Olive-Color Suits - Yea or Nay?

[babygreenspots]

What do we think of olive suits? Are they just unattractive?

What goes with them, in terms of shirts and shoes?

What skin-tones look best in them?

 

[tiecollector]

I think anyone can wear an olive suit. I think the biggest risk might be looking like a grandpa. Be careful.

 

[Thurston]

I like it with an off-white shirt and a tie with rich autumn colors like gold, deep red, purple, etc... A tattersal shirt should work as well.

 

[texas_jack]

I think a cotton olive suit in the summer would be nice.

 

[aportnoy]

Resounding yes. My first bespoke suit will be a Lesser olive flannel.

 

[Film Noir Buff]

Personally, i think mint is a more interesting suit color than olive. Olive is certainly traditional in the USA for cotton polin suits. Be wary of the quality of the material, cheap olive and/or taupe will make you look very plastic and powerless.


Another note for people will sallow or olive complexions. I saw a man in an olive suit last summer with such a skin tone and he was wearing a yellow shirt with the suit. it made him look moribund. Make sure you have something brightening as a shirt. Examples would be white or a baby blue.

 

[lasbar]

Wearing an olive suit is more than a gamble ,it's a fashion statement....
Like every gamble ,you're taking the risk to look great ,avant-guarde ,edgy or simply plainly ridiculous..
The same rule is applying to strong colours..
I remember one of my friends ordering olive shoes 20 years ago and we all thought that was an act of sheer madness at the best!!!!
Now ,certain shoes designers like Guyot are celebrating them!!!
One good point has been raised regarding the skin tone and that is the most essential one...
Olive does not suit every skin complexion ,far from that...

 

[Manton]

Olive works well in cotton, not so well in wool. I really don't like it in plain weave wool. In gabardine, it's hit or miss, though I will always gravitate toward tobaccos and tans in gab. There are some good flannels and worsted flannels. The "greener" it is, the worse it looks to me. It should have some gray and/or tan undertones to soften the effect. Truly green dye really only works for tweeds.

And, portnoy, I am reliably told that the true name for the color of your suit is "donkey." Don't shoot the messenger.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Depending on your coloring, olive and its gradations can be quite chic. Personally, I love it. However, if your skin is on the sallow side, you're better off with loden green. Loden is kinder to complexions, more versatile, and just as striking.

 

[aportnoy]

Originally Posted by Manton

And, portnoy, I am reliably told that the true name for the color of your suit is "donkey." Don't shoot the messenger.

"Donkey", there's some sort of symmetry there.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by aportnoy

"Donkey", there's some sort of symmetry there.
Three letter word, starts with "a" ...

 

[rgpuppy]

i perfer a greenish taupe to a true Olive color...wear it with gold, burnt orange, rust etc...also with lavender and pink shirts in the saddle seasons of early fall and early spring.

Only do a Olive or Taupe in a Gab weave as square weaves look flat and a little "cheap" imo.

 

[EL72]

I agree w/Manton. No worsted olive. Flannel, or cotton/linen for summer works. I don't have a suit but I have both odd trousers and coats in different shades of olive flannel and I love wearing them in the fall.

 

[Duveen]

Originally Posted by texas_jack

I think a cotton olive suit in the summer would be nice.

I have a nice olive/taupe suit that I wear in the summer. Unless the wool is very heavy, I think of olive as a cool color nicely set up to fight off hot weather.

 

[odoreater]

I say "nay" to the olive suit. But, that's more of a personal style preference.

Olive shoes on the other hand...