I’m sure we have all seen the couple at a given event that looks like they went to a his & her store and bought matching outfits. The immediate impression this gives to onlookers is that they are trying to hard.

There is an easy fix to this situation which includes the man standing up for his right to choose what he want to wear and not letting his matchy-matchy date go crazy.

Men, when you are going to a formal event, inevitably the main decision encompasses buying a suit. It is in your own interest to not blindly go with whatever your date wants you to wear like a trained dog; you need to present yourself well also. Your formal wear will be more versatile and able to transition to other occasions as well.

And so the challenge arises, how will our outfits go together without being obnoxious?

The fatal flaw is having perfectly matching colors. It appears corny and forced.

Image Credit: Charlotte Prom

Men, when choosing a suit to go with your date’s outfit, show you care and find out what color she will be wearing. In general it is better to go with a neutral, darker shade suit. Then you have more liberty to be heavy on the details.

The finer points are where you should “match” your dates color scheme, and here’s how.

TIPS: How to compliment her outfit in a subtle way

Is she wearing pastel colors?

Choose a gray suit with a light colored shirt. Again the colors do not need to match her exactly, they just need to compliment each other. Maybe even go a few shades lighter or darker of her main color.

Is she wearing rich colors (red, purple, blue)?

Choose a navy or black suit, with a white or black shirt.

These sharp, crisp neutrals will make the colors in her outfit stand out, and if she is wearing a rich color she wants to stand out so let her.

If you feel a solid suit is too boring for you accents such as light/thin stripes are a great choice. And since they are so subtle they can match a color in her outfit and not be overkill! Another option is a rich color handkerchief visible in your breast pocket.

Image credit: JustJared

Matching is what children do when their parents still dress them, do not let your date make it look like she dressed you! It is important that you wear something that works for you, and at the same time compliments her outfit when attending a formal event. You already have a great head start; suits always make men look good. Getting the details right is your task. If you have trouble making a decision, watch your favorite action movie and see what suit choices the leading man wears. And take comfort in the fact that the only wrong choice you can make is if your entire outfit looks as if it came from the same fabric as hers.

Posted By: Annie Grimaudo