A Guide to Styling Red for Maximum Impact
Menswear has been embracing color this year, and bold, bright red has been impossible to ignore this fashion week. The vibrant primary color has been making waves on the runways for a while now, and this season, it's everywhere — from collections to street style.
Whether you’re opting for a punctuating crimson hint or going all in with a loud vermillion statement, we’ve got some tips to help ensure you don’t steer too far into looking like you’re heading to put out a fire.
01. Just a Hint
The 'unexpected red theory' — which is all about adding one striking, contrasting burst of red to punctuate an otherwise neutral or monochrome palette — has played a big part in this bold hue's resurgence in menswear. This hint of brightness works well on accessories and the more subtle parts of your look — think red socks poking out from a pair of washed-out blue jeans, or a small touch through a belt charm. These are small but significant contrasts that will give even the most minimal outfits a dopamine hit.
02. Grounding Layers
Framing your bolder pieces with calmer colors can help ground them and make them more wearable without watering down the impact. A vibrant red knit worn under a classic trench or chore coat in a more versatile tone won’t dampen the joy that your bold choice brings you, but it will help to parcel the eye-catching tone under a more subdued layer, increasing the distinction between pieces and making the statement more manageable in one fell swoop. For days that don’t require additional outerwear, opting for a simple undershirt and keeping your legwear muted can achieve a similar effect.
03. Focus Pulling
This is an exercise in embracing a statement. Taking the bold color and placing it front and center of your look via light outerwear or vivid jersey choice makes for an undeniable statement that will draw the requisite attention. As you’re going to be making a splash palette-wise, you shouldn’t shy away from bolder silhouettes that can live up to the lively and loud look that you’re pursuing.
Looser fitting denim, more interesting footwear shapes like mules, and patterns introduced through accessories and mid-layers are all ways to take the simple color statement and make it a manifesto of standing out. Look to complementary tones like blues and greens to make sure your red doesn’t clash and is allowed to flourish.
Shop More Bright Red
Embrace the boldness and buy into one of the most vibrant trending tones for the upcoming season. Vivid and eye-catching, this brighter red can really drive up your outfit's impact in a punchy and powerful way.
