Black menswear guide

Versatility is fundamental and the key while investing in a custom tailored wardrobe. However, when it’s time to spice it up, we will in this article help you by adding the color black. If you do it right, you will look amazing and by combining it with other colors you will find that it’s actually quite versatile.

While we are on the subject of doing it right, we do not mean the black suit and tie look. Sorry, but none of us are James Bond! The key here is to dress it down in a soft tailored and casual manner. Also perfectly styled casually with a piece of cashmere knitwear (yes, cashmere) and you are good to go. The black menswear pieces we like to wear are first and foremost the black linen suit and the black linen shirt. An extremely elegant look for summer when everyone else is wearing lighter colors, the perfect way to make a fashion statement. Worn together they make a perfect match and you can always swap the shirt for a thin silk sweater if you prefer. While not being as traditional as a beige linen suit, the black linen suit is here to stay, you can see why!

A pair of black denim is perhaps the easiest way to get some black pieces into your wardrobe. Preferably worn on an everyday basis with your casual tailored pieces. It’s easier to combine than you might think, especially with lighter colors or matching black at the top.

Another great outfit to look into is the black flannel suit. Not necessarily meant to be worn as a whole outfit (unless dinner, obviously) but as separates with almost anything. Due to its unlimited matching possibilities, you can wear the black flannel trousers and jacket on countless occasions. Our recommendation is to style the black flannel jacket with a pair of cream or light beige flannel trousers and a beige wool jersey shirt. The black flannel trousers look great together with a cashmere roll neck and a soft jacket. You should also consider the black linen shirt – this black linen outfit really makes you stand out!

Don’t ditch black clothing just because it’s summer and hot. Instead, choose your fabrics and materials according to the season. You should always try to dress for the season anyways so it’s no different when wearing black, although now it comes down to the material and construction of the garments. Luckily for you, there is a huge variety of fabrics to choose from – finding the right one for your style and preferences is key. Always stay true to your style!

A flannel suit or heavy cotton trousers are more suitable for the colder months, for example, the charcoal och black flannel suit. Due to the weight of the cotton and the brushed finish of the flannel these fabrics are suitable for staying warm. Linen, silk, and lighter-weight fabrics will naturally be more suitable during the spring and summer months. Meanwhile, a high twist quality like Fresco or Traveller fabrics are highly practical for wearing on a night out. Naturally, you are on your best behavior, but we know how it is. You end up on the dance floor and when you’re doing your best moves you will be happy that you chose a fabric with high breathability and excellent durability. It’s simply a Saturday night compatible type of fabric.

Most importantly, make it easy for you. Combine it with fewer colors and go with light earthy tones and the rest will speak for itself.

There is just something about a black tuxedo that makes a man stand out. It’s bold, yet elegant, and everyone looks very good in it. While tailoring nowadays is leaning more and more towards the casual feel, there is a way to dress it up with confidence. There is a fine line between being too stiff and perfectly balanced when it comes to black formal suiting and when dressed in a black tuxedo you’ll sit right down on top of that line. Formal wear might be used at black tie events or weddings, preferably during the evening. Our recommendation is to go for the classic single breasted black tuxedo with a white shirt as your first tuxedo. When you got the base covered you could look into things like a black dinner jacket in velvet. All you need is one new piece to create a whole new outfit since you get to use your existing tuxedo trousers and tuxedo shirt. When you are choosing what fabric and texture to go for on your lapels, the black ottoman lapel is the best match for the jacket. Only choose something else if the tuxedo is blue. The texture of the ottoman lapel gives the jacket some depth without being too eye-catching, we leave that to the ladies.

As perviously mentioned, black is extremely versatile. Here are the most important things to consider when choosing your accessories,

• Match the texture
• Pick one accent color and stick to it
• Stay away from too bold colors (on black everything pops)
• As per usual don’t over do it, less is more

We love to wear a black belt with a black outfit. The brass buckle complements the otherwise monochrome look just enough. A general style tip to consider when picking what socks to wear would be to match the shoes and not the trousers. This way the shoes comes together better with the rest of the outfit instead of being in direct contrast with the rest. We all know someone that would wear his black suit with brown shoes, don’t be that guy. When going almost all black you should not break the outfit up with a pair of brown shoes. A black loafer or dressed sneaker will work much better for you!

When it comes to jewelry, and watches we prefer going for yellow gold with the exception of the potential wedding ring (since it will be whatever you’ve got). Remember to keep the accessories to a minimum and focus on getting the rest of the outfit right! If you need further guidance with you styling or on what items to get you can schedule a meeting with one of our style professionals here.