How Khaki Took Over This Spring’s Coolest Menswear
On a recent trip to Portugal, I found myself combining wide-leg pleated denim trousers, voluminous vintage silk parachute shirts from Katharine Hamnett, and Yuri & Yuri’s delicate crochet knits—all in a spectrum of khaki hues, from dull green to brownish yellow. To my surprise, they blended together effortlessly. Turns out, so did a tan.
While the prevalence of khaki—a term derived from the Persian word for “dusty”—is an exemplar of the military’s influence on menswear, its color isn’t as precisely defined as our friends in the armed forces might prefer. That fluidity may be why a variety of colors have popped up in unexpected forms this season, from nuanced tailoring and fine Savile Row suits to techy sports gear and cool outerwear. In an uncertain world, the reliable compatibility of this palette is turning khaki—or fawn, straw, fossil, or whatever you call it—into the new black.
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Layering these clothes, regardless of tonal nomenclature, allows for striking sartorial statements with minimal effort. Who needs a pastiche of prints and riotous colors when these more harmonious shades play so well together? Giorgio Armani gave a master class in khaki combinations on his spring runway, showing sandy jackets and taupe knit shirts with olive-green chinos. It’s no surprise, really, from the designer who virtually invented greige. This logic even applies to workout gear: The performance brand ThruDark, helmed by ex–British Special Forces commandos, uses the gamut widely, from green shades to earthy hues—a potent nod to the color’s tactical origins. But don’t feel compelled to stick to one house. Thom Sweeney made a fantastic buff-colored bomber jacket, which would look great layered with Connolly’s army-green Italian-silk blouson.
Another effect that helps the color resonate is its ability to take more-refined pieces down a peg. The progressive sartorial label Studio Nicholson, for instance, offers its signature pleated trousers and jackets in mud-grays and browns—as versatile as navy or gray, but with a lot more personality. Ditto Lemaire’s roomy, relaxed tailoring, which it cuts from materials in “desert sage” and “asphalt.” Rendering even the most structured suits in khaki creates a more easygoing feel. I just styled a double-breasted suit by Edward Sexton, made from khaki wool gabardine, and even with full tab-collar shirt-and-tie combo, the color diverted any whiff of stiffness or tedium. It has been decades since we’ve seen such “finished” clothes looking quite so palatable.
But the ultimate demonstration of khaki’s versatility may be its capacity to make even the most experimental clothing feel approachable. Take the bold designs of ex-Marine, photographer, and Savile Row–trained tailor Robert Spangle’s Observer Collection. His safari style blends a single-breasted peak-lapel jacket with the plentiful storage and easy access of an M-65 field jacket. Even with its jaunty robe-like tie closure, it looks as elegant as a classic sport coat at a distance. Up close, it reveals ergonomic device pockets—concealed behind its front vents—ready for the demands of a connected, modern life.
For guys around the globe, there’s nothing so au courant as ease. The fashion set has long favored all-black ensembles, not only for their slimming effect but also because of a purported effortlessness in dressing. I challenge the stylistic validity of this approach—black tones often vary vastly—and it reminds me of the uniforms I wore while working various low-wage part-time jobs in my youth.
No such dress-code tyranny is in effect when you wear khaki head to toe. How ironic that a color designed to help soldiers blend in is the ultimate sartorial hack for standing out.
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