Today. Lunch with clients. Pattern-mixing again, but this time with checks instead of stripes.
To reiterate what I said couple weeks ago; a great way to inject a little style and visual interest into a relatively conservative full-suit look is to mix patterns.
Pattern mixing scares alot of guys, but as long as you keep all the patterns in different proportions/scales, you can create a look than is neither busy nor boring.
Here I’m wearing six different check patterns (3-piece large scale windowpane suit, mini double-check shirt, wool bias windowpane tie, micro check linen scarf, glenplaid pocket square, and slight check on the silver/enamel cufflinks) however, since all of the patterns are different sizes/proportions and in muted colors (all grey, white and blue) the look is interesting rather than busy.
3-piece peak lapel suit and french cuff shirt by Michael Andrews Bespoke (custom made, my own designs). Â Tie Vintage. Cufflinks by Montblanc. Linen scarf by Kenneth Cole. Pocket square that I cut out of a second-hand shirt (as described here). Watch by Monblanc.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Yours in style,
SB
hey, i’m new at this but i have a question for you.
i have a similar suit, finer and lighter stripes tough. Would it be nice to use at night, cocktail event type with old “serious” people, with different trousers? say solid color ones? if so, which tone would match with that same tone of grey?
thanks a lot and great blog!
Dan,
I was wearing a Check pocket square with a check shirt of diffrent proportions and had a guy say they clashed because of them both being similarly faded. Is this true ?
Thanks,
Great site
this is awesome
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE THE SUIT?
3-piece peak lapel suit and french cuff shirt by Michael Andrews Bespoke (custom made, my own designs)
WHERE DO YOU PURCHASE THE SUIT
thanks. i recently had my first tailored suit. although the turnaround time is 2 weeks and im still waiting to pick up my suit you have provided some great reading material. thank you and i hope to find new articles from you.
thanks again
What is the name or model of this clock? Want to buy one like it!
Amazing look, could I just ask where the suit and shirt are from? Because they are amazing.
Well this is just what im talking about
This is a true stylish man here the 3 pieces suits, suits u well man, the tie is really nice,
This blog is inpiring me in a blog
im starting one http://showmeyastyle.blogspot.com
feel free to send me pics of ya style man
matter of fact everybody is welcomed
eslwago@gmail.com
I like the pattern mixing displayed, all the tones were cohesive and the patterns are of different sizes that are pleasing to the eye!
Hmmm your “own design” is mighty close to Tom Ford, right down to the curved edge of the ticket pocket…
I don’t think I’ve seen too many Tom Ford 3-pieces with lapel vests…?
And how do you know this jacket has a ticket pocket??? We can’t see it in any of the photos…
My bad, I meant chest pocket. As far as TFs with lapeled vests, he makes them…
My man white chocolate with the double crossover doing it again. Nice acquaintance.
Hi Dan,
Were you at Toys “R” Us a few nights ago? I thought I spotted you, but I wasn’t sure.
Cheers,
Matt
Haha, wasn’t me. I can’t remember the last time I was in toys r us. I was probably having a great time though. Thx for reading, next time say hi.
you got way too much going on in this combination man…
Certainly to some, this can be alot. In my opinion, for 6 different check patterns together, this look is fairly tame. I think it gets the point of the post across.
Thanks for reading,
Dan
I love the execution with the colors as usual, the only problem I’ve noticed was the scale of the lapel and the tie knot are not complementing, my opinion is that the lapel is way too wide for that tie knot.
Peak wide lapels = large thick tie ( double windsor knot for balance ) bless Dan !!!!
To John & SD:
Great point. You’re right! Truth is, I couldn’t find a wide enough checked tie that worked with this look. I would usually recommend a larger tie knot with lapels this wide, however I wouldn’t tie a larger knot (double windsor, or better yet, a four-in-hand wrapped twice) on a slimmer tie, as this can throw off the balance of the tie.
I will shine more light on this in a new post soon, but for now here is what I’ve written in the past:
http://mensstyleblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/tip-of-day-tielapel-ratio.html
Thanks for reading,
Dan
Hmmm this has made me wonder if you would ever want the width of the tie to match a peak lapel at their respective widest points..the peak lapel (esp. on a number like this) seems too wide to do that- I suppose play it as if the added “peak” wasn’t there?
I noticed the tie too, but honestly the whole outfit was so well put together it didn’t matter.
NICE! Really Tom Ford ish esp. with the peak lapels and 5 button cuffs… But isn’t the tie a tad too small in comp. to that big lapel…The vest kinda oulled that together though…keep it up
I think one underrated play on that “rule” IMO is with a tie you can usually go smaller in relation to the other components (collar, lapels), just not usually the other way around (don’t make the tie bigger proportionally than those components)
Nice outfit…you are lookin quite sharp!!
jen
http://blankwhiteframes.blogspot.com
Nice look…I’ve always loved the window pane suit. Kinda tom ford-esque
One thing i noticed in particular was the dimple in the tie knot. Perfect!
http://manmanifesto.tumblr.com
thanks for the post dan. like the shoe snob, i would always like to see the shoe as well. i normally love wearing a vest with my suits but i would have left out it out here. i think it’s overkill with the boldness of the suit and the rest of the patterns. otherwise, you’re killin it!
Have you thought about switching up your hairstyle, man? Your barber is clipping you too close! The hard lines in your cut would look better if your hair was blended in the sides and back.
Great suit, great ensemble, overall, great post! Still wish that you would give me some shoe action. Why is it that you sometimes leave them out? You don’t consider them an essential part of your outfit? It ties everything together because you can look super fresh up top but then blow it with your shoes, not that I am saying you are but I feel like it needs to be shown. Just saying…..
http://the-shoe-snob.blogspot.com/
How about the socks? ;)
You’re Killin it ,oh and NICE EFFIN SUIT!!!
Dope suit
Great look, so much yet so simple.
Question: In regards to cutting your own pocket square, is there a certain way to cut the shirt or is there anything that needs to be done after cutting to prevent the fabric from unraveling? Or should one understand that it is only a temporary piece?
Thanks.
-DY
“A man should look as if he has bought his clothes with intelligence, put them on with care and then forgotten all about them”. Hardy Amies
- Nice Lapels, Silk scarf might be more elegant – Christian
http://www.stylesage.co.uk
Subtle touch with the scarf, and nicely done. Kudos Dan!
Dan,
The blue is a great way to pull out the checked pattern and still remain muted in the overall look. Good Work!