Men’s Dress Shirts – Understanding the Effect of Contrast on Color Selection
The thing a person first notices about a dress shirt is the color. In a crowded room of men in suits, your choice of dress shirt color will either help you stand out or blend in; neither of which is a bad thing, rather the key here is what are your intentions and do you know how to mix and match your clothing in order to fulfill them. If you’re in need of something unique try custom dress shirts.
The Role of Skin Complexion, Hair, and Eye Color
Many men make their color decisions on what they have readily available or worn in the past together with the ever-changing winds of fashion. The result is what you see today at most networking events; a sea of solid white and blue dress shirts. The two most important factors in selecting dress shirt color are a man’s skin tone and hair color. Eye color is a wild-card factor; in the cases where eye color strongly contrasts a man’s complexion and hair color, it can be used to introduce colors that would otherwise have not complement an individual. It is the relationship between these three factors that determines what contrast category a man falls into: either High, Low, or Medium Contrast
High Contrast Men
These are men whose hair color is a stark contrast to their skin tone; black hair with white skin is a perfect example. For high contrast men the key to looking good is to be able to mimic this color difference in their clothing with the contrast in their facial zone. A dark navy blue suit with a white dress shirts or a charcoal grey suit matched with an ice blue dress shirt are two combinations that complement high contrast men. Dark shirts with light suits, such as a light grey suit with a french blue dress shirt, is an option but requires confidence and warm weather. High contrast men are always complemented by strong ties that stand out from the shirt.
Low Contrast Men
This type of man typically has light hair and light skin, but also includes red haired, bald, and men with little hair. Low contrast men should seek a monochromatic look, as that a strong contrasting outfit will easily overpower their muted tones. Remember the purpose of a frame (your clothing) is to enhance the picture (your face). In general, low contrast men fair well with dark blues and earth tone dress shirts combined with dark suits. When wearing light gray or tan suits, the low contrast gentlemen needs to stay with lighter colored shirts and earth tones; white is permissible here if the suit is light enough to avoid a stark contrast.
