Menswear Wednesday: Khaki + tan sport coats

Khaki is the perfect neutral for a men’s wardrobe, but its presence in 20-something’s closets is understated. I’ve always had the feeling that most guys—especially former private schoolgoers who donned the color nearly every day for their pre-college life—have left their khaki and tan attire in the backs of their closets, opting for lighter shades of greys and seersucker for the start of the spring months. However, the great thing about khakis and tans are that they can be used as a neutral tone to anchor any color(s) brought into the fold.

There’s still a bit of time before we all break out the post-Easter wardrobe, so before you do I thought I’d offer up a few tips for wearing a khaki or tan sport coat.

Pairing with patterns

Because the color is a neutral one, donning a khaki sports coat over a patterned shirt is a must. My favorite look is ginham shirts (especially oranges, blues and greens), but plaids are a go as well. If you’re feeling really bold, go for a polkadotted shirt as well.

Pastels

Pastels are what first come to mind when I think of spring fashion. In terms of matching a pastel shirt with khaki or tan, think green, blue or pink pastels… forget the yellow pastels, because it’s too close in color to the khaki and tan.

Darks

Dark army greens and chambray shirts are good contrasts to the lighter color of your sport coat. If you don’t want to opt for a dark shirt, pair a dark navy tie with a crisp, white button down.