GRAY’ING AWAY ANY WARDROBE BLAHS

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Few colors of clothing and accessories say “money” like gray - it’s sophisticated, muted and always appropriate. “According to color psychology,” explains California-based stylist Nicole Busch of Share Some Style, gray is “elegant and formal. Gray is a chameleon,” she continues. “It conforms, especially when paired with other colors.” She suggests pairings that feature an aristocratic tone like camel. “Nothing says rich and polished like that combination.”  

Pairing a dark gray suspender and a tone-on-tone top in either a dark gray - or a muted plaid with a gray background - gives your look a kind of retro-workingman stylish feel. While in an edgier fabric like leather, a gray suspender lets you add edge to a formalwear look or channel the aggressive energy of an 80s skinhead but without all the angsty attitude. Just the good stuff - which should be the point of fashion after all.

Here are some great ways to slip on gray suspenders.

#1: GRAY SUSPENDERS WITH HEAD-TO-TOE DENIM DERRING-DO

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An interesting way to take inspiration from this light-gray suspender look would be to reverse it: instead of a dark denim shirt, try one in a worn-to-perfection chambray - like Levi’s Barstow Western Shirt in the Stonewash finish - and pair it with a suspender in a classic dark gray, such as our Cool Steel. The button-on suspender detail makes the look appear thought-out without looking too overthought. Finish with a loose-fit - but not baggy - dark denim pant or trouser. (We like the South 1st Street Raw Selvedge Relaxed Fit from Heratij.) For a more casual feel, roll up the hems; for more city-slick, leave ‘em as is. Footwear’wise, a cool choice is the slip-on skater/surfer sneaker: in rich charcoal suede, sheeny black leather, or, in a happy budget-meets-fashion moment: a classic white pair of Vans which will only set you back around $45. And should a fedora be calling your name, they don’t get much more classically-cool and Humphrey Bogart-worthy than the Rag & bone Hackman.

#2: GRAY SUSPENDERS THAT WALK SOFTLY...BUT LOUDLY

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The original British skinheads - named for their shaved noggins - were actually influenced by Jamaica’s rude boys, a slang term from the 1960s for street toughs. But also tough in terms of their style, in everything from music to fashion. Which featured suspenders - always a good thing in our book. Try our leather Gunmetal clip-ons for a stylish update, and pair with a higher-waisted, vintage or vintage-look jean, such as that skinhead must-have Levi’s 501s. A classic white tee can be as basic as one from an iconic multi-pair pack from Hanes (around $12 for 4 tees) - or something steathily high-fashion for ten times the price (but 10x the cool) by the hipster-approved Alexander Wang. Skip the Doc Martens in favor of an updated, more grown-up boot like the President from Thursday Boot Co., and top it all off with a standout, vintagey-look army parka.

#3: GRAY SUSPENDERS WITH FORMAL EDGE

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The thing about suspenders is that they’re already a staple of formalwear. But that needn’t mean boring. A quick way to add some edge to any upscale look - whether you’re on the red carpet, at your wedding, attending someone else’s nuptials, or just greeting your fellow dignitaries and high-flyers on the receiving line - rocking a suspender in leather is a cool choice. Here, a charcoal pant would look even more cool with a coordinating gray-leather suspender- plus the fact they’re clip-on makes them look more of-the-moment and on-trend. To get the look, try our Gunmetal Gray leather clip-on suspenders.

#4: GRAY SUSPENDERS WITH PREPPY PANACHE

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Don’t let the phrase “shorts suit” inadvertently hurtle you back to your days as a schoolboy in short pants. Shorts - and shorts suits - have long since grown up and acquired sophisticated savoir-faire. Here, a funky pair of city-shorts makes the brogues and shirt look classy rather than stuffy, and instead of a jacket in black, charcoal proves the more interesting choice. A pair of dark-gray clip-on suspenders would key off the gray of the jacket nicely, particularly when paired with coordinating charcoal-colored accessories - even down to the cool rubberized sunglasses! To get the look, try our classic gray clip-on suspenders in Cool Steel. Everything else is from ASOS.com.