The 6 essential colour combinations in menswear are monochrome, blue and grey, blue and brown, blue and green, grey and brown, and blue and white. Each has its own uses depending on the season, the occasion and the type of outfit. In our experience at ZAVATE, these are the combinations clients ask for most often, and the ones that invariably produce harmonious results.
1. Is a single-shade outfit a good idea?
Outfits in a single shade (black on black, blue on blue, grey on grey, brown on brown) have always been admired. Painters noticed long ago that elements alike in shape or colour pair easily, forming visual rhymes. These rhymes create a chromatic texture that pleasantly draws the eye. The same applies to clothing: a blue T-shirt on a man with blue eyes makes them look far bluer. Monochrome combinations exude a discreet elegance, with no risk of looking loud. Matching shades are the preference of more conservative men. Rebels of the rocker persuasion are also fond of a single shade (black above all), though almost always in a casual register. Shades of merely similar intensity, however, are best avoided. A dark blue sport jacket with trousers two tones lighter, for instance, looks disastrous.
2. How useful is the blue and grey pairing?
This remains the indispensable combination in any wardrobe. The traditional blazer with grey trousers is its best-known form. A blue sport jacket with a grey check is another must-have for the urban man, while the striped version is a favourite among businessmen. Grey trousers with blue jumpers, shirts and topcoats make an interesting and pleasing combination. And blue jeans with a grey sport jacket can already be considered a classic among gentlemen.
3. What does blue and brown convey?
This combination is a special one and signals sophisticated taste. A brown flannel suit is the ideal approach in the colder months. A russet-brown sport jacket worn with blue cotton trousers or well-kept jeans makes a perfect pairing. Blue trousers with blue shirts and brown knitwear work equally well. A chocolate-brown waistcoat with jeans and a blue fine-knit roll-neck is another very practical combination. Brown shoes go best with any blue garment.
4. Does blue and green work?
Yes. A sport jacket in an intense blue paired with green trousers stands out immediately. Blue suits with green patterns are as elegant as they are unexpected. Green cotton trousers are worn in summer with navy T-shirts. The Scottish check in green and blue, known as tartan, frequently appears on sport jackets, jumpers, ties and sportswear.
5. Where does the grey and brown pairing come from?
This combination draws on British country style. It appears in both winter and summer outfits. A mid-grey suit with a dark brown fine-knit roll-neck and dark brown shoes is a smart casual favourite. Grey sport jackets always have a distinctive air when they carry checks in graduated shades of brown. In summer, grey chinos go well with brown T-shirts or unlined blousons.
6. Which colour combination works in any season?
The colour pairing that suits every season is blue with white. A white shirt, worn open-necked or with a tie, brings elegance to a blue suit. A blue sport jacket with white trousers, or blue trousers with a white sport jacket, are the mainstays of clubhouse elegance. The same goes for a white linen or cotton suit with a pale blue shirt. White jumpers trimmed in blue, along with blue and white T-shirts and Bermuda shorts, rely on the tension between the two contrasting colours. The combination recalls yachting and tennis style.
Within these 6 colour pairings, the possibilities are endless. What matters most is a willingness to experiment. For a deeper look at the secrets of colour in dressing, the most respected books on the subject are well worth reading. One example is Stilul vestimentar masculin contemporan [Contemporary Men’s Dress Style] by Nicolas Schiffer, which also inspired this article.
