ALL IN THE DETAILS: Complementary Cool

Late autumn has definitely settled in in Western New York. The trees are nearly bare with crunchy brown leaves strewn around the bottoms of the trunks, and rain and hail have bombarded students the past couple of days as dark clouds have coated the sky. However, this week’s Fashionisto didn’t let the less-than-stellar weather get the best of him. His classy ensemble featured blue and orange, which, because they are complimentary colors, really made him stand out on this dreary day.

He started off with a smart, blue-and-white-checkered button-down shirt. Over this, he layered an orange tie with blue stripes, which drew off of the blue in the top. These colors popped against the Fashionisto’s skin tone, and the fact that they are complementary gave an artistic touch that showed he really put thought into his look. To balance out the bright colors, he went with a simple pair of khaki trousers, a black belt and black dress shoes. His striped socks gave a playful touch as they whimsically clashed with the patterns on the upper half of his outfit.

Since the men’s and women’s basketball teams were playing their season openers later that night, this Fashionisto showed his school spirit by wearing a muted St. Bonaventure jacket that really let the shirt-and-tie combination shine. He finished the outfit with his oversized glasses, which added a quirky touch.

As the days get darker and the weather gets colder, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of wearing only neutrals and dark colors. However, bright colors have the power to boost your mood and energy. Plus, they will set you apart from a sea of blacks, grays and browns.

How To: Pick a pair of complementary colors, whether it is red and green, yellow and purple or orange and blue, to mimic this Fashionisto. If you are feeling nervous, try incorporating the colors in subtle ways, such as in your accessories.

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