I discussed in the cotton-crewnecks article final week that I loved carrying tan equipment quite a bit throughout my latest journey to India. This would possibly appear to be a small factor, however once you get right into a routine with clothes, something that all of a sudden provides a twist to the wardrobe is refreshing. 

In some respects, I’m slightly trapped in traditional menswear traditions. Significantly extra formal, tailoring-based ones. So my default is sort of all the time darkish sneakers – darkish brown or black – and given I put on a belt more often than not as of late, a darkish brown or black belt as nicely. 

When your trousers, overshirt or knit are sometimes darkish brown or black too, this generally is a little limiting. Generally it appears like all I put on is black, brown, gray and cream. 

It’s pretty to have the ability to add tan into the combination due to this fact – as with the shot above of the brand new dark-olive Linen Overshirt with a classic tan-leather belt and my barely crappy boat sneakers.

In that outfit the overshirt is worn with a white knitted tee (Anthology) and pale biscuit-coloured trousers (Whitcomb & Shaftesbury, W Invoice 28306 linen). At different occasions on the journey, the shirt additionally proved adept with darkish colors. 

Within the second outfit, above, the trousers are a darkish brown and the equipment are largely black – black Sagan sneakers from Baudoin & Lange, black alligator belt from Rubato. The trousers are a dark-brown excessive twist (an outdated pair from Perro). 

This was a pleasant night mixture – one thing I wore out to dinner greater than as soon as, and felt like only one step down from a tailor-made jacket (which I’d usually been carrying all day anyway).

Curiously, my comparatively new Should de Cartier watch (above, purchased two years in the past in Korea) is proving to be a helpful accent with this type of wardrobe, primarily due to its gray/inexperienced alligator strap. That color is flexible sufficient to work with most outfits, but additionally totally different sufficient to be a pleasant addition to the palette. 

Readers usually ask about matching watch metals and straps to their belts/sneakers, and maybe that wants a full article in some unspecified time in the future. (There may be one right here, nevertheless it’s nearly sneakers and belts.) 

In short, I believe a watch is finest seen as one thing that ought to harmonise with the remainder, relatively than match. Belts and sneakers are often finest once they’re shut in color, however a watch is a chance so as to add one thing totally different – and a bag is one step additional eliminated.

The third mixture I wore the overshirt with was the one above – gray knitted tee on high (Adret) and black cotton/linen trousers under (Casatlantic). 

The cotton/linen combine within the trouser is a pleasant one, because it’s gentle and funky, but additionally extra informal than a tailor-made linen trouser. Sadly Casatlantic don’t at present try this materials, however I can verify with them whether or not there are any plans to carry it again. 

The gray tee with these trousers felt like a extra informal choice amongst these three, and extra relaxed. It could have been good with some canvas tennis sneakers in addition to loafers. 

I solely bought this ultimate pattern of the overshirt simply earlier than going to India, so didn’t have an opportunity to attempt it with a variety of issues. 

However once we did the pop-up in London a few weeks in the past, I noticed an entire raft of fellows attempt it on, and my large studying from that was that it’s additionally nice with blue: mid-blue and indigo denims, even navy tailor-made trousers. So on that foundation, I’d put this new dark-olive color on a par with each the darkish brown and the navy by way of versatility. 

The Linen Overshirts can be found now, in these colors plus small restocks of the tobacco, black and lightweight olive we’ve executed in earlier years. 

Different garments proven:

• Sun shades from L’Ingenieur Chevallier
• Classic webbing belt with tan leather-based 
• I believe that’s it however do shout if I’ve missed something!

All images by Jamie Ferguson, taken in varied components of Chennai, India.