Color Combo Conundrum?

[Not-Bogart13]

Didn't know where else to put this, since it kind of covers multiple garment-related areas. It's an issue for a man, but I'd like the opinions of the ladies, too.

Situation; You're stepping out for a nice occasion. You're plan is to wear a gray suit (or gray blazer with non-matching slacks), with a gray fedora. Some colorful accessories added, naturally. The day comes, and the weather turns ugly. It's cold and rainy. Your only good overcoat for such weather is a tan or taupe trench.

Question; Do you stick to the planned outfit and wear the tan trench, or is it imperative that you switch to an earth-tone outfit? Alternatively, would just switching the hat be appropriate? Are there "rules" covering this? Can accessories solve it? Etc.

OK, lemme have it!

 

[Tomasso]

Question; Do you stick to the planned outfit and wear the tan trench?

I often wear a tan trench over a gray outfit, topped with a gray hat. It's classic.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

I see nothing wrong with a tan coat and a grey suit, even a grey hat, although the shade of the hat could be such as to work better with another coat.

Color is a tricky thing. There are formulas and rules, to be certain, for achieving certain impressions. But I generally approach color in dress from an intuitive angle rather than a by-the-book one.

 

[anon`]

Nope, I grab the coat and go.

Though it never hurts to have a multitude of coats, or to just plain luck out like I did a couple years ago, finding a '50s-era almost-Chesterfield in an almost-officer's pink whipcord coat that just goes with everything. Downside: smells strongly of sheep when wet

 

[cynroux]

Function before fashion Dear, sometimes the elements dictate style. And you'll still be the best dressed guy in the rain.

 

[dhermann1]

And presumably you're able to take off the coat and hang it up to dry when you reach your destination.

 

[Paisley]

A traditional tan trenchcoat goes with any suit. Besides, a guy, especially, shouldn't look like he spent an inordinate amount of time and effort getting dressed.

 

[donCarlos]

A traditional tan trenchcoat goes with any suit. Besides, a guy, especially, shouldn't look like he spent an inordinate amount of time and effort getting dressed.

I´m afraid I have to disagree on this. Go outside, look around and see where this "not too much time" attitude leads.

Sorry for offtopic.

 

[Miss Sis]

I think it would be fine to wear the taupe trench with the grey. It is pretty classic, after all.

You could always keep your eye out for a navy trench/raincoat for next time, although they are harder to find.

 

[Paisley]

I´m afraid I have to disagree on this. Go outside, look around and see where this "not too much time" attitude leads.

Sorry for offtopic.

I said "an inordinate amount of time," as in fussy or foppish. I remember a time when some men took it that far.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Besides, a guy, especially, shouldn't look like he spent an inordinate amount of time and effort getting dressed.

Exactly. You want it to look put together, but you don't want people to think you sat in your closet for 30 minutes trying to decide whether the tan, grey, black, navy, or wine coat matched best.

 

[Paisley]

The key words are look like. When you're just learning about clothes, it it takes awhile to put something basic together. I don't think anyone is suggesting no-effort clothes.

And I don't want a guy to look prettier than I do.

 

[Lensmaster]

A traditional tan trenchcoat goes with any suit. Besides, a guy, especially, shouldn't look like he spent an inordinate amount of time and effort getting dressed.

I agree. From all my reading, and the opinion of my eye, a tan raincoat is neutral and goes with anything.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Well, it's good to hear I wouldn't have to start from scratch because of the weather. I must admit, I have recently become aware of my tendency to be too well matched. I do it without thinking, but I'm working on a more effortless look.

I have no shortage of coats, but between my large size and my budget, one for each purpose is about all I can manage. Thus, I have a taupe trench for rainy days that's large enough to wear a suit underneath. I also have a black wool long coat, but I'd have to take the suit jacket off, and wool + heavy rain + carrying a jacket exposed is not a good combination.

 

[Tomasso]

you don't want people to think you sat in your closet for 30 minutes

Really, I can't be worrying about the reaction of others to my choice of clothing. To most people today anything more than t-shirt and jeans raises the Dandy flag.[huh]



A man should look as if he had bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care, and then forgotten all about them. – Hardy Amies

 

[ortega76]

Grab the coat and hat. A tan trench is classic and neutral.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

The key words are look like. When you're just learning about clothes, it it takes awhile to put something basic together. I don't think anyone is suggesting no-effort clothes.

Oh, certainly! That's what I meant. The stylish-but-effortless look can take quite a bit of time. Especially when it comes to building a wardrobe and figuring out what works for you.

 

[Paisley]

And once you've taken time, effort and thought at the outset to put together a wardrobe that suits you and your life, it eventually becomes easy to put together an outfit. One great thing about a traditional tan trenchcoat is you don't have to think about it.

 

[mike]

speaking of color combinations, do you think people in the 20's-40's basically decided they were going to dress in blue/gray or brown and didn't attempt to have a wide enough selection of clothes to be able to decide which spoke of the color wheel they were going to use each day?

 

[Tomasso]

speaking of color combinations, do you think people in the 20's-40's basically decided they were going to dress in blue/gray or brown and didn't attempt to have a wide enough selection of clothes to be able to decide which spoke of the color wheel they were going to use each day?

I think that a greater percentage of Golden Era men were aware of the rudiments of classic style even if they chose not to or couldn't afford to adhere to them. The level of sartorial expertise found on the sales floor of the local haberdasher, department store or tailor shop back then far surpasses that of today.