Make Your Wardrobe Fun with Patterned Trousers

Patterned trousers are fun, flashy, and fittingly stylish for men with an iconoclastic streak or who are fans of bold color. But although they can look great on the right guy, patterned trousers have to be worn right for you to pull them off.

Not sure where to start? Let’s break down how to pull off patterned trousers in detail.

Use Shoes to Tie it All Together

For starters, remember that your shoes can significantly help you tie an outfit together and wear patterned trousers to their maximum stylistic effect. Shoes, sandals, or boots can draw the eye to your legwear or help complement the somewhat chaotic colors of your pants.

Here are a couple of good ideas:

  • Black shoes are great for practically anything
  • White shoes are ideal for bright patterned trousers
  • Stick to basic shoes without a lot of decals or decorations if you’re wearing patterned pants – too much of a good thing can become not so great

Shirts Can Add to Your Style

Next, choosing the right shirt can help you pull off patterned trousers with style.

Shirt color, of course, affects whether upperwear works with your legwear. Since your patterned trousers will likely have color, white usually isn’t the way to go. Instead, you should choose a complementary color shirt, as in the below examples:

  • Red patterned pants – green or blue shirt
  • Blue patterned pants – green or yellow shirt
  • Yellow patterned pants – red or blue shirt
  • And so on

Collared shirts or shirts where you can roll up the sleeves to about mid-forearm are ideal. You'll look modern and mature but still keep your wardrobe fun.

Furthermore, don’t wear a patterned shirt if you are wearing patterned pants. Otherwise, you’ll overdo it and your look will come across as more “try-hard” instead of attractive.

Pick the Right Colors – No Monochrome!

Naturally, the color of trousers you choose will impact whether the pattern looks great or if it looks clunky. Generally, patterned pants should have bright colors like red, green, white, blue, yellow, and even pastel shades. Don't waste patterned trousers in dark colors like black or brown!

However, you should also be careful not to make your look seem monochrome. Patterned pants by definition should have at least two colors, but try not to wear patterned trousers with a shirt of the exact same shade. Otherwise, you’ll look clownish rather than classy.

Berle’s line of Designer Dress Pants has a few great examples of these color philosophies in action. The Black Watch Wool Pleated Pants come in colors like green and violet and are made with comfortable touch finished wool, perfect for parties during the winter months.

Or maybe you’ll like the Royal Stewart Wool Plaid Pants, which are available in red and green colors. These are great for holiday parties and for men who like traditional fits.

Consider the Other Elements of Your Look

There's more to a full outfit than just pants and a shirt (and shoes). You should also think of the other elements of your look when putting a style together, including your:

  • Accessories, like your belt, watch, and sunglasses
  • Jacket (if wearing one)

For example, are you wearing shades and a stylish belt for a summer look? In that case, bright patterned trousers can increase the peppy and energetic look you are trying to cultivate.

On the flip side, if it's cold outside but you want to wear patterned pants to bring some joy back into your daily routine, go with a sweater in a complementary color and choose a thick belt and jacket. The resulting look could strike a unique and authentic balance between flashy and comfortable.

Wear Patterned Pants at the Right Time

Last but not least, don’t forget to only wear patterned trousers when it’s appropriate. There are a couple of times when you should never wear patterned pants no matter what, including:

  • Formal weddings or any weddings with an established dress code
  • Funerals
  • Formal events or after-work parties with a dress code

On the flipside, patterned pants can work well for social occasions including but not limited to:

  • More casual after-work parties or cocktail events
  • Weddings where you are requested to wear something interesting or unique
  • Birthday parties
  • Holiday parties (especially Christmas parties, where patterned pants are big hits)
  • Hangouts with friends
  • Shopping excursions
  • And more

At the end of the day, any man can comfortably pull off patterned trousers so long as he considers the other elements of his wardrobe and chooses the right pants. Consider color, how well the pants mesh with your other clothing articles, and go for it! Don't forget to check out Berle’s patterned trousers today or to investigate our other tailored legwear offerings.

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