Putting it all together

[cchgn]

I've been told that dusty rose, coral pink shirts suit me because of my piercing blue eyes, but I don't see myself wearing that all the time.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Interesting observation. I wonder what most people did back when and how practical paying such minute attention to hues of a shirt was in the Golden Era (as Guttersnipe mentions in post 529) and is now, which suggests a reason for why few people discussed/discuss the topic? I have a hard time believing that the majority of people in the 20s-50s meticulously picked out shirt colors based on hues in relationship to their complexion because that process would be quite expensive and time-consuming. Most people's complexion then changed and now changes throughout the year--depending on their genetics, climate, and their intake of sunlight amongst other reasons--so not only would people need different colored suits and shirts for different seasons, but they would need different hues of the same color shirts/suits as well. I cannot imagine a typical working-class man standing in front of his closet in the morning thumbing through four shades of the same color shirt and holding it up to his face asking "Hmm, do I look paler, darker, or deader today?" Sure, maybe the wealthy and successful actors paid/pay attention to minute details of complexion in choosing color hues (note "hues" and not the general color that many people do consider alongside complexion), but I think most people chose a shirt color and suit color that complimented each other and the person's general skin tone and went about his life. I come to this conclusion partially from the lack of multiple hue choices in RTW catalogs and fashion magazines posted on FL.

Apparel Arts and it's offshoot for the general public, Esquire, certainly devoted space to the concept choosing choosing shirt/tie/suits that complimented an individual's complexion (see the thumbnail below). Granted Apparel Arts was an industry trade publication, so these were more for the purpose of training sales staff to help customers make better individual selections when buying clothes. That said, Arrow (IIRC) also ran some print campaigns in general interest magazines showing similar shirt/tie combos for different skin tones and fair colors.

 

[Annixter]

It doesn't take much time to hold a shirt up to your face and you aren't charged more for a shirt because it's a better color for you.

I suggest you reread my post because I wasn't talking about what you accuse me of: claiming that general color of the shirt matching one's complexion is not important. On the contrary, I made it clear in my parenthetical statement that general colors matching one's complexion is a practical, useful thing to do. If you want to misquote me, I'll try to explain my reasoning once again:

I was questioning the practice of precisely matching color shades to one's complexion that you suggested we should do to properly address matching colors and complexions that you don't see people doing/discussing but that you find imperative to "acceptable" dressing:

For instance: My shirtmakers have a selection of blue shirting that numbers in the hundreds and includes every shade of blue imaginable. They are all on the bolt so they can be unfurled and wrapped around my neck to see how the particular shade works with my skin tone.

The fact is that skin tone changes over months, so the expensive and impractical part of your process that I noticed comes when one ends up having to purchase five blue shirts of varying shades to precisely match his particular skin tone for every month/season/day/mood/whatever. If one isn't prepared to consider seasonal changes in skin tone and isn't prepared to purchase many shades of blue to adjust accordingly, then having a tailor precisely match a shade of blue to one's face one month as you describe becomes worthless come the next month when the shade of his complexion changes, thus throwing off the precise calibration. That was my observation. Yes, I would say that purchasing shirts in that fashion for every general color (i.e. blue, red, green, etc.) that compliments a person's complexion over the months will get very expensive and impractical, especially when the shirts are bespoke. One would end up with 100 shirts comprising of six colors of varying shades. Instead, I think most people who care about color combinations choose a general color shade that works well with their general complexion tone and get on with life.[huh]

. . . but using colors that do not compliment their skin tone.Apparently this is acceptable to you but it is a major failure in my book.

As far as "acceptability" goes regarding other people's use of clothing colors to suit their desired style/appearance, I'm tolerant of others and their fashion choices and don't presume to judge what is acceptable and what isn't as if I had the right.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Annixter, I think you've misunderstood the meaning of "complexion" in this particular context. The idea of choosing colors that match or complement a certain complexion isn't about daily choices, it's about avoiding or selecting certain families of color tones when initially buying your clothes. A fair skinned person is always such.

 

[Annixter]

Apparel Arts and it's offshoot for the general public, Esquire, certainly devoted space to the concept choosing choosing shirt/tie/suits that complimented an individual's complexion (see the thumbnail below). . . .
View attachment 7029

I assure you I completely understand the concept of complexion. I totally agree that people did and do devote time to discussing matching general colors to one's general complexion. To clarify, I was referring to doing the same for different hues/shades/tones of general shirt colors. Notice that the excellent image example you posted does not show multiple shirts or swatches of varying shades. That precisely proves my point--that people didn't spend as much precision on matching color shades as A.C. Lyles suggests we should.

Regardless of my observation and desire to get my argument across as I see it, have we chosen a shirt color already?

 

[Guttersnipe]

. . . Notice that the excellent image example you posted does not show multiple shirts or swatches of varying shades. That precisely proves my point . . .

That's quite some image then . . . lol

 

[Guttersnipe]

As far as "acceptability" goes regarding other people's use of clothing colors to suit their desired style/appearance, I'm tolerant of others and their fashion choices and don't presume to judge what is acceptable and what isn't as if I had the right.

I'm pretty sure A.C. was referring to combinations like this, not as a value judgement or the person, but the overall effect of the color choices. Here were have a really well dressed dude from a random Google Image search. Because he has pale skin, his bright white shirt combined with a navy suit make him look a bit sickly.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Whereas, Daniel Craig's sandy complexion works much better wit a similar combo . . .

 

[Annixter]

That's quite some image then . . . lol

Ya, I should have found a similar image first, posted it, and let it do the talking regarding shades. Sure would have taken less time.

 

[esteban68]

're the image and the colour wheel ones thinking specifically the ones with AA illustrations on them showing suit shirt, sock combo can they be put on a sticky and are they and if not why are they not available to purchase reprints I d buy them at a reasonable price!

 

[Two Types]

I have absolutely no idea of which colours suit me best! All I know is that i don't expose myself to much sun and therefore son't have to worry about my skin tone changing when I tan.

 

[herringbonekid]

there are loads of colours i don't wear, not because they don't work with my skin tone, but because i simply don't like the colours on sight and wouldn't wear them; most purples, most pinks, bright yellow, bright baby blue, anything 'pastel'. the only colour i felt ever made me look awful was a very light shade of sky blue.


when i set aside all of the colours i dislike, and consider what is available that i do like in vintage clothes / vintage fabric / vintage repro clothes ... i actually have a pretty limited colour palette.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Remember that Apparel Arts provided/sold counter displays so that the customers could look through the volume. Customers will have seen these illustrations, in the presence of the clothing they wanted to buy.

Granted Apparel Arts was an industry trade publication, so these were more for the purpose of training sales staff to help customers make better individual selections when buying clothes.

View attachment 7029

 

[Two Types]

There is one particular shade of blue that I abhor. I can't say why but it just makes me uncomfortable. My wife had some trousers in that colour and so i hid them down the back of the wardrobe so she couldn't wear them! (then eventually dragged them out and said they were so dirty and dusty they had to be thrown away).

that said, i can tolerate ties of any colour.

 

[Tomasso]

Ya, I should have found a similar image first, posted it, and let it do the talking regarding shades. Sure would have taken less time.

And it would have spared us having to read a scatterbrained diatribe frought with misrepresentations and misinformation.

 

[Fastuni]

@Two Types

Which shade of blue would that be?

 

[Two Types]

I'm not very good at describing colours. Think of window shutters on the French Atlantic coast - light, drightly-dull blue. This sort of thing:

 

[Tomasso]

I have absolutely no idea of which colours suit me best!

Ignorance is bliss.

Growing up in a household with three fashionistas (to be fair they were more stylish than fashionable) my choice of attire was critiqued on a daily basis. The subject of color was high on their list. If I had a nickel for every time I heard, "That's not a good color for you!" Of course I ignored them but deep down I knew that they were probably right. So it came as little surprise that when as an adult I began visiting tailors, shirtmakers, haberdashers, etc....that they would bring up the subject of color.

All I know is that i don't expose myself to much sun and therefore son't have to worry about my skin tone changing when I tan.

Tanning will not change your skin tone. While it will slightly mitigate the deleterious effects of an incompatable color by partially obscuring the underlying skin tone, your complementry colors will always bring out your best, tan or no tan.

 

[Guttersnipe]

Remember that Apparel Arts provided/sold counter displays so that the customers could look through the volume. Customers will have seen these illustrations, in the presence of the clothing they wanted to buy.

Very true. I've actually heard Apparel Arts was so popular at the time that some customers would steal copies from stores because it wasn't sold to the general public!

 

[Annixter]

And it would have spared us having to read a scatterbrained diatribe frought with misrepresentations and misinformation.

What a mature way to react in public when you cannot follow rhetorical logic or accept mature criticism.:eusa_clap