I might toss out the blue socks and do maroon socks with light blue clocks instead, obvious though it would be.  Or toss out the maroon silk repp and substitute for grenadine. 


The white linen pocket square doesn't grab me as particularly good with this combo, as you listed it, so I'd tuck the square in my back pocket, or like Vaclav's old avatar, put it on my head.
Or use maroon tie as belt, and black belt with sterling buckle as a bolo tie.

Change the suit - a navy herringbone, a navy self-stripe, pin-stripe (maroon would be good), a navy flannel (?chalk-stripe) would all have a much bigger imact on one's style than changing sock color.

Hope the style G-ds approve:

Change 1. A Navy solid suit with two pairs of pants, plain fronts with turnups, one with forward pleats side tab and brace buttons sewn in the waistband.

Change 2. A white end on end shirt with 2-button barrel cuffs and a POW spread collar.

Same    3. A pair of navy wool otc socks

Change 4. A pair of black lace up plain toe

Change 5. blue vest

Same    6. White linen handrolled pocket square

Change 7. navy blue necktie

Change 8. pair of light blue braces

Last edited by kc (2006-06-08 09:23:23)

I think the most problematic elements of what you have been given are the tie (maroon - especially with navy - isn't too bad but certainly not appealing) and the shirt (end-on-end is a fine blank canvas but nothing special but the point collar never looks good).

Changing either of those should help considerably.

To choose between the two, in this instance, I'd swap out the shirt as it's too easy to match an interesting tie to a solid blue shirt.

I would pick a shirt in either a boldish striped pattern or else moderate check that coordinates with without exactly matching the tie.

I would change the straight collar for a spread collar and change the all blue shirt to a white collar and cuffs.

I am going as is.