FASHION IN THE AIR: October 2017

WISHLIST | Emerald

GUEST POST | Fashion Myths (and Their Corresponding Truths)

Let’s face it: there’s a lot of misinformation out there in the fashion world. Don’t let old adages from a different era hold back your style. Here are some of the most common misconceptions in fashion:

1. Business Casual is Strict with Little Wiggle Room

There was a period of time where all men were expected to wear suits to work every day. That relented to the standard of business casual: a dress shirt and dress pants that allowed men to ditch the shirt and tie at home. While some people are stuck in that rut, the standard wear for business is yet again evolving. That’s not to say the standard business casual approach is bad—it’s simply one option of many that you should have in your work wardrobe.

So what is acceptable business casual clothing? According to Gentleman’s Gazette, it depends on the industry you’re in and the company you work for. Business casual can range anywhere from dress pants to jeans and dress shirts to simple polos. You can even pull off sneakers in most situations—especially on casual Fridays.

2. Adults Can’t Wear Sneakers

While sneakers are often a good way to dress down your work get-up, they’re always good in more casual settings. There’s no reason you can’t rock a pair of sneakers, but make sure you’re wearing something fashion-forward. Good options include the Adidas NMD or Nike PG or Lebron-inspired sneakers. Toss on some sneakers with a pair of chinos and a V-neck and you have a simple but versatile casual outfit.

3. Socks Should Match Your Pants

Socks may be the most overlooked accessory in your arsenal. Most guys have no idea what to do with them—should you wear white socks? Black socks? Should socks match the color of your pants? One common piece of advice is to always wear socks darker than your pants, but that’s unnecessary and can lead to some awful contrasting color combinations.

The best advice out there is to not overthink it. Grab some interesting socks with colorful designs and roll with them confidently. You can also match your socks to your shirt, tie, pocket square, or any other part of your outfit for an extra bit of flair.

4. Brown and Gray Don’t Go Together

You may have heard that gray suits only go with black accessories like belts, watch straps, and shoes. While pairing black accessories with gray suits is often considered more formal, they certainly aren’t the only option.

Light brown, for example, is a fantastic option to pair with gray suits. It’s true that you may need to exercise caution when pairing darker shoes, like mahogany, with charcoal gray suits as you should have at least marginal contrast between your suit and your accessories. That contrast is on full display when light brown is matched with gray, and it’s an option that will make you stand out for all of the right reasons.

5. Black Suits are a Good Foundation for Your Formal Wardrobe

Black suits certainly have their place. As the most conservative suit color, they’re not just appropriate for events like funerals, they’re preferred. That being said, they certainly shouldn’t be the foundation for your wardrobe.

Navy blue and charcoal gray suits are much better options, according to Esquire. Besides being much, much more versatile, these colors will stand out and pair very well with a variety of different colors on ties and shirts.

6. You Need to be In Great Shape to Wear Form-fitting Clothes

One of the most important things you can do to step up your style is to only wear clothes that fit well. But what exactly does that mean? You want your clothes to be form-fitting, but not tight. If they restrict your movement significantly, they’re probably too tight. If you’re swimming in them, they’re probably too loose.

What it doesn’t mean, though, is that you have to be in fantastic shape to wear form-fitting clothes. It’s true that having a 6-pack and defined muscles will probably make your clothes look better, and you can probably get away with wearing clothes that are a little too tight. But, if you’re like the majority of guys and not in peak physical condition, wearing clothes that conform to the general shape of your body is still going to make you look much, much better.

7. More Expensive Clothes Means Higher Quality

Out of all of the myths in the fashion world, this may very well be the easiest trap to fall into. That’s because this relationship generally holds true; a lot of the time, you’re paying extra money because you’re receiving higher quality.

Keep in mind, though, that there are a lot of other reasons why you may be paying an inflated price tag. For example, you might be paying up for the brand, or for a specific designer. You might be paying up for a celebrity endorsement as well. You may even be paying up for an awesome design that lacks overall build quality. The important takeaway is that you research the quality of the clothing you’re considering buying before you even set foot in a store.