Ov er Accessor izing Wear ing Dark Dress Shir ts
As we learn more about men’s style, we ab-
sorb the information like a sponge. Armed
with this new knowledge and eager to put
it to good use, guys end up wearing a dress
watch, bracelet, pocket square, lapel pin,
tie bar, collar pin, suspenders, belt, and
anything else that catches their attention
– all at once. This is what I like to call the
“Christmas tree look”. Real style isn’t about
including an arbitrary number of acces-
sories into an outfit but rather blending
them seamlessly so that no single element
dominates. There’s nothing inherently wrong with
darker colored dress shirts, but they do
take more skill to pull off. They don’t
flatter every complexion, can be hard to
match to certain suits, and are generally
considered more casual than lighter dress
shirts. But where things go really awry is
when your tie is lighter than your shirt.
This look can be pulled off, but should be
left to the more seasoned style vets.
Solution – When it comes to style, less is
often more. Pick one or two accessories
and make it your signature look. If you
love French cuff shirts, rock the cufflinks
but skip the lapel flower and tie bar. If you
find yourself becoming a watch aficio-
nado, you can probably stand to skip the
bracelets and rings.
Solution – When in doubt, choose lighter
dress shirts. They’re universally flatter-
ing, appropriate in nearly all settings, and
when worn with a jacket, help draw the
eye up to there wearer’s face.
There’s nothing wrong with having a
wardrobe of white or very light-colored
dress shirts with small patterns and stripes
for a little color.
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