Monochromatic Outfits: 5 Foolproof Ways to Look a Lot More Stylish This Winter
All products featured on GQ are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Monochromatic outfits can be a minefield. In theory, single-color dressing should be easy—everything already matches!—but in practice, the effect can be a real head-scratcher. Any fella with an active Pinterest board could slap together a haphazard mix of blizzard-ready complementary colors, but it takes a real expert to chef up a cohesive outfit around a single, solitary hue—and the results are always worth it. So allow us to walk you through our foolproof guide to nailing the look right now, chock-full of useful styling how-tos and a handful of carefully-assembled fits to get the creative juices flowing.
To be clear, single-color dressing shouldn’t be about streamlining your decision-making process in a bid to land on some deeply cursed sense of “outfit optimization”—not expressly, at least. Instead, think of it as an opportunity to explore the diversity of fabrics, silhouettes, and textures that make cold weather style a menswear lover’s paradise. Winter is the best time to experiment with monochromatic dressing because of the variety of layering moves at your disposal. You’ve got your starting lineup of coats, jackets, sweaters, and vests, each supported by a formidable bench of fleece-lined gloves, wooly hats, and fuzzy scarves.
So in the spirit of spreading the neutral-toned gospel, we broke down five different monochromatic outfits you can milk for inspiration all season long, each designed to assuage your anxieties the next time you look in your closet and freeze up like Buckner in Game 6—or worse yet, find yourself with absolutely nothing compelling to wear.
When In Doubt, Make Pusha T Proud
The trick to nailing an all-white get-up comes down to contrast; stick too closely to a single, uniform shade and you’re bound to look like a Stormtrooper. To keep things grounded and avoid veering into Michelin Man territory, embrace hues like ecru, eggshell, and oatmeal—and then mix in a couple of darker accent pieces (hiking boots, say, or an extremely 2022 western belt) to restore a sense of balance to the stylistic force.
A No-Brainer, Never-Fail Swerve
Long before Jay-Z was vouching for its merits, all-black-everything dominated blizzard-ridden city streets and funky gallery openings in equal measure. In 2022, though, an artful murdered-out fit shouldn’t feel so de rigueur—or expected. Up the style quotient with a big, billowy topcoat, relaxed trousers, and a funky beanie that’ll put a smile on your face (and keep your noggin protected from that telltale January chill).
Because Everything Looks Better in Blue
Navy might be responsible for more first-ballot menswear HOFers than any other color on the wheel. Your prized selvedge denim isn’t going anywhere, but to really add some much-needed pizzaz to your deep blue hues this winter, get freaky with the fabrics and drizzle in a handful of eye-grabbing accents—like a puffer vest with a mustard-hued yoke or a rich guy scarf printed with a panoply of warm weather flora and fauna.
The Only Tan Worth Working On
Camel is a staple of boss-level outerwear for a reason. But if you’re looking to up the ante on your casual winter fits, ditch the ritzy double-breasted topcoat in favor of a shearling number that would look killer with a nubby suit—and even better with the hallmarks of your off-duty wardrobe. Augment it with a brulé-colored sweater and pair of slouchy khakis, and then double down on the cozy with shearling-lined chukkas that promise to pamper your dogs with the attention they deserve.
Fifty Shades of Big Fits
Gray’s goes-with-everything nature makes it an ideal springboard for indulging all of the textures cold-weather menswear has to offer. Start with a very Wet Bandit-y wool overcoat from the neo-workwear experts at Knickerbocker, and keep the theme going from there: a mohair cardigan, thick herringbone trousers, and shit-kicking leather boots will help you reconsider everything you thought you knew about the color.
Photographs courtesy Getty Images; Collage by Gabe Conte GQ Recommends No more waking up in a pool of sweat.…
Copyright © 2023 50 Is More Fun. All rights reserved.