Gray, your new favorite color
I was in a job interview once, and was thrown a curveball question – what was my favorite color? My curveball answer was “Gray.” The interviewer looked pretty confused as to why I’d choose, what many think, is a bland color. After explaining to him how versatile the color was, he then understood.
Gray is one of the best colors in your closet. It’s one of the only colors that pairs well with any color: black, white, brown, pink, green, etc. Doesn’t matter. This is why you need more gray in your closet, and it never fails when you’re in a pinch to find something to wear.
Gray as a Base
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Blue jeans are a classic for a reason. They’re comfortable. They can be dressed up or down. And they coordinate with everything. But they’re also typical. Everybody’s got a pair and most everybody’s wearing them. Enter the color gray. It’s neutral, so it goes with everything. It’s different – so you separate yourself from the crowd. It works great on chinos and especially well on jeans. In fact, I’m wearing gray jeans while I write this!
What I’m wearing today, as I write. I’m a big fan of gray jeans. And these red, casual sneakers are a great way to add a pop of color to my outfit.
Gray on Top
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A gray v-neck sweater over a button-up. A gray cable-knit sweater in the winter months. A gray Oxford Cloth Button Down on top of dark blue jeans. A solid gray t-shirt on a warm day. All very stylish ways to take the color gray and make it work to your advantage. It’s also a great way to setup a pop of color. A red (or maybe yellow!) button-up underneath a gray v-neck sweater on top of blue jeans is a great way to sneak a little color into a classic look.
A classic gray oxford cloth button down. You could wear this shirt under a sweater, or on it’s own over jeans or colored chinos. This shirt would also work well in the summer time on top of casual shorts, also. (Side note: I’m really digging the buttons on this shirt. Personal style is all about the details, after all. -M)
Formal Gray
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It’s rare that I, John, have to wear suits. But when I purchased my first real suit I opted for gray and wore the hell out it, paired with a variety of different colors. It’s a great color to dress up for formal events or work. Save your black suit for funerals. Another great thing about gray suits is that they work with both black or brown dress shoes. Other that white, you can’t do that with any other suit color.
If you don’t have a gray suit already and plan to buy one, start with a plain mid-tone color. No stripes, not too light, and not too dark. This will be the safest play and give you more options for pairing different color combinations. But in general, you can’t go wrong when suited in gray.
This is a gray suit that I wore to a wedding paired with a pink shirt, accessories, and brown shoes. Even though brown or black shoes pair well with a gray suit, I personally prefer brown shoes.
Gray on the Side
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We can’t speak highly enough about the Rossling & Co. watch with the gray tweed band. We both have one, and love them. I’ve thrown everything in my wardrobe at this watch, and it never ceases to pair well with everything I wear, whether formal or casual.
As the weather starts to cool off more, gray accessories are great to pair with whatever type of coat/jacket you’re wearing. This means scarves, gloves, hats, and things of that nature. Bonus points if you have all of those things in gray.
Another often overlooked place to add in some color is your belt. A gray belt is a great addition outside of the typical black and brown. Depending on the shade, it looks good when paired with denim, or light colored chinos.
Inspiration
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A gray coat is great with a colored scarf.
In warm weather, gray boat shoes are never a bad idea.
Gray on gray on gray.
Solid layering w/a gray v-neck