Grey Power for Men

Grey is back, and in a big way. Once considered to be an especially dull and boring selection, a multitude of fashion pairings (and designer offerings, particularly Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss) are being put forth in smokey shades that will match nearly anything.  Perhaps that’s the point, however, in an industry plagued deeply by the current global recession. Fashion has taken a turn for the more practical, and what could exemplify this notion of practicality better than a return to rugged utility.  Topcoats are simply the warmest garment that a man can possibly wear throughout the winter months, particularly those gentlemen who live in cooler climates in North America. The topcoat also affords the ability to be worn with both jeans and a sweater as well as a full dress shirt / tie / slacks combination. Grey is an excellent colour for topcoats in that it will not show stains very easily whatsoever, especially when struck by filth or slush from the street. Grey also co-ordinates very well with other monochromatic items such as white, black, stone, and gunmetal. One thing to note about grey topcoats is that they are normally patterned – typically with a herringbone, hounds tooth, or pinstripe design. Herringbone patterns match extremely well with windowpane check shirts, hounds tooth doing very well with faintly striped or paisley patterned tops for more artistic men.  Grey sweaters, particularly as a base colour for argyle prints, are exceedingly popular nowadays at almost all menswear outfitters and fashion boutiques. Grey makes an excellent background for a winter argyle as it allows for a great deal of colour variation within the print (typically greens, light blues, browns, and burgundy). When matching sweaters or shirts a topcoat, it is important to ensure a difference in shade. Contrast can be maintained within a monochromatic ensemble with ease as long as there is enough visual seperation in the shades worn. Try to ensure that charcoal bases be worn with lighter smoke colours, rather than pairing coal or gunmetal shades (dark greys) with like dark colours. Charcoal and smoke coloured dress pants are also widely popular, once again in a herringbone or pinstriped finish (houndstooth does not normally grace dress pants or slacks in general). When wearing these colours of pant, it is recommended that a top of a different colour entirely be worn (or, in keeping with the monochrome theme, a crisp white will look amazing). Grey doesn’t have to be boring and staid, it can instead be sharp, urban, and modern – played up a bit with accessories such as a scarf or a colourful tie when worn with a topcoat.