(Picture: Khalid is wearing an over sized butter paper top, designed by Fadi Zumot. White skinny denim pants; Zara Man. "I work with paper all the time, and wanted to do something simple, something minimal with dramatic shoulders." - Fadi)
What’s My Don’ts?
The don’ts are a bit trickier to be put in a list, however, if we must, we will brief you accordingly.
Leather!
Leather might be the single trickiest material to pull of, but a white piece of leather will not compliment any outfit no matter what. However, you can substitute the white leather urge for white silk neckerchief, white rope wristband, or a white knitted beanie. We love the 90s but… no!
If you must, try wearing an all black ensamble (top; shirt, long sleeves, t-shirt. + pants + shoes) and break it with a piece of white leather. For more inspiration, check an example from Zara Man’s lookbook posted in the following page.
Size DOES matter!
Be aware that tones of white and cream naturally add bulk/size to your frame. Great if you’re a skinny male and want to create the illusion of broader shoulders, but not so great if you’re a larger gentleman and want to create the appearance of a slimmer, more streamlined silhouette.
Fur!
In addition to the fact that fur is horrible on its own, white fur, however, is whole different levels of inhumane and hideous, don’t wear fur, and most importantly, don’t wear white fur… pimp much? Unless you’re going for that look, then we’re not judging!
Formal!
White is not formal, nor it is professional, a white shirt is the only piece acceptable (more likely encouraged) in the office, other than that, stick to neutral colors for suits, ties, and shoes. However, in the streets, experimentation is enthused! Jil Sander, in particular, fully embraced all-white tailoring. The very first outfit sent down the runway combined a white overcoat, shirt and tailored trousers with white lace-up shoes for a strikingly crisp aesthetic that set the tone for the rest of the show. An all-white suit is much more appropriate for a smart-casual summer event – such as a garden party or beach wedding – than it is the office.
Eye wears!
I don’t think we need to explain any further, sunglasses and glasses are not supposed to be white, it was big in the 80’s and the 90’s (as much as we love them), and until it makes a decent comeback, we recommend buying metallic, dark, clear, or colored framed shades.
Our favorite: Tortoise and faded gold Club masters.
(Picture: Spring/Summer 2014 Menswear. All; Emporio Armani.)