Thanks again Brian, being European I have never heard of those rules. I was raised by a mother who was a principal of a fashion school. She taught me that you can develop wearing clothes and good accessoiries with it. It is fun to dress up and to show your own style. Trust your instinct an if your mirror says to you: looking good dude...and you are feeling happy with it. That is what counts.
The “No Brown In Town” rule was never about brown suits. It was talking about never wearing brown shoes in ‘the city of London’ aka the financial district.
I broke this rule liberally when I was attending a two-week seminar at a big insurance brokerage by Lloyds. But, this was with dark brown Oxfords with almost no broguing. I noticed that among the younger set, the rule is relaxing a little bit, even in Lloyds itself.
I love brown. I know that at some point people considered brown clothes as being a peasant like attire. Because like you said it was used in the country, by the hard labor people in the 20s, 30s, etc, and in the house
Great tips! I've found I tend to break a few of these, depending on the situation. Anything formal, and I'm down with the rules. Your last tip is definitely the truest. Cheers! 👍👍👍
I just do what I believe looks good, and it always works like a charm. Edit: Watched 'till the end. Loved your promotion of intuition when it comes to style.
Amazing video as ever! I feel like it was hard to watch your face with picture in the background. It blended with your head too much. Keep up the great work!
Of course we need a white belt for white sneakers, because then it also matches our white penny loafers. *saunters into the hotel lounge a la Clark Griswold*
"No brown in town" might have a slightly different meaning in the US, but in the UK it refers to the faux pas of wearing brown shoes in the city of London, instead of black. It originates as a class indicator (wearing brown shoes in a professional setting being a show of lower class) and at top-level finance, consulting, and law firms in the city this adage and its connotations still very much hold (albeit not as strongly as before).
@Selim Mašić It was a class thing. It can make sense in paper, but in practice it's a stupid rule for this day and age. And yes, you would wear black leather shoes in the country in today's world. It's not the color that makes je formal or not, but mainly the build of it
Robert De Niro in the movie Heat (1995) wore his double breasted suit jacket unbuttoned during the entire movie, giving a more casual vibe to a formal outfit.
Hey Brian, I just spotted, that you you don’t have any shoe trees for your shoes. Maybe consider getting some. It will greatly increase the longevity of your shoes + creates a smoother look to them( in slows down the creasing on the uppers) Hope you notice. Another good investment to unlock your full potential! :) Keep up the great content. Your style is really pleasing and I’m looking forward to add similar outfits to my wardrobe 🙏🏼
I really like that final rule, but amend it to, “if it looks right _and feels right_ it is right.” I’m a wardrobe consultant at Jos A Bank, so I get a lot of people who’ve never owned suits before, they’re going suit shopping for the first time in a decade, or their brand new to menswear. Often, they’ll be torn between 2 sizes, cuts, or fabrics. My go to is, “which is more comfortable?” If it isn’t comfortable, 99% of the time, it’s because it’s the wrong size.
The reason double breasted suits - are for slim men only ? IMHO it came from the mind of Stan Lee @ Marvel comics..."The Kingpin" was morbidly obese crime lord and always had a white double breasted suit. Where did Stan Lee get the idea ? From railroad tycoons and oil barons of the early 1900's. Dapper and yet rotund and vile. So yeah, it's an archaic stereotype for sure at this point.
Not quite sure about navy and black. I mean obviously pairing a navy suit with black sues and a black overcoat is not only acceptable but the way to go in more formal settings. That said, navy pants with an odd black jacket or vice versa, that always feels off to me. Generally, a navy blue blazer should be worn with grey (all the way from light grey to charcoal), tan or off-white pants.
@Selim Mašić I just think that the "rule" of not mixing navy and black came about exactly because of navy blue blazers. I think a lot of people who own back pants and an odd navy blazer would wear them together thinking that the colours are "close." Yes, navy and black can work in many scenarios, but the particular one I am describing should be avoided.
As your colleague from the Parisian Gentleman likes to say, one should be aware of the rules before breaking them, but "trust your eyes". Also ignoring DB buttoning conventions is almost always a winner when done right! Great video, and thanks!
Great change of pace, Brian. The black and navy 'rule' has always bugged me too. They look totally fine together. Another rule I don't always adhere to is 'If you have belt loops, always wear a belt.' While I think that is a good rule of thumb for casual outfits generally, with suits, especially wearing them more formally, I prefer suspenders or even going beltless. It creates a cleaner line to my eye, even when there are belt loops on the pants. Thanks for the video, as always!
Hi just discovered your channel I’m in the process of reviewing my entire wardrobe (closet) getting rid of the nonsense and going back to basics with good fashion sense. Love from the UK 🇬🇧
Hi Brian. Love your approach to providing fashion advice. You make is seem more like a conversation about fashion and less of a dictatorship compared to some other channels. Your views on pairing are interesting and I think your advice is good for most people that are having issues with their personal style. Keep creating and evolving. Thanks.
Until this past year, I've always been a no black and navy pharisee! (I wouldn't even wear black with dark washed denim!) Getting over that rule has opened so many options, and stepped up my style in ways I could have never imagined!
The navy and black rule is the strangest one, wearing a navy suit, with a crisp white shirt, black shoes and a black tie, you can see it's a stupid rule.
Another rule that is super outdated and can be broken *if you know what you're doing* is 'don't mix more than two patterns together'. You can easily do three (suit/shirt/tie), or even more than that with a waistcoat, odd trousers and a pocket square added. Learn your colour harmonisation theory and you should be fine.
I've never heard of that rule! I think that's a good guideline for someone just starting out. But, as you say, it's very possible to mix more than two.
i have such a crazy mind. i even don't match colors an go with half a rainbow sometimes. i did this on accident once an a beautiful lady complimented me once so I stopped caring the few days I accidentally dont match colors
IMHO, NO brown EVER should be the rule, rather than no brown in town. Khakis, chinos, wools, linens, can ALL be anchored by black shoes. Looking for a shade of black belt to match the aforementioned shoes? Go with the black shade of black. Ditto the watch band. The real challenge is finding a black shade of eyeglass frames to match the shoes, belt, and watchband; personal choice: black shade of black or just plain black. Seriously, the accessory budget is halved and time wasting on tan, umber, chocolate, etc., ad nauseam co-ordination is a thing of the past.
"think about all the different color shoes you have! How could you match a belt to all of them?" my minimalist ass sitting here owning exactly 2 pairs of shoes with matching belts...
Last one is what I would call the golden rule of style. Our eyes are the ultimate judge. If you enjoy what you see in the mirror, go and rock it with confidence. Well said Brian!
A double breasted Blazer, with gold "Naval" style buttons is based on avery formal traitional style. When worn with wool cloth trousers, it needs to be worn buttoned up. But when worn as a traditional "Yacht Club" Jacket, with a wide range of cotton basd trousers/pants, last century when this style of Jacket was very popular, it was commonly worn unbuttoned, to blend in with the Sailing environment, as opposed to the Yacht scene. But in the CBD of conservative Melbourne Australia, where the wealthy life style mirrored the "City" attitude of London, the rule still is "You don't wear brown in town". In Melbourne you save that for the weekend spent at your Western District grazing property, checking on the sheep, while wearimg your R M Williams boots and an Akubra felt hat, with a tweed Sports Coat, that is usually brown. There is often a very sound historical reason for the creation of so called Fashion Rules. But a great topic. Phil.
About the Navy and black thing. One of the main cities and influencers for fasion is Paris/France tbh. In 2019/20 there was a clear trend in mensstyle to wear navy and black. Paris elegant fashion was Black turtle neck and navy suit... so yeah. More than outdated.
On a double-breasted jacket, NEVER close the lower button on the front ! At least not in Europe. Same for single-breasted blazers. Unfortunately, you see that happen in the UK a lot: all buttons of a blazer or suit closed... A single-breasted jacket is not cut for closing the lower button, so if you do, you force the lower part of the jacket in a place it doesn`t want to be. A double-breasted jacket is, but closing the lower button is just not stylish. It makes sitting down easier too.
I think the key to wearing black shoes with navy is wearing a gray transition. In that way, you treat black (and white) as a shade of gray. So, navy blazer, gray trousers, black shoes. Or, Navy suit, gray socks, black shoes.
I wear white before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. Along with leaving the bottom button on a suit jacket unbuttoned. I button it up. Why do I need to leave it unbuttoned? I also wear white year round. What’s the big deal? Honestly there are a lot of BS rules of fashion. Rules are meant to be broken.
Generally speaking you always match your belt with your shoes with few exceptions as you state. Ladies do the same with their shoes and the purse. And while I love your comment on the brown suit, I’m a 65 year old US diplomat and wear a brown suit only away from the office. Unfortunately, I have several tailored double breasted suits but wear neither now and covered and put away for now…they are no longer worn, at least in Asia but I do hope it returns. Last comment, I absolutely love your RU-vid channel, you remind me of me, especially in a world now where most of the human race is into hoodies, track suits and yoga pants!
I was taught by my father and Grandfather not to cut suits too tight, or shiny and shaving showed respect to your guests, you seem a nice young man but you dress a little like a bookies clark. Here are the real rules, Gold is too flashy Gentlemen dont wear wedding rings. Matchy Matchy (especially suit and ties young man) Cream and white always fight. Suits have three buttons. Navy Blue.
7:00 "If it looks right, it is right" -- trust your intuition. Only espoused by those not old enough to be able to look back at photos of themselves "looking good".... in the 70's and 80's! Hahaha.
This is good. Agreeing that brown shoes or boots are a rather better color match with jeans, I don't agree that black shoes should be forbidden. I'd often been complimented in years past on such; typically shiny black wingtip shoes, blue jeans, black belt belt, and a pink or white Oxford shirt.
It's a bit of a stretch to say all these rules can be freely broken. They aren't rules to be followed to strict precision. The key to take away from this video is to remember and understand the rules, let them guide your style choices, but don't take them too strictly. The mixing metals one is a great example. A wedding band doesn't count in this rule. It is ignored. But don't wear an all steel watch with a gold belt buckle. Matching belt and shoes is another good one to explain. You don't have to match exact shades of brown, or off-browns, and you have more freedom with casual looks, but do not wear a brown belt with black dress shoes. Most of the "rules", aka guidelines, are there because breaking them either does not look good, or ruins the pleasing lines of an ensemble. These rules CAN be broken when you understand what you are doing and why, but don't throw them out the window. :-)
All these rules have good reasons. You can break them, but you should be absolutely sure you know how to break them and what you’re doing. Breaking these rules in the right subtle way may make you elegant, breaking them too much will make you look like moron. Two tone watches are just ugly, no matter the price. Btw the shoe-belt matching rule doesn’t mean they’re supposed to match exactly - they shouldn’t. It’s again about not mixing brown with black etc.
This next coming weekend im wearing my midnight blue suit with black shirt, tie and shoes. Normally I never wear a navy blue suit with black dress shoes, shirt and tie. However after seeing this combination in this video, I'm sold. Can't wait for the weekend.
No brown pants or a suit and black shoes is 100% correct. It's like red and blue next to each other: there's just something deeply and innately jarring about it
It's not so much a question of where the rule of don't mix black and navy came from, but rather how it came to be ok to combine them. Yves St Laurent started that. Daring, I'd say. But now we see differently, you see; so much so, that the younger among us wonder how anybody could have thought otherwise.
You need more light on your face. It’s on your forehead creating shadows under your brows. There are lighting rules too. :) as a side note, does anyone actually say to follow the no brown in town rule these days? Definitely agree on the double breasted. Especially with the lower swoop that’s coming back. But without the inside button, it does look too sloppy. However overall the biggest rule for menswear is confidence. Wear whatever you wear with confidence.
Most of this seems reasonable even if some is a stretch. For example DB suits far from being for thin men were traditionally seen as the way of covering up the prom tum! Brown in town however is a pretty good rule. Where anyone gets the idea that pale brown leather shoes look good with a blue suit is a mystery. They look positively clownish. The one exception is very dark brown shoes a fashion that used to be quite popular in Boston. But in that case why not just go totus porcus and choose black shoes. If you want to push the envelope choose a half brogue. Finally when it revolt against tight bum freezer jackets and tube pants going to begin. Tight pants look great on women not on men. And when the tight pants combine with elephant ankles. Bring back drape.
G. Bruce Boyer wrote something similar to your last rule in True Style. That is : « if you like it, wear it ». I understand it by « if you like the way it look just go with it » which is clothe to your rule in my opinion
There's no way that I'm wearing a back shirt and black tie with a navy suit. There's a lack contrast there and the 'v' shape which is vital simply disappears and the chest resembles a block of colour. From a distance your top half resembles a dark jumper, not a shirt, tie and jacket
It’s all about what looks and feels right. Black and blue can work, and it can crash badly. I had an older boss turn up to a meeting in black suit pants and a navy jacket, he basically just looked like he had packed the wrong pieces of a suit for the trip. Made me cringe.
Mood tips make a look so mood style. I have really enjoyed this look and style. Great work on the video. Now I have to get ready to hit the club again both this video in style and then Delta Parole - Wasted Music Video that I had watched before this again since every night out I rock out to it first goes stunnin smooth, motivated me to be the man tonight. What are any of you other beautiful peoples hit the club songs?
Brown and black can mix in a casual format. But what about a black suit, or even black trousers and black overcoat with brown (even dark brown, because tan would make me ..vomit) shoes?
Lets face it , as long as You don't dress completely ridiculous go for it . The guy in dress clothes wearing a GI issue blouse ( I hope it's not stolen valor ) is beyond Coullion !
Nicely done. I generally agree with 2 small quibbles. 1. On brown with black, I think it looks bad when it is split 50-50. The outfit you showed was 80% brown (brown and creme) with black pants and was fine. But those pants and brown boots with a different color top would not have worked. 2 I believe in matching metals except your wedding band does not count, many men never want to change or take off their wedding band and therefore it is exempt from the matching rule.
Totally agree. I think these things should not be called rules but rather guidelines. They can help you if you absolutely don’t know what you are doing, but it’s not a law you have to abide to...
on your last note, i'd say yes IF he has a good fashion sense. lots of guys are clueless about what looks good and have poor taste. it's always valuable to get an opinion (or 2) when venturing where you haven't been before.
I think something to be acknowledged is that a lot of the "gentlemen etiquette" exists only to signal class. There's no good reason for some of it, other than to out that someone doesn't belong in the room. It's often outdated nonsense, and it's also the reason why millions of Brits eat peas in a ridiculous way (Google it)
The thing that I like the look of that sort of breaks the rules is dark re dark red shirts like maroon and burgundy with much lighter blue suits such as Royal blue, ice blue, and sky blue.
Matching belt and shoes can be so problematic. In a casual setting with sneakers or suede shoes, you don't necessarily need to match the two items with each other, but whenever you're heading more towards the business casual to semi-formal dress code you have to match them or else the whole outfit looks very odd. That's why I always opt for side adjusters on my odd trousers or suit trousers as they completely take away the headache of matching my belt with my shoes and provide a cleaner and more sartorially inclined look.
Long ago I was at a haberdashery and I heard the advisor say this . 4 button coat ; winter only , 3 button coat ; winter or fall , 2 or 1 button coat warm weather .
