The Fishbone Pattern Can Make Anyone Look Classy

photo: harristweedandknitwear.co.uk

When it comes to choosing the right patterns for you outfits, there are plenty of options available. You’ve got horizontal and vertical stripes, checks, micro-checks, glen check, floral prints (such as paisley) and geometric. Aren’t we forgetting one that’s important?

Let’s talk about the fishbone pattern.

The fishbone (a.k.a. the herringbone pattern) looks something like this:

It kind of looks boring, doesn’t it? Wait until you see it on some real outfits.

Fashion Items That Come in This Pattern

They aren’t many but you only need one or two, anyway, in your wardrobe.

Take a look at this sports jacket (from Dries Van Noten):

And how about this coat?

The herringbone coat can look great if you make sure it fits your body perfectly. Still, you nee to try to make the outfit stand out a little more with… you know… colors and patterns.

And, if you don’t want this pattern to be the center of attention, go for a tie:

If you’re looking for something less obvious, go for a herringbone tie. The Style Blogger himself will show us how we can pull this off:

photo: TheStyleBlogger.com

Notice how Dan Trepanier is actually wearing two patterns in the outfit above> fishbone and checks. Another thing I want you to notice (and this is really important) is the colors he’s using: grey (on the tie), navy blue (on the vest and pants) and brown (on the sports coat, the shirt and the bag). Grey plus dark or navy blue plus brown is a great color combination that you can use in any outfit. There are a lot more color combinations, which I highly encourage you to master (it’s really not that hard!).

Now let’s see how the same fishbone tie can be worn with a suit. Dan is showcasing this and, even though the outfit is “black-and-white”, the overall look is fantastic! Take a look:

photo: TheStyleBlogger.com

Looking for something more advanced?

Let’s take a look at this amazing herringbone suit from Lookbook.nu. This gentleman likes patterns a lot as he’s wearing FOUR of them!

If you’re afraid to stand out this much, all you have to do in order to make the outfit look more “normal” is to drop the patterns. Go for a solid colored shirt, a uni tie or a uni pocket square. Keep the fishbone suit, though.

Question: ever thought of trying fishbone on fishbone? Take a look and tell me what you think.

This last photo shows pretty well that one of the best colors you can pair with herringbone patterned clothes is light blue. You may be wondering: what other colors work well?

Let’s take it logically. Fishbone patterned clothes have greys on them, right? Greys are all neutral colors. This means you can match them with pretty much any color.

So, if you were to replace that shirt with one in another color, what would that color be? Among others, purple, yellow and pink are all good options, as long as you stick to lighter shades. That way the color won’t be too powerful and it will make good contrast with the rest of the outfit which is dark grey.

Bottom line: if you have a fishbone vest or jacket, you’re lucky. It’s probably one of the most versatile items of clothing in your closet because you can pair it with pretty much any shirt.