Pattern Mixing (Summer Edition)

Though I have written about this topic before, it's been a while since I offered the subject of pattern mixing up for debate. Most guys don't have much trouble with two patterns, such as a striped shirt and foulard tie, but three patterns is tricky. What follows may even kind of sort of qualify as four...or at least three and a half.

I realize I wore this jacket only just the other day, but it's season is brief and I'm trying to get some mileage out of it. The tie is vintage 1980s Brooks Brothers, a $ 2.99 acquisition from just yesterday. An old Sero oxford, J.Crew khakis and a cap from The Village Hat Shop complete the ensemble.

I actually had no intention of wearing a jacket today, but this tie was practically demanding it. Of course, my first inclination was to keep it simple and reach for the trusty navy blazer. As I stood in the closet, it occurred to me that this was going to look an awful lot like a school uniform, and a fake one at that. Given that I was already pushing the possible bounds of integrity by wearing an imitation regiment tie (or maybe it's from an actual regiment, who knows? Either way I've never been in any regiment, so the point is moot), that would have been too much. Instinctively it struck me that this madras might work. It shares all the major elements of the overall color palette, with just the right difference in scale, the shirts stripes being fine, the jackets plaid being medium and the tie being bold. The inconsistencies between the two tones of burgundy, and the gold accent stripes on the tie give the whole thing just the right amount of maybe-it-really-doesn't-match-but-I'm-beyond -caring bit of insouciance, carefully considered of course...or maybe, it just doesn't match. I don't know. What I do know is that I felt comfortable in this, which goes along way toward putting this kind of crap over on people. That, and acting as though there is absolutely nothing absurd about dressing this way by choice in the year 2010.

At the bottom, some no name USA made tassel loafers, nice leather. I suspect they might be old Bass Weejuns, just because they have that vibe about them. In any case, for $3.49, who cares?

Anyway, pattern mixing is kind of like playing music. It takes practice and time, until after a while you can just sort of feel it. But you also have to be careful not to bust it out too aggressively all of the time. After all, imagine if every song you heard had a drum solo...