Guys’ Guide to Wearing Red

Studies have shown that women find men in red more attractive. Unfortunately, the way that some men wear red is so garish that it makes them less attractive. Here?s how to wear red, the right way.
You do not need to stick to more muted variations of red, such as burgundy and terracotta, nice as they may be. A bright, fiery shade of red is easier to carry off than you might think, provided you play by the style rules.

Red jacket

The easiest way to wear red is to add a red jacket to your outfit. You have much more creative license with jackets, which do not need to be as bland as shirts or pants. A bright red garment, because it is already so ostentatious, should always be made from a nondescript material. A cotton blend light blazer is a good option. Red leather should be as racy as you get. Avoid shiny materials of the type found in sportswear stores; they may be fine to wear to the gym, but not anywhere else.

Red pants

You have mastered the red jacket, now it is time to inject some excitement into your wardrobe with a pair of bright red trousers. Take street style as your inspiration. Go for pants that sit low on the hips, held up by a belt of course, with a bit of give so they are not too skin-tight. Combine with a casual shirt, preferably in a plain color rather than patterned, with a casual blazer on top. Contrast the colors of your shirt and blazer. A plain shirt on its own is too boring; while red pants are eye-catching, they are not an entire outfit. A pair of tan colored shoes finishes off the look.

What colors go with red?

You do not need to stick to black, white and shades of grey when wearing red. While it is a show-stopping color, it can share the limelight with other colors provided they are not too bright. Dark blue denim works surprisingly well, which is handy if you would like to wear jeans with a red jacket. Cream is the big winner with red; whether it is a cream jumper with red chinos or vice versa. There are a couple of colors which should be avoided with red. You would not want to wear bright red with bright green, unless it is Christmas Day. Introducing another attention-grabbing color such as yellow is possible, but not for a style novice.

No red hats

Unless you want to look like a fourteen year old, be very careful with red accessories. There is an unexplained phenomenon of geeky teenagers wearing red accessories, such as suspenders, ties, belts and hats, with black shirts. Red suspenders, ties and belts can be acceptable under certain circumstances, if worn tastefully. Red hats, on the contrary, are never okay. Hats should always be in a neutral color, preferably black, or you run the risk of looking tacky.