Patterns are not easy to pull off. If they’re not done right, they can easily overpower an outfit. Before you know it, the outfit will be wearing you. I was attracted to this Fashionisto’s outfit because of the ease with which he was able to pull off a pair of patterned pants. It looked effortlessly stylish and city-chic. The Fashionisto was definitely wearing the outfit, not the other way around.
For the fall 2015 season in menswear, we’re beginning to see a lot of print on both the top and bottom. While patterns on the top, such as on T-shirts and jackets, have always been common, we can’t really say the same thing for bottom pieces. Aside from the occasional piece here and there, menswear on the runway has always seemed to play it safe with solid coloured pants. However, things are changing. For instance, in their fall 2015 menswear collection runway show, Kris Van Assche featured multiple examples of patterned pants. Dolce&Gabbana also featured several daring looks in their fall 2015 runway show, including a matching floral button-up and pant set. Even classic Burberry Prorsum is jumping on this trend, debuting camouflage patterned pants at their recent runway show.
This Fashionisto demonstrates the perfect way to incorporate patterned bottoms into a business casual look. The outfit isn’t overpowering because the colour palette is kept simple with shades of black, white and grey. These Italian-made Berwich pants are the center of the outfit. By keeping the rest of the outfit neutral, with a black T-shirt and jacket on top and black shoes on the bottom, it allows the eye to focus on the plaid pattern of the pants.
It’s not just the fact that the patterned pants are paired with neutrals; it’s about the finishing details in this outfit that really pull the look together. By pairing these pants with a blazer and dress shirt, the outfit could easily have been taken to business professional. But, by pairing it with a leather jacket it gives the whole outfit an edgier, urban and more casual feel. The Fashionisto let the patterned pants and killer leather jacket do the talking by wearing a basic, black T-shirt underneath.
Finally, the black shoes draw the eye down and elongate the outfit. Had this outfit been paired with different coloured shoes, the outfit wouldn’t have flowed as well together. The top, middle and bottom of the outfit would be competing for attention and the plaid patterned pants wouldn’t be the real focus. These Tiger of Sweden shoes, with their slim and sleek Oxford style, solidify the business casualness of the outfit by contrasting the edge of the leather jacket with their professionalism. With this Fashionisto proving patterned bottoms really can be worn with ease, there’s no excuse for you not to try it too!
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “You should wear whatever is comfortable and makes you feel confident. Oh, and on Wednesdays wear pink.”
