Some inspiration for the last days of summer. Niels in Berlin is wearing one of my favorite suit colors for summer: brown. Whether in dark chocolate or tan, tropical wools or linens, brown suits have the advantage of being able to straddle the line between a more formal business suit and a navy sport coat with grey trousers. Plus, if they’re made from the right materials, brown suits can often be broken into separates – allowing you to mix and match the jacket and trousers when needed.
The best thing about Niels’ ensemble is his choice of a red tie, which picks up the subtle warmth in his brown shoes. Brown can often come in cooler or warmer shades – depending on whether there are more greens or reds in its undertones. By getting a sense of the “temperature” in a color, you can better match items as needed. (My friend Stephen wrote a great post about this many years ago).