Chapter 05

Color Coding

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  1. Colorful, Yes. Clownish, No.

  There’s a fine line with colored socks. Colorful, yes. Clownish, no. Unless you make balloon animals in the park for a living, go for a dash of color only. It’s good to dabble and break up a monotone outfit, but if you get too creative you might turn yourself into the human equivalent of a Crayola box.

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  2. Balance is Key.

  The busier the patterns, the louder the colors, the more careful you should be. Similar to mixing your liquor, it’s an amateur move to combine too much. A little buzz of color is different from being a drunken buffoon. Proceed with caution, and avoid getting overeager. Don’t be too happy. Like everything in life, balance is key.

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  3. The Wrong Attention.

  Colorful socks work best with tailored clothing or a great pair of jeans. Of course, everything works better with tailored clothing or a great pair of jeans. Like waving a bright flag, vivid socks will only draw more attention to a schlubby outfit.

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  4. Don’t Over Match.

  Don’t match the color of your socks exactly to the dominant color of anything else you’ve got going on. Matching socks with shoes is not a smooth move either. Doing so will either make a pair of beautiful shoes disappear and look invisible or, even worse, they’ll blend right into your socks for a bootie effect.