WIWT

[kenneth]

Alan - Sorry I'm just now responding to your post, yeah, I realize I probably should have unzipped it a bit more. And good note on the sleeves! That's something I'll be doing from here on out. I got my Strands today, as well as a pair of Cole Haan Air Coltons from the Clad sale. Only thing is, on the site they looked like a dusky gray, in person they look more of a gray/olive. What exactly should I wear with these? Chinos of various colors? Any recommendations are appreciated, I've never owned strangely colored shoes before. (socks are inadvertently close to the shoe color, I was in a rush).

[alan]

@Kenneth: Those Coltons definitely look a little olivey beige. If you're not fond of the color, they're light enough that you can probably have them dyed at a cobbler to whatever color you want. As is, you can wear them with any sort of khaki, brown or (for the more adventurous) hunter green or burgundy cords. Blue jeans might work, but I'd test it out first. And you can always dye them later. it's not a decision you have to make now. I'm guessing it costs in the range of $30, but don't quote me.


It's a shame the Strands and the Coltons had to come in on the same day. The Colton is a fine shoe in its own right, but it's just not playing fair to set them next to the Strands. :-)

[alan]

@kenneth: In re-reading my last post, do be cautious about particularly dark pants with those shoes. not only are the shoes olive-ish, they're rather light.

[kenneth]

I like the color, I just don't know if I have anything to wear with them! Haha. I don't really own any khakis or cords.. I have 3 chinos(in Jet blue, olive green, and a darker khaki) coming from Bonobos, so perhaps the shoes will look okay with one of them. And perhaps once summer comes and the lighter pants come out they'll be okay.


On that note, though, do you think they're safe to wear with moderately dark wash jeans? I don't own any light jeans, and don't really plan on buying any. The shoes are probably a touch darker than in the picture, the light is a bit bright in my office.


(side note: the Strands are so gorgeous that it hurts. I've never owned a shoe this nice before, I'm almost too afraid to wear them!)

[alan]

@Kenneth: As for not owning any khakis, perhaps you're not aware, but khakis and chinos are the same thing. Just a different name. The word "chinos" is pretty popular right now, and I think it's because "khaki" is both a color and a pant. Calling them "chino" removes the ambiguity. It may seem weird to say you have a pair of "jet blue khakis", but it's not incorrect. So maybe they haven't arrived yet, but you'll have several pairs of khakis soon enough.


As for going with jeans, you'll just have to try it and see. Darker shoes help, but there are a LOT of aspects to color (and combining color) that are difficult to cover in one post. A lot of people would probably beg to differ, but I'm a firm believer in using the color wheel when deciding what to wear. However, even people that dismiss it probably use most of it's rules and don't realize it because when you break the rules, it often "feels wrong", even if you can't figure out why.


If this is basic and everybody knows already, somebody tell me to shut up. Otherwise, check this out:

http://www.colormatters.com/color-an...c-color-theory

[alan]

... and if you're using one (whether physically or in your head), make sure it's a primary color wheel and NOT an RGB color wheel.

[alan]

Oh, and keep in mind that every color has "tone". When people think of a color (red, blue, green), they're generally thinking of "hue". But each color also falls on a range from dark to light and also from grey to full color (saturation). That's the tone. It helps to consider both when combining colors.


Bottom line... Blue and green are "analogous hues", but if the tone is wildly different, it could still look funky. So test the shoes with the jeans and se if it feels right.


... and THAT'S how you make an answer waaaay too long.

[CJJ]

@ Alan, wow.

[alan]

Yeah, sorry. I over-explain everything. i se myself doing it, but I can't shut myself up. :-S

[kenneth]

@Alan - Wow is right. You've given me a lot of information to pore over! I was aware about the chino/khaki thing, I just don't own any khakis OR chinos right now(until the ones from Bonobos arrive, that is.) Thanks!

[Tat]

Wow...

[alan]

Well the good news, as we've ALL pretty much figured out, is that the rules usually take care of themselves and anyone who isn't color blind can do a reasonable job of combining colors without any technical know-how. Sometimes it just helps to know why.

[alan]

This article talks about the various characteristics of "visual weight", but the color portion helps explain why lighter shoes aren't always easy to work with.


http://sixrevisions.com/graphics-design/visual-weight-designs/


If you read it, think of your clothing ensemble as a stack of blocks with your shoes being the bottom block. Do you want a sturdy or flimsy block on the bottom of your stack? This is by no means a hard and fast rule, but it starts to give you an idea of why some combinations just feel wrong.


And by the way, it's just as easy for a pair of shoes to carry too much visual weight and you can look like you're dragging around a pair of bricks. Can anyone say "black shoes"? ;-) And then look at the portion of the article dealing with contrast. It literally shows you how combining black shoes with dark or black outfits reduces the overall visual weight and makes the whole ensemble more balanced.

[CJJ]

... wow.


My friend you will have no problem earning that MBA.

[nicholascrawford]

@Kenneth - great purchases! I can't wait to get a pair of Strands at some point. =)