Listen Up! 5 Spring Dressing Rules.

Including the Law of Crazy Sneakers

By The Editors
April 16, 2015 9:00 am

What light through yonder window breaks? It is the spring, and that thing you’re squinting at is the sun. Time to swap out those greys, browns and blacks you’ve been swaddling in all winter for something a little more playful. Below, the five commandments of spring color and the local haberdasheries that’ll help you put ‘em into practice.


5. Patterned shirts are you friend. The easiest way to add interest to any outfit. We say keep the scale of the print small but bold. Find something that speaks to you. Look to Glass House Shirtmakers for your florals. Or you can hit up Penelope’s for a playful red-and-blue all-over tennis print from Gitman Vintage (A).

4. It’s about rich tones. Not bright colors. Color aversion often begins here. Spring palettes don’t necessarily call for blinding colors or creamy pastels — we prefer something rich and deep. Think jewel-toned blues. Burnt orange. Forest green. They’re much easier to mix and match. Start with this lily pond green herringbone button-down (B) Gitman Bros. made for Haberdash.

3. Anchor your colors down. Bright colors pop best when paired with a more subdued foundation. Khaki tan is in this season. Make it a jacket. We particularly dig Engineered Garments’ Bedford Jacket (C) — casual, lightweight and effortless.

Make your go-to spring bottom a pair of tailored chinos. You can play around with more color here. For an anchor that’ll contrast your busy prints and richer solids, go with a navy slim twill trousers from Save Khaki (D).

2. People notice niceties. The fewer the layers, the more people notice details. Mevyn’s got a line in from Japanese eyewear brand Eyevan 7285 (E). And pick up a pocket square (F) from Independence. We also dig Chicago-based BRZN’s handsome bracelets made from bullet casings (G).

1. When in doubt, crazy sneakers. Sneakers: the one place where we encourage you to go off-the-wall sans abandon. White always works this time of year, and we’re currently crushing on the marled-knit Ransom Field Lites (H) over at Una Mae’s. Less loud, but equally cool: this low-top calf leather number from Buttero.

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