The last several years have finally put a stop to men’s fashion being seen as pale and monotone — minimalistic, grey-blue-black palettes are finally not signifiers of status anymore. In 2023, it’s finally fine for men to wear bright colors! It’s even encouraged by multiple statements from the latest fashion week: bright prints and colors on hoodies and sweatshirts, glitter suits, and bold forms and textures are all over the future spring collection. And don’t think this trend is limited by the whimsical and half-magical world of high fashion. Retailers from all over the world are already picking up on it. This article has several tips that will help you start making your wardrobe brighter so you won’t think some, say, the green jacket you want to buy is “not serious.”
Work on Basic Outfits First
Let’s start with adding a bit of color to your basic wardrobe. Elements of basic wardrobes are basically clothes that easily combine with the rest of what you have — or work well as a base. (That’s why, for instance, a white long-sleeved shirt is considered a classic element of a basic wardrobe. It’s challenging to find colors it does not work with.) You can start with adding chore coats or jackets in colors that are not khaki, black, or yellowish-grey. Consider looking at patchwork-based jackets (the ones from Loewe look especially good) or bright blue (sharp models from Alex McQueen). Alternatively, it’s a good idea to get a few long-sleeved chiffon pieces — take a look at Ssense’s new collection to figure out how they look — they look wonderful, combined with strict black pants or dark jeans.
Use Natural Colors
Natural colors are defined as colors you can find in nature — and you can find most of them there. In fashion, the more correct term is “nature-inspired”: blue like the sky, green like the grass, red and orange as the sunset, and so on. Here, you can get a chance to examine colors that aren’t fluorescent and neon-glowing, but still bright and bold. Take a look at this year’s Berluti collection, with its wonderful corals, turquoise, and orange in jackets and t-shirts. Scroll through Raf Simons’ collection, inspired by cult films Alice in Wonderland and Nightmare on Elm Street: there are some amazing color combinations there.
Stay Clear of Brands if You Don’t Like Them
Men care about class a lot, and famous brands kind of mean class, do they? Well, they kind of do not. If you want to look expensive, you don’t have to condemn yourself to the life of tight suits and ties and cufflinks. In fact, the more the world moves in the future, the less it matters what kind of brand you’re wearing. What matters is whether or not you’re comfortable in it. Some people are comfortable in three-piece suits and a bowtie — and they look wonderful. But if you don’t — don’t punish yourself. Find clothes you enjoy — wearing them will give you a confidence boost (which is pretty much a secret to radiating class.)
Use Clothing With High-Quality Materials
Fast fashion is affordable and its clothes can be very cool — sometimes. But clothes that are bought there aren’t always suitable for long-term wear. People often find themselves giving year-old clothes away to charities or just throwing them out — because they’ve thinned out, the print was erased after washing, the materials became tougher, etc.
It’s better to either buy vintage or used clothes — there’s absolutely nothing wrong with shopping at resale. In fact, resale retailers are rocking the fashion world right now, with about 33 million people buying resold clothes for the first time in 2020. Alternatively, you can invest in really expensive hand-made clothes or shoes. Then, you’ll know that you’ll probably wear them two and five years in the future.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Concluding our advice, it is worth mentioning that any step out of your comfort zone — or the zone that seems comfortable — counts as a win. Add a bright scarf to your otherwise monotone office wear, buy a pin from your favorite cartoon and stick it to your laptop leather sleeve, get yourself bright socks or cuff earrings (you will be able to wear them like earrings but won’t need to pierce the ear).
2022 is for you to get rid of barriers that won’t allow you to express yourself via clothing, and the main rule here is to wear something that makes you feel better. By the way, the colors of the next season are green, lavender, and metallic. Review the latest Vogue issues for inspiration — or just take a good look at the fashion part of Instagram and TikTok for inspiration.