Matching Pants With Jackets

By Maggie Kalogeropoulos
Fashion Correspondent

Men's suits are an easy buy for most because all of the pieces match and all there is to worry about is ensuring a proper fit. Buying and matching separate jackets and pants to form a complete outfit, however, can be quite a daunting task for the modern man. With so many jacket styles and trouser fits to choose from, a mismatch is bound to occur every now and again.

For this very reason, the following is an important lesson on matching pants with jackets to avoid any potentially embarrassing results.

trouser fabric
The key to combining a jacket with a pair of pants is not only in matching the color -- as many men may think -- but more so in matching the fabric.

Flannel
Flannel trousers are the most versatile as they can be worn through a good part of the year and match with a wide variety of men's blazers and jacket fabrics.

Recommended jacket fabric: tweed, corduroy

Wool gabardine
Wool trousers are smoother than flannel, and look best when paired with blazers of a contrasting fabric.

Recommended jacket fabric: tweed

Cotton corduroy
While warmer than flannel or wool, cotton corduroy trousers are best worn in the colder months and should be paired with an equally warm jacket.

Recommended jacket fabric: soft wool, cashmere

Chinos
Made of a predominantly cotton canvas, chinos are a casual trouser and their dressed-down style should be accurately reflected in the jacket they’re paired with.

Recommended jacket fabric: corduroy

trouser color
Now that you understand the importance of matching fabrics when pairing pants with jackets and blazers, understanding color coordination is the final step to creating the perfect ensemble. While a navy blazer with gray flannel trousers is a traditional match, it is somewhat of a cop-out in men's fashion. When it come to matching pants with jackets, there are an infinite amount of choices that can be taken advantage of. Here's how to work with color.

Vary colors
The most important rule to remember when matching jackets and trousers is to create contrast. For example, never wear gray trousers with a similarly colored gray jacket. Instead, opt for different shades of brown or blue. Unexpected shades, such as a wine-colored blazer, can also be paired with gray trousers for special occasions, say an office holiday party.

Match tones
An important color-coordinating rule that is often misunderstood is that color tones must be matched rather than the actual colors themselves. In other words, the colors of the trousers and jacket have to “go” with each other rather than be carbon copies of each other. So, matching soft tones with other soft tones, and hard with hard, will help you create the perfect color-coordinated look. For example, pair a chocolate brown (dark brown) pair of trousers with a navy blue (dark blue) sport jacket.

Match colors from patterns
When matching pants and jackets, you don’t have to stick to solids. Throwing in a subtly patterned trouser or jacket not only adds some dimension to your getup, but also gives you more color to play with. If your blazer has a slight check pattern, for example, you can match the trousers with the color tone of the jacket itself or with a color in the check pattern.

a perfect match
Matching jackets and trousers is much more complicated than finding two colors that work together; you need to take the season along with its accompanying fabrics into consideration. Follow these guidelines, and your top and bottom will be properly outfitted for any occasion.


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