I've been getting some emails from readers lately regarding grey: "Can you wear grey in the summer?" "Can you wear grey pants in the summer?" "How do you wear grey?"
I didn't realize this color could be cause for such perplexity for some of you. So let's take it on.
Yes, you can certainly wear grey in the summer. In fact, your wardrobe shouldn't be without it. Grey is a perfect foundational staple. It's a diverse neutral that goes well with just about anything you wear, and especially great for pairing with the punchy colors of spring and summer.
The best way to wear grey in warm seasons is by wearing it as a pant, jean, jacket, or suit - in other words, as a neutral backdrop for adding a pop of fresh color through shirts, accessories, and shoes. Keep the grey tones on the light to medium range. Darker greys and charcoals are ideal for fall/winter, but if a more dressy/formal occasion beckons you, it's a great summer alternative to a black suit.
Here's a basic color chart that I so lovingly put together for you, focusing on grey and the coordinating colors that will maximize your summer style.
For reasons explained above, the grey swatches in the middle represent either a grey pant, jean, jacket or suit. Notice the tonal range, from pale to light to medium. The top two rows of color are your tops. The first row is good for casual knitwear such as polos, t-shirts and pullovers, with the last two colors (navy and black) also filling in for jacket colors if you're wearing grey pants and need a jacket. The second row continues as colors for knit tops, but is especially great for button-front dress shirts or sport shirts.
Although the colors shown are solids, they're only meant to indicate general colors, meaning you should have fun exploring stripes, checks and plaids that come in those shades. In fact, even though some of the colors on the top row may be jarring as solid button-fronts (and therefore not explicitly recommended for them), worn as a crisp stripe or check on a white background and paired with a grey pant, jacket or suit will catapult your style profile to heights you've never before realized.
The bottom row is shoe colors, from white to caramel, cognac, brown, olive and blue (especially in suede or canvas), to black. The last three colors also represent pant colors if you're only wearing a grey jacket - just pick out a shirt color from the top two rows. Also, the navy color under both the jacket and pants sections can stand in for denim, preferably on the cleaner, darker side.
Additional information not covered on the chart: Grey shirts. Grey t-shirts, especially the heathered variety, go with practically anything and any color you wear. For grey button-front shirts, stick with the jacket and pants sections on the chart. Again, the navy color can mean denim in a medium to dark rinse. A pale grey button-front is the best option for a navy pant or suit. You can go a little deeper when pairing with a black pant or suit.
Hope this handy chart helps demystify some of your grey conundrums.
Thanks for reading Veritas Men's Style Blog and keep the questions coming. I'm here to help!
