The color purple

[Stu]

I bought a beautiful Zegna lavender, light purple sweater on an end of season close out the other day. But my wife told me it looks too feminine, that I look gay wearing it (not that there's anything wrong with that, as Seinfield says). She does have a degree in Fashion Marketing so she knows a bit about clothing.
I thought it was gorgeous, but of course returned it, because if the missus doesn't like it, it won't work for me. Does anyone else think lavender is a color men should avoid? Can you get away with it in certain circumstances.

 

[GatorStyle]

I absolutely think that a guy can, and should, get away with wearing that color- as long as it's of an appropriate shade.  Check out the thread below on the color pink, and just substitute the words lavender or purple everywhere you see pink (in fact, I think I even use lavender and purple as an example).  In a nutshell, wearing colors like that in the right way can demonstrate a bold, confident sense of style that will be appreciated by those who you're trying to impress in the first place (wives/girlfriends/women at large/other guys with style/all of the above).  But again, the key is doing it right, in terms of shades and pairing with the rest of your outfit.

 

[LA Guy]

I think that colours like lavender are best left to dress shirts and summer ties. In my opinion, they look fine as a colour accent under a dark suit, but should by no means be the dominant colour in your outfit. A lavender sweater might be okay in winter under a suit that has lavender/purple highlights, but even then is dicey at best.

 

[Steve B.]

I hate to disagree with your lovely wife, but I think lavender looks great, especially in summer. Not really the right color for winter. Don't suppose the sweater was in an XXL, and I could get it- LOL?

 

[PConsultant]

I'm not too familiar with lavender, but I prefer a deep purple. Ralph Lauren uses it often in his fashions and it looks incredible. As many of my friends say, only certain men can pull off an ensemble with purple involved; luckily, they include me in said group