Q. I’m back – remember me from “Seersucker after Labor Day”? I thought your recent correspondent was hilarious – he was still appalled 19 years later that his colleague wore brown shoes with a blue suit. Talk about “1st World Problems!” Sheesh.
I get his point, but . . . I have a nice blue suit that I bought with a pair of snazzy brown shoes! At advice from my conservative wife. And copying a young hospital CEO we know.
The difference is, this is not a dark blue banker’s suit, but a beautiful medium blue, with a slightly more relaxed cut and fabric. But still very much a business suit. And the shoes are a light to medium brown wingtip, with contrasting color welt, and soft red rubber soles. Perfect for walking miles of hospital corridors as we do. And I get nothing but compliments.
If I were wearing my old blue pinstripe suit (that I hope to get back into!), yes, it would be black belt and black shoes. The point is, rules are made to be broken. But wisely!
Faithful reader
A.You two readers are alike in one way: it is clear that you both care a lot about fashion. You know the rules and also are aware that, since you do know them, you can, on occasion, break them, or at least bend them a bit – as long as you do not go too far overboard.
My regular readers (that seems to include both of you) know that I have written in the past about a sophisticated concept of dressing that the dapper male dressers from Italy call “sprezzatura.” It is an old idea defined as: An Italian word that refers to a kind of effortless grace, the art of making something that is difficult look easy, or maintaining a nonchalant demeanor while performing something complex. The term is used most often in the context of male fashion, where classic outfits are purposely worn in a way that seems a bit off, as if they just happened without much thought. An example is wearing the new patterned socks with dress clothes, the kind that formerly only went with casual attire. Or maybe a uniquely patterned necktie from Josh Bach, who is known for his ties with unusual patterns, but quiet, traditional colors. This kind of rehearsed carelessness can help a man stand out in a crowd and personalize his look.
I’m glad you mentioned that you know the accepted rule for the color shoes and belt that go with a dressy navy suit is black – not brown, and definitely not navy!
A few points that you mentioned help explain why combining your blue suit and brown shoes might work for you. First, your specific suit is a cut that’s more casual than a traditional dressy navy suit, and second, your shoes with their wingtips and contrasting colored soles are definitely not boardroom type shoes, thus, allowing for some offbeat leeway in the rest of your choices.
Even so, it is important to remember that dressing for “walking miles of hospital corridors” is not the same as dressing for dinner in a fine restaurant or a dinner party at the elegant home of a conservative/traditional hospital donor. Some situations still call for old-fashioned “correct attire.”
Please send your men’s dress and grooming questions and comments to MALE CALL: Lois.Fenton@prodigy.net
