’ll give you some insight in this feature.
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(The post is sponsored by Axe. All thoughts & opinion are that of Men’s Style Pro)
As a creative person, my mind is running at 100% all the time. With some many thoughts and ideas running through my brain, I’ve turned to the shower as my meditative space. I try my best to zone out while during shower and focus on one idea. Axe Black body wash’s soothing scent helps me to relax and clear my mind.
Once I’ve gotten to a place of zen, I start to building my look from the ground up. There’s are a few overarching factors in creating my look: Where am I going (during the day (meetings, lunch), What’s The Temperature & What Are My Evening Plan (happy-hour/dinner). After I lock down the aforementioned factors, I start pulling the look together by figuring out: How I Want To Mix Patterns, Colors & Textures. The entire process takes about 5 to 8 minutes and is really a mixture of art & individual style. Now that you understand my process, learn why this look works below.
The Very Bold But Thought Out Plaid Suit
Blue Plaid Suit – Strong Suit | Black & White Striped Knit Tie – An Ivy Copenhagen | Black Double Monk Strap Shoes – Johnston & Murphy | Metropolitan+ Smart Watch – Timex | Extreme Cutaway Collar Shirt – Trashness
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You too have read the quote, “life’s too short to wearing boring clothes”! It’s a mantra that I live by, but, have fallen victim to especially when suiting up. After years of building a suit collection of basics (ie. Navy, grey & khaki), I decided to up my style IQ and purchase a few plaid suits. As you can read from my shower monologue, putting this look together comes with rules/guidelines. Here are my tips on how to pull it off & why to try it!
Pull Off A Plaid Suit w/ a Striped Tie
- Understand Your Base Color: Once you understand your base color (in this case, blue), make the effort to highlight the least pronounced color of the suit. There’s a black windowpane pattern that is heighten by the black & white tie + the black double monk strap shoes
- Scale Of Pattern: Along with highlighting the subtle black windowpane pattern, the scale of the striping of the knit is most important. With a suit with such a tight pattern, the scale of the tie pattern is more spaced out to complement the suit
- Keep Your Shirt White: Mixing too many patterns will kill the look you’re going for – stand out but be the peacock. A white shirt breaks up the monotony of the suit pattern and acts as a black canvas for your striped tie
Photography: Marina T. Peele
