Men's Yellow Shirts

Izod

Q. I’ve noticed that you mention yellow as one of the basic shirt colors. What shade of yellow do you mean?


A. Yellow is a welcome change from all those standard white and blue shirts in a man's closet. I recommend three different shades of yellow shirts as part of a well-rounded wardrobe. Each one suits a different need.

Canary or lemon yellow, the bright shade that immediately comes to mind, is the least versatile. But it is not to be overlooked. It is great as a sport shirt; it adds spark worn under a dark patterned sweater. For dress shirts, it is perfect with beige or gray tweed sport jackets, and it looks smart with a navy blazer. Thus, it's a natural for weekend dressing and for offices where men dress down for business. But bright yellow is not a flattering color on everyone. If your coloring is fair, it may tend to "wash you out." On the other hand, redheads and a lot of guys with dark hair and eyes look terrific in bright yellow.

The second shade is softer and paler than bright taxicab yellow; some stores call it "maize." It is a step dressier than the brighter shade and flattering to more men. It goes with all the same clothes as the bold yellow shirt and looks great with khaki suits, particularly with a nice summer tan. Also, it is terrific with the popular year-round duo of navy blazer and khaki (or olive) pants.

The third shade is the dressiest, the most elegant, the most flattering, and – unfortunately – the hardest to find. I have never understood why more manufacturers do not make it. It is a soft cream or ivory shade – not the beige/tan shade known as ecru (as in elevator operator and delivery men's uniforms). If you're not sure what I am describing, picture vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream. This rich color – in both senses of the word – goes nicely with just about every suit, blazer, sports jacket, and sweater. Often it can substitute for a dressy white shirt. It flatters every complexion. The fabric you are most likely to find this color in is a fine cotton pinpoint Oxford cloth or a high quality cotton in smooth broadcloth. If you come across one, snap it up; but keep in mind that it will probably not be inexpensive.

Not all yellow dress shirts are solid color. A yellow-and-white stripe is a welcome addition to a man’s Oxford cloth button-down collection. Lands’ End has a spaced stripe in gold and blue. Brooks Brothers has a yellow gingham check. Charles Tyrwhitt has a handsome yellow and light blue stripe. And I recently found a great-looking yellow with a fine blue windowpane pattern at Paul Stuart.

Neckties that work especially well with yellow shirts are stripes or small all-over patterns with a bit of yellow in the design (not as the background color). With a yellow shirt, ties in such background colors as blue, black, green, or brown all become more sophisticated if yellow is part of the pattern. For men who have trouble coordinating colors, a yellow shirt is particularly useful, because – unlike other colors – the various different shades of yellow do not seem to clash.

Since most men own white and blue shirts in every permutation from solid to stripes, a yellow shirt offers a refreshing change of pace – something a bit different without being outlandish.

The Tie Makes a Difference

Q. You often discuss men’s neckties, but these days I am seeing fewer and fewer guys wearing ties. This seems to suggest that men are dressing more casually. Do you think this is actually true? I am in an industry – and an office – where we still dress in suits for work. Even though most of the others go without a tie, I wear a tie, unless it is wickedly hot outside. Are some fields different? I guess what I’m asking is: Are ties still important?

A. Yes, the standard office style of dressing depends largely on the industry, and some fields are more formal than others. Sadly, you are also right that fewer men are wearing ties. In fact, these days a lot of men don’t. But in many offices at least one or two guys still wear them. This is especially true where those one or two men are the ones with a large dose of self-confidence and an ongoing desire to look professional.

Over the years that I have been lecturing and writing about how men can dress to look their best, I’ve often heard them complain that the uniformity of men’s clothes forces them into a sea of sameness. Yet, as you point out, this one item in a man’s wardrobe – the one that not only allows for individuality and distinction, but that actually cries out for it – is often the first item that men eliminate.

A dark suit or dark jacket plus a light shirt is still pretty much the business – and dressy social – uniform. In a room full of men dressed in this get-up without the welcome addition of a colorful necktie, the overall effect is sure to be dull, dull, dull. Personally, I cannot fathom why any man with a strong sense of self would want to disappear so completely into the background. In every other aspect of life, most people try to stand out, to distinguish themselves from the herd. Why not – at least somewhat – in their dress? But then, I am not exactly the most objective person to ask about this.

I may seem to be pressing hard to encourage the pendulum’s continued swing from “business casual” to more formal business attire. Well, yes, I do favor such a return and am pleased to see the renewed interest in dressing well for business (and also social occasions). But I’m not fooled into thinking the tide will turn totally or dramatically any time soon. A certain degree of casual dress for business has become too firmly entrenched to disappear completely. Even those men who are influenced by the new formal/dressy “Mad Men” look and are wearing more suits than before, now choose somewhat more casual suits than the dark pin-stripes and chalk-stripes of a decade ago.

The important point about today’s way of dressing – one of the biggest changes from the “business casual” look of five to seven years ago – is clearly evidenced in the shirts men are now wearing. Back then, business casual truly was casual; we saw a lot of polo-type knit shirts worn alone with khakis or under sport coats. That look is pretty much gone. Today, whether a man wears a suit or a sport jacket – either with or without a tie – he will usually be wearing a dress shirt. In fact, dress shirts are hugely popular these days! And they are often a dressy style, such as a straight-point collar or spread collar, instead of the more relaxed button-downs that were synonymous with Wall Street a while back. A lot of today’s dress shirts go beyond the expected solid whites and solid blues. The big swing is to what the clothing industry calls “fancies”; these include gingham checks, diamond-weave textures, tattersalls, and all varieties of stripes. Another variation from a while back is that shirts are slightly trimmer in cut – not body-hugging tapered, but certainly less voluminous than the old Brooks Brothers cut. In addition, French cuffs (which at one time were limited to dressed-up occasions and dressy ties) have become extremely popular, even without a tie.

So, yes, we are seeing more suits than a few years back and more dress shirts, and also, yes, we are seeing many more men wearing those suits and shirts without a tie.

Nevertheless, I’m sure I am not alone in thinking that wearing a tie is a smart move for a man who wishes to set himself apart from the crowd. Good for you. Stick to your guns!

Black-Tie Dressing

Q. I am attending a black-tie event later this month. Recently you wrote about what the groom wears for a black-tie wedding, but I still have a few questions. Maybe you can give me some more information about tuxedoes – regarding which lapel type to choose and the appropriate pants.

A. These are important considerations, particularly if you are buying your black-tie suit, rather than renting. The most important point about black-tie dressing is that it makes a man look wonderful. If a man has even one or two occasions a year to wear it, he should strongly consider owning his own. I cannot recommend it too highly. As I often say regarding renting: Try to picture James Bond dressed in a tuxedo worn last week by an eager, fresh-faced senior!

Now, as to the specifics, when discussing lapels, you really need to think about the collar and the lapel as a package concern.

Suit collar-and-lapel styles are designed in three different cuts:
1. Shawl – traditional curve cut, used only on formal wear (less flattering on a heavy man)
2. Peaked – most dashing, more often found on double-breasted jackets
3. Notched – least formal, a standard business-suit cut.

Lapel fabrics are:
1. Satin – a silk-like, smooth, glossy fabric
2. Grosgrain (pronounced grow’-grain) – a ribbed twill-type fabric that is far less common than satin – it has a special refined elegance.

Closings are either single- or double-breasted.
1. The classic single-breasted cut is guaranteed to remain in style forever.
2. A double-breasted cut should probably not be your first and only choice because it comes in and goes out of style (although it is dashing and very flattering).

If I’m discussing the front, I probably also should mention the back of the jacket.

Back vents:
1. A single vent in the back of the jacket is the most traditional
2. Double back vents (also known as side vents) are very British
3. A ventless (that is, no back vent) jacket has a dashing 1940s look (think Humphrey Bogart in “Casablanca”).

As for the trousers:
Trousers have a ribbon that matches the lapel material – satin or grosgrain – running down the side of the leg. Pants are cut straight, not tapered; they are worn with braces (button-on suspenders), never a belt; they should be a shade longer than other pants, with a full break and no cuffs.

A black-tie outfit need not be expensive. It need only be classically cut and tailored to fit well. Ideally, it is made of 100 percent lightweight wool. You might even get lucky in a vintage shop and find a gently used model that can be altered to fit you beautifully. Stay with the basics in the suit; leave whimsy – if any – for the accessories.