Fashion taboos – to break or to forget

There are many taboos in the fashion world. Some of them, the ‘everyday’ people (read: outside the fashion industry) wouldn’t ever know about, although they’re quite interesting.  So today we’re sharing these taboos, and most importantly – which ones you could break and which ones you definitely shouldn’t.

1. Let’s start with the classic: socks and sandals. Well it seems that everyone already knows it’s a taboo but people still do it. Not a long talk here: DON’T

It is still ok to wear sandals without any socks under them, and it is totally ok for a man to have a pedicure, at least during the summer months. Warning – this could be totally addictive!

2. Now this is a tricky one: man purse. You actually can wear a bag but its thin ice you’re walking on. There are some certain bag types that you could wear and look stylish and not… well.. overly feminine (unless that’s what you want, which is cool). So we are going to say it out clearly which sort of bags are ok for a man to wear: briefcase, sport bag, backpacks and of course different sized suitcases. They are manly and they have a reason for wearing – either for work, for sport or for travelling. But you’ll need professional feedback if you try to look stylish with these: murse aka the man purse, carry-all- bag (there might be some exceptions but in the big picture they mostly all look like lady bags), small cross-body bags. Fanny pack: just…don’t.

3. T-shirt with a suit. Wearing a collarless shirt under a suit used to be a taboo but it hasn’t been considered one in a long time now. It’s ok to wear it, and it’s a comfortable look for the summer time. A good tip is to stay simple: a basic white or black t-shirt are the simplest and most classically stylish choices. Patterned shirts can get a little too busy and scream out that you’re trying too hard. Another thing you should notice is that a v-neck shirt will look great under your suit- and may be a better choice that T-shirt. Fancy events and important business meetings should always require a shirt with a collar under your suit, so skip the Tee or V-neck for a proper shirt here.

4. Colour scheme. It’s totally outdated thinking that black is for autumn/winter and white only for the warmer months. Mix it all up! We had a blog post during the cold months where we wrote about the winter whites. Now we recommend you to try a little black during the summer also. Let’s visualize: white pants, white shirt and a black blazer above all. Doesn’t look bad, now does it?

5. Flowers and butterflies. Ok, I don’t want to scare you but it could be really stylish for a man to wear! Many high fashion brands have created patterns with flowers (Gucci), butterflies (Valentino) or just flies and bees (as seen in Dior). And it doesn’t look feminine at all because the trick is in colour schemes! If you avoid light, pastel colours and add a some darker ones, it will change the big picture in a positive and modern way.

6. Can brown shoes match with a grey suit? What about navy? Or black? We’ll end this taboo right here and right now. Brown shoes (shades from chocolate to dark brown) will make the hue of a navy suit look richer, stand out beautifully against grey and, when paired with black tailoring, adds a twist to your look. However, if you’re attending a formal evening or a black tie event, stick with black.

7. Corduroy. This is something you either love or hate, nothing in between. But it’s a matter of how you wear it. Most importantly, try to avoid looking like your grandfather in his old corduroy pants. It is an old-school fabric but it’s also one of the favourite of the Pitti Uomo’s best dressed. The key to not looking like a visiting professor is swapping your usual hues for jewel tones if you are brave, or autumn leaf hues if you are not. Equally important is the wale – the distance between the ridges. The bigger the gap, the warmer the material, the squarer your look.

8. Pinstripes. Some people still question the pinstripes which were a 1980s favourite (think of Cary Grant and Clark Gable). But pinstripes are now totally re-emerging (as seen in Saint Laurent). But no padded shoulders or chest-covering lapels. It’s a tricky one to find in a store but a knowledgeable tailor can help you out. And keep in mind to keep your shirt and tie muted. For any advice just contact the world class tailors from www.lgfgfashionhouse.com who each carry a minimum of 200 hours per year in trend setting training.