The gold suit. It’s one of those things that you see on the catwalk and looks fantastic. Then you get it home and think, ‘what the actual f…’ You’re never going to wear it, right? The reflection in your mirror looks pasty. The suit… garish. It’s like seeing an anaemic peacock. The thing with all clothing is that it’s about time and place. You wouldn’t wear shorts to a job interview or a tux to the beach. In the right context with the right accessories, the gold suit can make a killer fashion statement.
How and When to Wear a Gold Suit
The basics
The thing to remember about all shiny things is that they’re easily lost in the light. And that’s the main guiding principle when it comes to wearing gold. While you can wear it in the day, its splendour will be lost. And while you can pair it with white, its impact will be reduced. So, a good starting point for the gold suit is eveningwear and dark accessories.
Full gold suit
Let’s start with the full bling thing, like the Braga skinny fit. The faux snakeskin design of the Braga dresses you in gold from shoulder to ankle, letting the suit do all the talking. With this, you don’t need standout accessories. A black shirt and black loafers and you’ve nailed the style. Anything else would be sensory overload and turn a confident look into a laughingstock. As it stands, this is an outfit for a smart-casual evening do; a relaxed wedding; dinner and drinks; a night on the dancefloor.
Gold blazer
The full gold suit isn’t for everyone, but the gold accent blazer definitely can be. The Volpi skinny fit is one of those jackets that can easily transition from day to night. It’s understated, and yet the gold lapels and pocket detailing lift it to another level, giving you a suit with personality as well as exceptional tailoring. Pair with black skinny fit trousers and plain shirt and you’re ready for any smart occasion.
Suit with gold accents
The Farrow tux is one of our favourite pieces of evening apparel. It’s got all of the elegance and gravitas of the traditional black tux. It’s brought up to date with a contemporary skinny-fit cut. And then it’s elevated off the chart with the gold foil polka dot print. Again, you really need a black shirt to do justice to this suit. But keep it simple and you’ll steal with show with understated style.
Gold trousers
The other way to wear gold is to keep it below the waist. Skinny fit gold metallic trousers, like the Marquez, make an outstanding party piece. Wear with a black shirt for less formal occasions, or dress it up with a plain black jacket like the Gothenburg if a smarter style is called for. You could experiment with a dark patterned shirt or a richer colourway here too, but be careful in your selection – clashing is not cool.
When you’re looking to make a real statement, gold is an absolute winner. But you have to get it right. Gold is there to shine. So, don’t waste its potential by drowning it in colour or draining its glister with too much light.
