Your height can also give you some clues when it comes to choosing the colors of your shirt and pants. If you are a very tall man, you should break up your height by opting for a pair of pants and shirt that come in contrasting colors. Contrasting color are colors that very different one from the other and which lie on opposite sides of the color wheel. You can also work with colors and dark or bright neutrals. Neutrals are colors that can be matched to any other color.

These colors are black, white, beige, khaki, tan, ivory, dark blue, brown, gray, etc.

If you opt for such a combination, you can wear for example a light pink shirt with a pair of brown pants or a pair of light gray pants with shirt in a dark purple.

The effect of such a combination is that it will create a horizontal line at your waist, since the two colors are so contrasting and therefore, you will have more structure, from a visual point of view.

On the other hand, if you want to appear taller, you should choose combos where the colors are similar in terms of intensity and depth. These combinations will create a top-to-bottom line that will result in a longer, leaner appearance.

For subtle, elegant looks, you can always rely on mixing colors that are quite similar to each other, but different at the same time. For example: pink and brown, brown and orange, red purple and pink, or even opt for neutral combinations in different hues: black and ecru, ivory and khaki, etc.

Wearing patterns is also a great way to shine and look great in your clothes. A little practice can make anyone know how to mix prints and patterns. There a few rules you might want to consider if you want to wear one or more patterns and or prints at the same time. These rules are not unbreakable laws, but they are guidelines that will help you look your best. These are:

a) A print or pattern can be very easily mixed with any neutral

b) A print or pattern can be mixed with a solid piece that features on of the colors found in the print.

c) If you wish to mix prints and patterns, make sure that they are not in the same size. For example, thin stripes should be matched with thick stripes. The same rule applies to dots, paisley, checkers, graphic prints and everything else.

Moreover, what you should know is that different frames look better in different types of patterns than others. Smaller men should opt for smaller patterns, while bigger men can wear bigger patterns, but if you are really big, don’t go for a very big and heavy pattern. Men who are average in size can wear pretty much any type of pattern, but they look better in medium-size patterns. To make more sense of this, you can look at it backwards: A small person wearing a huge print will appear as if they are drowning, whereas a large person wearing a small print will look like they are even bigger.

Fabrics

To get great results from your clothes, you can also mix fabrics. To obtain amazing results, the rule is that your fabrics should be similar, but with a little difference between them. For example, plain cotton can be mixed with a fabric that features a texture. A soft fabric can be paired with a rougher fabric, but we would not recommend mixing too soft with too rough, as you risk losing your cohesiveness.

Following these guidelines, you will be able to make the best of any simple shirt and pants outfit and to feel confident and more trusting that even if you choose to wear just a shirt and a pair of pants you will still look amazing!

Fraquoh and Franchomme

Further reading:

Matching your shirt and pants: A guide

How a shirt should fit

What makes a quality shirt: A guide

How to match striped shirts with striped ties

Add a pop of color to your shirts: Accent fabrics

P.S. How do you wear your shirts and pants? Share your thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook or Twitter!