African Integrity Magazine – Have you checked? By: Joy Onichabor

Have you checked? By: Joy Onichabor

Sep 28, 2013 Samuel Fashion & Style 0

These checked shirts and blazers are finding their way back into men’s closets. A timeless graphic pattern, it is a trend for men who love to colour-block.

According to www.askmen.com, the checked trend can play a tricky one get right. To pull off either a checked blazer or shirt:

Try to keep the rest of your outfit simple; crisp white men’s t-shirts look great when worn under any colour combination of checked shirt, or you could try a coloured tee.
Pair your checkers with neutral solids. Other patterns will clash, causing your outfit to look confused and busy.
Choose your fabric carefully. Checkers print comes in lighter fabrics like cotton, which is more suitable for hot weather.
Pay attention to the print pattern and size. Choose whatever appeals to you most.
Pick the right colour. Red and black is the most traditional but other traditional looks involve muted colours like navy, gray, brown, tan cream and white.

How to pair checkers with Trouser

Perhaps the easiest pairing of a checked blazer is with simple trousers. The colour of pant depends on the colour of the blazer – if a blazer is light gray, you may want dark trousers like navy blue or black. The solid colour of the slacks also provides balance for the stripes on the blazer. Combined with a shirt, vest, or tie, the outfit makes a smart casual look, not quite as formal as a suit, but presentable enough for most business and social functions.

Jeans

As with most other clothing combinations, pairing a checked blazer or shirt with jeans creates a casual and laid-back look. Jeans are also regarded as casual clothing item, so pairing them with the slightly more formal blazer or shirt gives a more sophisticated look than a shirt or cardigan.

Shirt

Generally, a checked blazer should be worn with a solid coloured shirt. Exact colours depend on that of the blazer, but neutral and common colours such as white and light blue provide an easy palette for the plaid to play off. Avoid stripes and other such patterns as these can clash with the checked pattern.

Others

Upper body garments, such as vest and ties, can also be worn with a checked blazer. As with the shirt, stick with solid colours, either lighter or darker than the shirt. The tie and vest add a good deal of formality to the outfit and can be worn to business or casual functions and events.