THE JOURNAL
When it comes to clothes, white is supposed to be a neutral colour. T-shirts, underwear or socks in white or an adjacent tone can be as elevated as you like, but will still be as basic as you can get. The building blocks of an outfit, in essence. And yet, for a blank canvas, a white item of clothing can exude a lot of main-character energy – especially when worn in tandem with other white pieces.
The fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell says that, at a subconscious level, we invariably link the colour – or lack of it – to the concept of a clean slate. “So, when we wear it, we embody traits associated with purity, simplicity and peace, making us more thoughtful about how we carry ourselves,” she says. “A 2016 study discovered that people wearing white clothes considered themselves to be more moral than those wearing black. This of course depends on where you are in the world. In China, white is associated with funerals, which may give off more ‘sad boy’ than ‘main character’.”
In the West, white is also typically tied to summer, with outdated rules about when you should wear it (between Memorial Day and Labor Day in the US, notably). It certainly helps in the hotter months that sunlight just bounces off it. However, should you invest now, it can prove to be an effective team player all year-round, long after the dog days of August.
“People should be aware of what it does to the perception of body,” Forbes-Bell says. “Unlike black, which absorbs light and makes the body appear smaller, white reflects it and as a result makes the body appear larger. So, it’s important to think about how you are balancing your proportions.”
Suddenly, the most stripped-back of tones gives us a lot to consider. And that’s before we get to keeping it clean. Thankfully, we have a guide to the latter, as well as a five-point plan for wearing white, below.
01. Keep it simple, keep it smart
In a sea of navy, a white suit can have a big impact. It can also be an effective way of softening tailoring. If linen is your answer to the summer heat, then creases and wrinkles are an inevitability. And you know they’ll likely show up more in white. Embrace the dishevelment, we say. Also lean into the heft that white lends you with a double-breasted jacket. Wear a shirt in a contrasting tone (navy makes for a softer contrast than jet-black) or opt for a more casual tonal look with a polo or T-shirt in a similar shade. Try summer footwear, such as sandals or loafers, and accessories in rich tones for added drama.
02. A white shirt has you covered
There can’t be a man alive who doesn’t own at least one white shirt. But does he know how to deploy it? It might be the centre around which your office wardrobe rotates, but it can be a cornerstone of an off-duty outfit, too. Stick on a freshly ironed button-up and wear it undone as a billowy summer overshirt. Or use it as the bread in a sandwich. Teamed with white socks, it can make shorts or trousers in a contrasting colour really stand out.
03. Off-whites provide a warmer alternative
For some, white presents a stark choice. Off-white tones, then, can be a more palatable option. Creams, ivories and light beiges offer versatility as neutrals and can give subtly warm undertones to an outfit. They will work well with most shades in your wardrobe – and even paired with white to offset more pristine pieces. Off-white shades can bring balance to tonal getups or work as a stage set, bringing other items to the fore.
04. Meet your match
While one white item can boost whatever it is worn with, an all-white outfit is something else entirely. Pushed to its limit, such a tonal ensemble might have you resembling a cult leader. Bring it down to earth by introducing variations in fabric. By drawing from one colour, textures and patterns can become the focus. Ditch the messiah complex and use accessories as a counterweight.
05. Bring in a pop of colour
“It’s so fine and yet so terrible to stand in front of a blank canvas,” as the French post-impressionist Paul Cézanne once noted. Likewise, a white outfit can stir up emotions such as fear in the wearer – especially if they’re splashing paint around. However, it can also present an opportunity: a nice pop of colour proves your sartorial courage. So, go bravely forth in white with a vibrant secondary tone.