Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Spring is here and Summer is approaching!

Summer is approaching and it is time to pull out the light colored clothes. In Atlanta, it is already warming up; a few days last week we hit 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Quite warm, you might be thinking. I enjoy wearing odd jackets and light colored pants during summer. My preference is for blazers and dark jackets with cream or pale chinos. Here is a photo:


How to do it:
  1. Wear a dark jacket or a patterned jacket.
  2. Contrast between jackets and pants by playing with the textures and patterns.
  3. Light colored shoes and shirts should be combined with this.
  4. For bonus points consider two tone shoes, spectators for example, or a hat, a straw panama is traditional.
Look below for some examples of how to pull this off.




Analysis
The top picture is of the Hounds Tooth Kid, an internet friend and fellow sartorialist. The Kid keeps his local thrift shop busy by combing for vintage gear. He is a hat enthusiast and prefers vintage suits from the 30s - 50s. He went for a British look with the double breasted blazer, white linen pants with no break, and black shoes. He is wearing a pale blue shirt with a striped blue and white tie, note the blue on the tie is darker than the shirt. This would be a look that would not seem out of place in the early part of 20th century.

The second picture is of Will from A Suitable Wardrobe. He is known for his impeccable taste as well as his huge wallet that allows him to wear the finest items. He travels frequently to meet his tailors and pays them visits in their respective HQs. On to the matter at hand he is wearing a double breasted seer sucker jacket with cream linen pants. He is also wearing a white shirt with a navy tie and white buck shoes. The seer sucker and white bucks are common, especially in the South. I think the look is dashing and modern. It combines the traditional style of seer sucker with the casual white linen trousers. As a lover of Panama hats, he probably put down the hat as he entered his home.

The last picture is from vintage Esquire, a bible for sartorialists. The illustrations found in the magazine offer many ideas and elegant examples. The analysis is for you to perform. What works and why? Is the contrast in colors great enough? Is the entire get-up harmonious and would it look okay on you? If you answer these questions you will gain a greater understanding of how to pull of this look off and how to play with it. Take a look at these two gentleman's blogs.

Photo credit goes to The Hounds Tooth Kid from MrLapel.blogspot.com, Will from ASuitableWardrobe.dynend.com, and vintage Esquire Magazine.

3 comments:

Alan said...

Great outfits for photo sessions but not very practical in the real world.

The Eccentric Orange Gentleman said...

Why Alan. I dress like that to university in downtown Atlanta. The only downside is trying to keep your pants clean. I have to be conscious about where I sit other than that no problems.

Alan said...

Good point. I base my observations on what I see here in SF. Glad to see there is some diversity of dress in the country.