Taste the Rainbow: Wearing Color This Summer

Sometimes, it’s scary to wear color, which can make summer a fashion nightmare for the neutral-exclusive set. Everywhere you look, there’s a bright orange T-shirt, a purple vest, a salmon baseball cap. And when the department stores become building-sized boxes of crayons, you may be thinking, “Well Bond would toss his martini before he’d wear that.” Then again, Bond would also never throw back a PBR and shot of whiskey, which every self-respecting (or self-loathing) man in America has done by now. So perhaps it’s about time to drop the Bond standard and reconsider incorporating those fear-inducing brights.

Just take a big breath and give a go at baby steps. For every turquoise and yellow striped blazer there’s a smallish green accessory. The easiest way to venture into colored clothes is a bright set of sneaks, which shouldn’t be all too frightening considering they’re on the ground, far from eye level, and are probably going to get muddied up from the normal wear and tear of running around or wading through your dirt-caked apartment to get to the refrigerator. Go with a simple pair of Converse, which are offered in many shades and go with pretty much anything.

Color also looks fantastic with your go-to black and white combination. Cool colors like blues and reds pair well with the duo (the red bowtie with a black tux and crisp white shirt is a classic.) A newer take is to combine black and white with fluorescents which really make the contrasting colors pop. If large scale color is still scary, try it in within an accessory like this Diesel watch.

It can be less frightening to delve into color also when pair with a neutral, classic staple like a suit. Because most of the outfit is neutral, the color adds character without becoming overbearing. Many stores like Express offer an inexpensive range of colored button-downs. Top a bright collared shirt with a color in same family, either primary or secondary. For example, try a blue shirt with a yellow or red tie. Or try a purple shirt with an orange or green tie.

Almost any type of sportswear works well with color. In a sense, active wear philosophically is at odds with dull tones, so vibrant hues complement the idea itself of, say, athletic shorts. I personally prefer a bright sporty jacket with well-fitted jeans and boots.

Last but not least, it shouldn’t really ever be too hard to try out a bright T-shirt with a pair of jeans. I mean, really, it’s a T-shirt, not a nuclear war. Stop this peeking violet nonsense and take a peek at yourself in the mirror in a violet T.