 Rainier Jonn is a data engineer, a father (which probably informs his punny sense of humor), and a real snappy dresser. His Instagram feed is a masterclass on color coordination, pattern play, accessorizing, and creative pairings. So let's take notes! When you first see a post from @thedressedchest, you'll be in awe of the sheer depth and nuance that defines his style. The richness of texture, daring patterns, and skillfully orchestrated color coordination creates a feast for your eyes. Rainier packs every outfit to the brim with delightful details but never looks cluttered or ostentatious; in fact, quite the opposite. Every detail synergizes with the next to create an ensemble far greater than the sum of its parts. That's no small task. Rainier achieves these intricate-yet-streamlined looks with three style strategies: The first of these skillful maneuvers is color echoing. Notice in the outfit depicted below, there are 3 main colors: white, red, and blue. Rather than having 3 unrelated blocks of color, Rainier selected a red tie with blue check mirroring the color of his sweater. Meanwhile, the white flecks in the tie's texture call back to his shirt. Despite such a bold contrast between each piece, color echoing imbues Rainier's outfit with a sophisticated sense of cohesion.  For comparison, let's weigh this well-dressed chest against a less impressively garbed torso. The outfit below has a similar arrangement of colors, yet it lacks the nuance, depth, and 181k followers on Instagram that Rainier has cultivated. Rightfully so.  Why? Well, for one it's a stock image. But also, the lack of visual depth, texture, and coordination leaves the whole thing feeling flat and underwhelming -- obligatory, even. This one does not spark joy. Amateurish menswear ensembles are typified by their lack of cohesion. The clothes don't interact or synergize with each other -- they're just there. Consequentially, such uninspired outfits will either look boring (as seen above) or like an absolute maelstrom of randomness (depicted blow).  Rainier never has that problem! Even in his busiest ensembles, every piece (accessories included) echoes a color found elsewhere in the getup. Rainier's second style strategy -- pattern play -- lends itself to color echoing. By utilizing patterns that feature multiple hues, he gives himself more pathways to harmonize them with other components of his outfit. If the floral tie below was only olive, then it wouldn't call back to neighboring colors. Instead the cyan in the flowers echo Rainier's chambray shirt, while the navy stems echo the trim of his pocket square, which enhances both the outfits nuance and its cohesiveness.  Similarly in this next outfit, Rainier echoes the orange diamonds of his tie to the orange trim of his jacket's buttonholes. That orange has a tonal relationship with his camel overcoat, allowing it to blend in seamlessly. The same relationship is present between his light blue shirt and his denim jacket. Even though there are actually a number of hues present, they all blend so seamlessly that it almost feels as if there's only blue and orange.  Aside from aiding in color coordination, Rainier's use of patterns enrich the visual depth of his ensembles. Their usefulness is twofold. The third and perhaps most subtle of Rainier's techniques is his purposeful use of texture. Because Rainier dresses for a business casual environment, he takes full advantage of tactile fabrics rather than the smooth worsted wool suits and poplin shirts that typify strict business attire. These are present in both his smarter ensembles...
...And his hyper-creative, smart-casual getups!
It's because of these textures that Rainier pulls off such daring combinations that most would shy from. The bridge between "smart" and "casual" is ruthlessly narrow and one misstep sends you tumbling down a slippery slope of cringe-inducing blunders; we're talking about tuxedo jackets over tee shirts; orphaned suit coats with jeans. Yikes! But not Rainier! As audacious as some of his ensembles can be, texture is the key to bringing it all to together. When Rainier wears a dressier/smoother shirt, he notches the overall formality down with a heavily textured tie and blazer. Conversely -- and more importantly -- Rainier will harmonize a very casual jacket (like those seen above) with shirts and ties made from coarse informal fabrics. As with Rainier's use of color echoing and pattern play, this serves to maximize not just visual depth, but also cohesiveness across the ensemble. As powerful as any of those style strategies can be on their own, their culmination creates an incredible effect that is greater than the sum of their parts. The result: every time Rainier dresses his chest, he creates a visual feast for the eyes; it is hearty, sophisticated, nuanced, whimsical, and above all, it is digestible. No one else does it like @thedressedchest and the best way to show appreciation -- aside from giving him a follow -- is to learn a few tricks from his playbook. Stay tuned for future Insta-Lessons from the most stylish men on the gram!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
