THE JOURNAL

From left: Off-White AW19 runway; Craig Green AW19 runway; 1017 ALYX 9SM AW19 runway
Recently we’ve been fielding a lot of questions on Instagram about how to wear more colour, and it got us thinking about the laundry list of musicians, artists and designers over the years who’ve selected just one shade and really ran with it. Prince made a particularly compelling case for purple; Mr Yves Klein went as far as to create his own hue of blue (now that’s dedication) and the style world’s new darling Mr Simon Porte Jacquemus is currently turning Paris lemon-yellow. So, which shade should you pledge your allegiance to? We’re backing green – well, for AW19 at least.
Unlike Mr Antoni Porowski, who donned a kaleidoscopic Sies Marjan pyjama-style suit in every shade of the spectrum at this year’s CFDA Fashion Awards as designer Mr Sander Lak’s guest, it’s considerably easier for us mere mortals to work with one colour. Green, in its many different iterations, made more than a token appearance in many of this season’s collections, with Off-White, Officine Generale and Margaret Howell all sending out models wearing the colour from head-to-toe. Of course, there was also Craig Green’s show, but more on that later. As for how to go about trying this at home, that’s where we come in. There are three key tones you need to know about: read on for the sage, neon (yes, neon) and camo shades that are wholly deserving of a place in your wardrobe and our recommendations on how to wear to them.

Sage

Off-White AW19 runway. Photograph courtesy of Off-White
We can’t champion soft, herbaceous greens enough, especially when it comes to tailoring. They’re not quite pastel, nor are they mossy – they hit that sweet spot in-between. Plus, a suit in sage is far more interesting than office-standard grey or navy. A more unusual colour choice does create more margin for error when it comes to styling, however. All you need to offset Auralee’s louche offering during the warmer months is a white or beige T-shirt and, for texture, some suede or full-grain leather sneakers in stone or grey. As for when temperatures inevitably drop, go for paler sage-greens by Officine Generale and layer with darker tonal shades.

Neon

Craig Green AW19 runway. Photograph courtesy of Craig Green
Most notably (and aptly) Mr Craig Green presented London Fashion Week attendees with a series of acid-green neon get-ups for AW19. Inspired by his vision of a man made of glass – he did graduate from Central Saint Martins, after all – the designer’s fabrics were sheer, vitreous and not safe for work. Mr Virgil Abloh followed suit in the French capital with trousers, quilted jackets and even a full suit in the shade. And while we encourage such bold endeavours, there’s a knack to pulling off neon IRL and that's to take it one piece at a time. Acne Studios’ chunky cardigan unbuttoned over a classic white T-shirt and rounded off with black sweatpants is an understated way of doing things and is unlikely to have passers-by seeing spots. Alternatively, you could take a cue from Mr Oscar Wilde, who pinned green carnations to his lapels daily, and simply accessorise. Try a pair of Gucci’s sunglasses or Prada’s Cloudbust sneakers.

Camouflage

1017 ALYX 9SM AW19 runway. Photograph courtesy of 1017 ALYX 9SM
If you don’t think you have the nous for neon and sage is too safe, camouflage might just be right for you. The good news is the whole fatigue look has been popular for a while, so there’s plenty to pick from – take the trend literally with cargo trousers or a utility-style jacket or opt for a subtle approach with a tee or even a shirt in swampy green shades. Plus, considering the pattern has even cropped up in Mr Tom Ford’s collections, you don’t need to worry about it looking unrefined. Keep things cool and casual by mixing the army tones with light neutrals and don’t be afraid to play up to the outdoorsy vibe with nylon or technical fabrics.