TECHNICOLOUR TRENDS
Incorporating colour in your attire
An interesting statement was published following a study commissioned by Cotton USA (a global lint cotton supplier) —“men who wear pink shirts earn extra money a year, are better qualified, more confident and get a greater number of compliments from female colleagues than their male counterparts who are dressed in common colours.”It’s a common assumption that men’s clothing has never been as colourful as women’s attire. The pink shirt your mother, girlfriend or wife gifted you may still be lying in the back of the closet — and might (possibly) be lying there forever. And it’s understandable, as the reason most men prefer the conservative black, blue and gray in their wardrobe is because these colours have always been more acceptable in a corporate scenario. However, it isn’t an over assumption to state that experimentation in formal wear colours is becoming common for the metrosexual man.
A pop of colour here and a dash of texture there can sufficiently help you break the monotony of banal office wear. Partha Sinha, head design at Louis Philippe and Luxure at Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail offers some deep insight into how our colour choices are determined by a need for self-expression; he says,“Colours play one of the most indispensable roles in a man’s wardrobe today. A majority of the current generation comprises of expressionists who are constantly hunting for inspiration. This is in contrast to former times, when it was about expressing your social status – reflected by luxury brands, with an emphasis on accessories. Now, people dress to express who they are or at least aspire to be; it is a quest toward “self-actualisation”through many aspects, and one of them is colour.”
COLOUR IN CORPORATE WEAR
There is no reason for restricting the upgrading of your colour quotient only to casuals. The way you dress at work speaks volumes about your personality to your colleagues and associates. Not only does it help you stand out in the boardroom, but also helps you make stellar first impressions with clients.
Pemba Bhotia, product head at Raymond Made To Measure shares tricks to make a striking impression in a corporate setting. He says,“Make a solid-coloured formal suit stand out by adding a brightly coloured pocket square or add a bold scarf to your solid-coloured outfit. For someone who has always erred on the side of caution, wearing a pop of colour through accessories makes sense. Consider it your initiation into wearing hues. It’s the safest way to wear colour.” Pick bold colours for socks, pocket squares, ties and accent cufflinks if you’re not willing to experiment with as much gusto yet.
TRENDING COLOURS THIS SEASON
This season, apart from the infamous pink, there are many other colours experts advise you to experiment with. “Reds and oranges have made an entry this season, keeping the sailor blues, moss greens, winter whites and dove grays as the staple,”says Akshay Narvekar, founder of Bombay Shirt Company. The right colour combinations can make or break your attempt at adding some pop to your wardrobe. Adding vibrancy to your outfit doesn’t mean abruptly putting together shades of your choice. Narvekar adds,“There is the classic dark blue and brown combination that goes well any time of the day and seldom goes wrong in any shade. Gray pants give a chance to the darker shirts to come out of the wardrobes or go with any shade of pink.”
Perhaps picking lighter shades of dark colours could help play it safe, as per Jackie Manglani, president at Stefano Ricci. He recommends some classic colour combinations —“You can never go wrong with a combination of beige trousers and light blue shirt,
For instance, military green works for a rugged look, dark green works better for evening outfits.
blue trousers with pink shirt and black trousers with light lavender.”
Bhotia offers an interesting perspective to choosing colour. According to him, while white is the most overrated colour, green is the most underrated shade in men’s fashion. He says,“Most men have a tendency to generalise colour and stick to black, blue, gray. But green is a very versatile colour which can effortlessly make you stand out from the crowd.”As he says, different shades of green exhibit alternative facets and looks. For instance, military green works for a rugged look, dark green works better for evening outfits. Whether it’s olive green chinos or emerald green formal suits, green is soothing to the eye and exhibits a freshness that makes it a viable choice for office wear as well.
PRINTS AND PATTERNS
There is experimenting with solid colour, and then there’s an entirely different territory of using shaded prints and patterns. Usually, the two P’s are avoided for office wear, but if you can pull off this look without looking like you’ve come for a Hawaiian-themed party (simply avoid print on print), you’re good to go.“Patterns would be most preferable as an evening or a ceremonial wear. Prints are recommended for leisure wear,”says Bhotia of Raymond.
Another trick to play safe with pattern is to team it with a neutral colour. While pairing it with a bold shade isn’t a fashion faux pas, it can work against you if you’re unable to carry it off. Although check is an acceptable pattern for daily workwear, more creative ones like floral and geometric could be reserved for casual Fridays and off-sites. As per Sinha of Louis Phillipe, prints are currently trending across categories including tops, bottoms — even knitted or woven garments. Although, he says,“I would advise you to experiment with a combination of prints and patterns along with solids in a slimmer silhouette, which would create an impression in a sophisticated space.”n