Serious Crimes Against CM

[MalfordOfLondon]



Brooks Brothers, long a stronghold of of the reasonably conservative, has embraced the too short jacket. End times, friends. End times.

Spoiler

They've been doing this for a few years now. It's Thom Browne for Brooks Brothers "Black Fleece".

 

[Bortelli]



I'm hardly a noob, but black shirts with suits can be done correctly. As long as you maintain line and contrast, which means a suit light enough for them to contrast, and worn open necked. There are other non-suit or jacket looks where really dark shirts work, too. I have a couple striped purple ones I break out on occasion- one really dark, one closer to a maroon.

If you put on a black (or other really dark) shirt and then reach for the tie rack, you are doomed.

But it's very much an advanced move, and if you have to ask...


Oh, and black suits have never been incorrect- the idea that there's a tradition that shuns them is pretty recently invented. See the mythbusting thread. Some people not liking them because they don't work with their skin tone does not make them a grave sartorial sin, it makes them a color like brown or olive that doesn't look good on everybody. I can't wear a tan jacket, but that doesn't make a khaki summer suit an evil that nobody else can wear.

Nice Try

 

[Dan e gee]



Agreed on this one. It still shocks me that people even do it ( fasten top button without a tie). I thought everyone knew this.

Don't tell John Malkovich

 

[Dan e gee]



I'd say the pants in the picture Balfour posted are too dark for those shoes, but I think there are some navy with which those shoes would work, though not in a conservative business dress context. Also, as far as black suits, should we specify "during the day time" as it becomes a bit more acceptable after the sun goes down? Sometimes his knots work. Sometimes they don't and sometimes you don't even notice... (I'd be smirking too)

Oops your Royal Highness, pocket square with boutonniere.... and frayed shirt collar

 

[Bortelli]

When someone try's to pull off a contrast collar dress shirt in a casual way

 

[Isolation]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but this is the newest about this sort of thing. After much lurking, I've gathered that there's a disdain for dark trousers in general. Along this sentiment, people have mentioned that because we generally want contrast between trousers and blazer/sportscoats, darker trousers mean lighter sportscoats, and several have said they dislike that combination.

Obviously we generally prefer to draw eyes more towards our chest/head area, so many argue that a color like the much hated black draw all the attention/suck all the color/etc. Black is a stark color, it is not warm. Furthermore it stands in contrast to most peoples features, whereas the lighter tan or mid gray is more neutral.

Then here is my theory: none of the people who hate dark trousers have dark/black hair.

That is to say, for someone with dark features/hair, a very dark color actually is more neutral and it is the light colors that stand out, and therefore it's relatively more appropriate for them to use darker colors where they want muted pieces, and use lighter colors when they want pieces to stand out. In this case, dark trousers and lighter colored blazer.

I've always thought some of the "rules" here are exclusionary; black suits are generally more accepted in Asian countries. I'm sure lots of SFers would just reply saying that's because they dress worse. Maybe that's partially true but maybe there's also more?

Thoughts?