Men in Black: Basic Color Theory in Men’s Fashion

Let’s take a step back and look at all the men you see today, and what they’re wearing. If you could describe this color theme what would it be? We know – we have done this experiment lots of times. The outcome would be in the “50 shades of grey” zone, and not the exciting kind either. Why is it that some men aren’t afraid to be bold and daring with colors, while others stick to the spectrum of white, grey, blue, and black? 

In life, everything we do is hard-earned – it takes a lot of work to be creative, take chances at work and in life. When it comes to our clothes, they rarely reflect this philosophy. Let’s see what works and what doesn’t in the color wheel of male fashion. 

Time is Money vs Fashion

When you’re setting up a wardrobe, it’s best to remember that most guys (and people in general) stress about getting ready for work in the morning. Getting dressed is a hectic experience, and let’s face it – not many of us have the time to lay out our whole outfit for the next day before they jump into bed. 

This is exactly the case when it comes to the closets of people like the late Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg – and if you want to be like them, you should research the best hoodies for men, or the most comfortable turtlenecks for business people and click “buy” 20 times on the same product. 

The philosophy behind their fashion choices is that the choice of what to wear is just one of life’s million choices that distract them from being focused on all of their other responsibilities. And that’s a good philosophy – but wearing the same thing every day is not for everyone. How can we help ourselves choose what we wear every day and not make it into a morning meltdown? The answer is: get the right colors that are easy to mix and match, of course! 

Did you know that there’s a method to this? That’s right. There are even recommendations on how much of what color you should have in your closet. 

White

20%

White might seem like a thing to avoid. After all, doesn’t it get dirty very easily? The answer is – so does everything else… Invest in good detergent and go forth. Basic white cotton T-shirts go with literally everything, whether you’re wearing jeans, sweat pants, dress pants, or gym shorts. 

You should also have a lot of dress shirts if your work requires a bit more formal wear. 

Grey

18%

Alright, grey has to be on this list and the reason is that it’s a great “intermediate” color that becomes neutral. It will bring out the darkness of anything black that you might be wearing and tone down any light colors. It’s a somber color but a great background for any accents. 

It also goes with just about anything, which is why a lot of companies choose grey T-shirts to offset their logo. 

Greys really do have a lot of shades, and you should be careful when matching two of them – some greys will be blueish while others may seem greenish. The funny thing is that you will never know the difference until you wear your purple-grey T-shirt with your green-grey hoodie. Eew. 

Dark Blue and Black 

27%

These are the go-to for a lot of people. They are called the psychological “safe” colors and are the equivalent of wearing camouflage. A lot of people fall into the “mostly black” trap, and it’s a slippery slope – once your closet starts filling with dark clothes it might be awkward to get something different. 

These dark clothes have many positives, though – they go with everything, and they keep your little stains and spots safe from prying eyes, unlike their white counterparts. If you have a tendency to wear a lot of dark colors, remember not to go overboard. We know it’s hard. 

Keep it to about one third, and give the others a chance. When wearing different types of black clothes together, make sure you really take a look at the shade and tones of your black clothes to make sure they’re compatible. An easy way to do it is to look at the fabric in bright direct light. 

Another advantage of black clothes is that they can be interpreted to be more business or formal than they actually are. Wearing black has a tendency to make people look sharp. 

Brown

10%

It’s hard to pull off brown – it really is. But if you keep in mind that the color khaki is considered to be a type of brown, you’re on your way to understanding how using this color to look good is going to work. 

Browns can come in many textures – many natural and woolen fabrics are in the brown range, and if you’re into raw linens and leather it might even tempt you to replace a lot of your greys with some form of brown. 

We think that’s just fine. Again, make sure that any browns you wear together actually go together and are happy with each other. This is one of the most awkward colors to clash when it comes to clothes. 

Accent Colors 

12% 

Colors like purple, red, green, yellow – are considered to be accent colors. Anything from fun socks or a tie is a great accent, but keep in mind that wearing that yellow t-shirt or having your favorite red hoodie is a great way to keep your wardrobe interesting and memorable. Accents love to be matched with jeans, blacks, and greys. 

Final Say

There’s a time and place for everything whether you’re trying to dress formally, for important business, or for a casual day at the office. Remember that balance is everything. This doesn’t mean you should take out your calculator and see if your closet passes the color test. It just means that the next time you hit the stores, think about buying an addition to a collection – not just as a single piece of clothing.